Sporting Director Simon Rolfes subsequently employed Erik ten Hag to succeed the Spaniard, however that call proved to be a catastrophe.
It seemed to be an odd transfer within the first place, with Ten Hag’s fashion evidently not suiting Leverkusen. Ultimately, he managed simply three video games for Leverkusen, shedding to Hoffenheim and drawing with Werder Bremen within the Bundesliga.
Rolfes admitted that hiring Ten Hag was a mistake, however permitting him to stay in cost would have been “an excellent larger mistake”.
As such, former Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand was the person tasked with main Leverkusen’s revival.
Forward of Die Werkself’s Champions League conflict in opposition to PSV (tonight), how has the brand new man in cost fared throughout his first few weeks within the job?
Extra importantly, can he return the membership to difficult for trophies?
Kasper Hjulmand has breathed new life into Bayer Leverkusen
Beneath Alonso, Leverkusen have been a effectively drilled unit who merely didn’t know once they have been overwhelmed, particularly throughout their double-winning marketing campaign.
His possession-based system was constructed on width, construction and fluid attacking transitions, counting on wing-backs to stretch the play and artistic attacking midfielders comparable to Florian Wirtz to make issues occur within the remaining third.
Following his departure, a number of gamers who have been basic to his success have additionally left. Certainly, Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Boniface, Granit Xhaka and Piero Hincapié moved on through the summer time switch window simply gone.
Hjulmand was actually strolling into an intense problem, however to date, he has proven there is likely to be life after Alonso in spite of everything.
Certainly, his tactical fashion is much like that of the present Actual Madrid boss, focusing closely on possession-based play whereas utilising the broad choices at his disposal.
It’s maybe no shock, then, that the Dane has steadied the ship after a poor begin to the season.
He led the membership to a strong 3-1 victory in opposition to Eintracht Frankfurt on his debut, earlier than drawing in opposition to FC Copenhagen and Borussia Mönchengladbach within the Champions League and Bundesliga respectively.
Working with a 3-4-2-1 system that was typically on present beneath Alonso, Hjulmand sealed his second league win final weekend in opposition to FC St. Pauli. Regardless of being pegged again within the first half, a second half strike by Ernest Poku was sufficient to seal all three factors, shifting Leverkusen as much as sixth place within the desk.
The PSV conflict will likely be his hardest job but, however Leverkusen already look a a lot improved aspect in comparison with just some weeks in the past beneath Ten Hag.
Younger stars lighting up the pitch
Shedding the core of the double-winning squad was all the time going to be robust, however Leverkusen’s recruitment in the summertime has gone an extended option to including some long-term replacements, bolstered by some rising younger expertise.
Poku is a wonderful living proof. The 21-year-old winger arrived from AZ Alkmaar and has since scored twice whereas additionally registering as help.
Claudio Echeverri joined on a season-long mortgage from Manchester Metropolis and there’s real perception he might flip right into a world-class participant. When in comparison with different gamers in his place, the Argentinian teenager ranks within the prime 4% for probabilities created per 90, together with rating within the prime 8% for touches and within the prime 1% for tried photographs.
If given alternatives within the beginning XI beneath Hjulmand this season, the previous River Plate sensation might emerge as a key participant for Leverkusen.
Considered one of their most fun signings, nevertheless, has been Malick Tillman. The American shone throughout his spell with PSV and was signed as a substitute for Wirtz within the quantity ten slot.
Throughout simply 4 Bundesliga matches, Tillman has already scored twice and is settling into life on the membership slightly effectively. He might grow to be one in every of Hjulmand’s star performers because the season goes on.
Throughout his time answerable for the Danish nationwide workforce, the 53-year-old allowed kids comparable to Rasmus Højlund, Andreas Skov Olsen and Victor Froholdt the possibility to showcase their skills.
Blooding kids is nothing new to the Dane and this might see his spell at Leverkusen develop into a hit.
With loads of gamers at his disposal who’ve the potential to get even higher, there is no such thing as a purpose why he can not get the membership to be aggressive in each the Bundesliga and the Champions League this season.
Nobody is anticipating a repeat of the 2023/24 marketing campaign, however after rapidly changing Ten Hag with Hjulmand, there’s a quiet confidence that Rolfes has made the appropriate choice.
A victory in opposition to PSV on Wednesday night on the BayArena would go an extended option to kickstarting a brand new period at Leverkusen.
An period which might see a brand new era of gamers take centre-stage.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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