The only thing that scares me about Xabi Alonso is the fact that if Real Madrid doesn't get some useful results right away, he'll be eliminated very quickly, because we know that Real Madrid has to win, always, and if you don't, you'll be eliminated easily.
I think Xabi Alonso already knows this, having played for Real Madrid as a player before retiring and becoming the coach he is today. So, he probably understands this better, and he's simply trying to make Real Madrid better by relying on the existing players with a different tactical approach than last season under Ancelotti. Real Madrid still needs to invest in several new players to strengthen their key lines, as Real Madrid's current form is still lacking, and this was truly evident when Madrid faced PSG in the Club World Cup.