Trent Alexander-Arnold Player Thread (D)

I don't care whether he can defend or not. He's got a Rolls Royce of a right foot and his left ain't too bad either. His touch and his passing are sublime for the most part. Wouldn't trade him for anyone at his position.

I know this has been a rejected idea by many, including our manager himself, but can we just be done with it and move this lad to a permanent midfield position? We already have CDM problems and our RCBs get injured very easily yet we are constantly asking of those two positions to cover an immense gaping hole behind Mo just to do what we refuse to officialize (sending Trent to the middle of the park). Most of the goals we concede are coming from that right side exploiting our inability to properly cover for him going forward. I'm not saying  the goals are his fault, that's not what I mean. What I'm saying is that we're playing a system where we want to give him license to roam freely into the midfield, but we have a hard time covering for him (no proper CDM, RCBs getting older and are often injured, etc.) 

Some will say ''but the NT tried and its not working'' or ''we tried and its not great''. I don't care, we have World Class manager, make it work. The lad is that good that you can build your team around him. Just get a RB (Gomez does the job as far as I'm concerned) and put TAA in midfield one way or another. Wether its as a CM or even as a CAM (even if we have to modify the formation or our tactical approach to the games). He's just too good on the ball to be playing RB all his career. His finishing is better than some of our forwards, his long and short passing is amazing, vision, pace, very aware of the smart runs he can make from midfield to the edge of the box, etc. Most importantly, this lad is never more engaged and showing incredible spirit than when he is doing the offense part of his job.

Gareth Bale, although a very different player, comes to mind when you think of TAA's situation. He was a left-back that was very good on the ball and with tremendous offensive abilities. He was moved from LB to LW and then RW. I believe something similar has to happen with Trent. We've got a superstar in him and sometimes you've got to show a bit of flexibility and shape your team around your superstars to get the most out of them and the team as a whole.

Furthermore, think of all the times we finish the game by bringing Joe to play RB and TAA stays on the pitch. All of a sudden we're much more secure. The midfield is still too easily bypassed, but there's no longer a gaping hole behind Salah and to the right of Matip/Konate who have to burst their lungs running after the resident opposition's LW being thrown yet another over the top pass by his teammates.

A couple of problems are

1. It's working. We've lost 1 in 25 in the prem and that was that dodgy one against Spurs, so i get that we're still sticking with it, even though teams try to exploit that area.

2. Trent himself has admitted he has to get accustomed to a midfield role. Where would you play him? CDM or one of the CM's?

3. We lose Trents crossing from The right. Altho one could argue we do already

A couple of problems are

1. It's working. We've lost 1 in 25 in the prem and that was that dodgy one against Spurs, so i get that we're still sticking with it, even though teams try to explain that area.

2. Trent himself has admitted he has to get accustoomed to a Midfield role. Where would you play him? CDM or one of the CM's?

3. We lose Trents crossing from The right. Altho one could argue we do already

The 2nd and 3rd point are, in my opinion, a bit if not completely moot and I'll explain why. Firstly, any change will require him to get accustomed to it and that's normal. Its just how it is with change you introduce to the team. Most of his crossing already comes from the half spaces as far as I can remember from those past few games. Sure he will cross from wider positions once he is in a passing triangle with Mo and Szobo, but that's not something that would automatically be out of playbook if he was to switch to the midfield.

As for the first point, I agree it has been working so far. With that said, I think the issue is still there and we've been rather lucky not to see it hurt us more often. Our XGa is of 18.99 while Arsenal and City both sit at 13.79 and 12.47 respectively. I don't think that in the long term we can compete with them for the tittle and the main reason is that we're a bit too exposed defensively. You can feel that frailty in most of the games we played (Fulham being the latest addition to the list). If we consider that Aston Villa will not stay in the top 4 for much longer and that this spot is Newcastle's then their XGa sits at 14.50. Once again, its a catastrophic XGa but what I'm trying to demonstrate is that there's a steep drop between you and those you're trying to compete with. In my opinion, the main component to our defensive problems is that huge space behind Salah. This, combined with not having a CDM is really making our life much harder than it should be. That's why I'm suggesting we push him up and stick someone like Gomez in there. He wouldn't just sit back, he'd overlap too and cross, but just not as much as TAA would and not with the same freedom of movement and he's also a bit more solid defensively speaking.

As to what position he'd be playing in midfield, I don't know. Its a good question, but I don't have the answer.

The 2nd and 3rd point are, in my opinion, a bit if not completely moot and I'll explain why. Firstly, any change will require him to get accustomed to it and that's normal. Its just how it is with change you introduce to the team. Most of his crossing already comes from the half spaces as far as I can remember from those past few games. Sure he will cross from wider positions once he is in a passing triangle with Mo and Szobo, but that's not something that would automatically be out of playbook if he was to switch to the midfield.

As for the first point, I agree it has been working so far. With that said, I think the issue is still there and we've been rather lucky not to see it hurt us more often. Our XGa is of 18.99 while Arsenal and City both sit at 13.79 and 12.47 respectively. I don't think that in the long term we can compete with them for the tittle and the main reason is that we're a bit too exposed defensively. You can feel that frailty in most of the games we played (Fulham being the latest addition to the list). If we consider that Aston Villa will not stay in the top 4 for much longer and that this spot is Newcastle's then their XGa sits at 14.50. Once again, its a catastrophic XGa but what I'm trying to demonstrate is that there's a steep drop between you and those you're trying to compete with. In my opinion, the main component to our defensive problems is that huge space behind Salah. This, combined with not having a CDM is really making our life much harder than it should be. That's why I'm suggesting we push him up and stick someone like Gomez in there. He wouldn't just sit back, he'd overlap too and cross, but just not as much as TAA would and not with the same freedom of movement and he's also a bit more solid defensively speaking.

As to what position he'd be playing in midfield, I don't know. Its a good question, but I don't have the answer.

imma keep it real with you chief. I dont know what XGa is. I tried to look it up. I'm not even sure if its valid tbh.

imma keep it real with you chief. I dont know what XGa is. I tried to look it up. I'm not even sure if its valid tbh.

hahaha. It's essentially a stat that tracks the quality of the chances created against a team, the higher the number the higher it is likely for that team to concede. There is also Xg which is simply the same stat but for the chances the team creates (measuring the likelihood of your team scoring). I might be oversimplifying it, but that's about it.

I am not an analyst or anything so I won't pretend I understand those stats as good as an analyst or that this stat is the be all and end all of a discussion (or that any stat is really). I just used it to demonstrate my point which is essentially that the results are there since the beginning of the season, but performances, in my opinion, not so much and that these performances are indicative of some issues that we will end up paying the price for sooner or later.

I know this has been a rejected idea by many, including our manager himself, but can we just be done with it and move this lad to a permanent midfield position? We already have CDM problems and our RCBs get injured very easily yet we are constantly asking of those two positions to cover an immense gaping hole behind Mo just to do what we refuse to officialize (sending Trent to the middle of the park). Most of the goals we concede are coming from that right side exploiting our inability to properly cover for him going forward. I'm not saying  the goals are his fault, that's not what I mean. What I'm saying is that we're playing a system where we want to give him license to roam freely into the midfield, but we have a hard time covering for him (no proper CDM, RCBs getting older and are often injured, etc.) 

Some will say ''but the NT tried and its not working'' or ''we tried and its not great''. I don't care, we have World Class manager, make it work. The lad is that good that you can build your team around him. Just get a RB (Gomez does the job as far as I'm concerned) and put TAA in midfield one way or another. Wether its as a CM or even as a CAM (even if we have to modify the formation or our tactical approach to the games). He's just too good on the ball to be playing RB all his career. His finishing is better than some of our forwards, his long and short passing is amazing, vision, pace, very aware of the smart runs he can make from midfield to the edge of the box, etc. Most importantly, this lad is never more engaged and showing incredible spirit than when he is doing the offense part of his job.

Gareth Bale, although a very different player, comes to mind when you think of TAA's situation. He was a left-back that was very good on the ball and with tremendous offensive abilities. He was moved from LB to LW and then RW. I believe something similar has to happen with Trent. We've got a superstar in him and sometimes you've got to show a bit of flexibility and shape your team around your superstars to get the most out of them and the team as a whole.

Furthermore, think of all the times we finish the game by bringing Joe to play RB and TAA stays on the pitch. All of a sudden we're much more secure. The midfield is still too easily bypassed, but there's no longer a gaping hole behind Salah and to the right of Matip/Konate who have to burst their lungs running after the resident opposition's LW being thrown yet another over the top pass by his teammates.

I think once the younger right back lads have a wee bit more experience he will stay in this hybrid role, but once the younglings start playing more regularly trent will maybe move into MF.

Next season.

I don't care whether he can defend or not. He's got a Rolls Royce of a right foot and his left ain't too bad either. His touch and his passing are sublime for the most part. Wouldn't trade him for anyone at his position.

Thing is its the tactics that make trent look like a bad defender.

He has multiple jobs in the team, RB, winger & now central playmaker, so its upto the rest of  the team to cover defensively for him. Klopp has said this on many occasions.

Thing is its the tactics that make trent look like a bad defender.

He has multiple jobs in the team, RB, winger & now central playmaker, so its upto the rest of  the team to cover defensively for him. Klopp has said this on many occasions.

Yeah Trent does seem to cover many positions in the team, going forward and back, scoring some really fantastic goals. He will be looking for a multiple pay packet for sure.

He has multiple jobs in the team, RB, winger & now central playmaker, so its upto the rest of  the team to cover defensively for him. Klopp has said this on many occasions.

Add goalscorer to his roles.

Yeah Trent does seem to cover many positions in the team, going forward and back, scoring some really fantastic goals. He will be looking for a multiple pay packet for sure.

. Bumper new contract incoming. with multiple hat's .

Add goalscorer to his roles.

very true.

Those Predators are fire!

If Trent did this he would get absolutely slaughtered, there'd be a month long media inquiry, and our fans would be ordering a firing squad

https://twitter.com/GifsAnfield4/status/1733908615726047696

Can’t break a low block or the forwards are playing poorly our answer to every attacking issue is stick Trent in midfield here’s a idea why not start with him there and play with a RB who also provides attacking width and defensive solidity 🤷‍♂️.

So unlucky with his effort that just missed the post. really thought that was in.

Can’t break a low block or the forwards are playing poorly our answer to every attacking issue is stick Trent in midfield here’s a idea why not start with him there and play with a RB who also provides attacking width and defensive solidity 🤷‍♂️.

4 2 3 1

Problem is our recruitment hasn't really been built towards having Trent in midfield as a starter.

Can’t break a low block or the forwards are playing poorly our answer to every attacking issue is stick Trent in midfield here’s a idea why not start with him there and play with a RB who also provides attacking width and defensive solidity 🤷‍♂️.

I said that about a month ago and most people seem to disagree with the idea. I'm still convinced the best thing we could do with him is to start him at RCM. He shines the most in the middle of the park and he is very dangerous around the box. Instead of that whole big headache of making him tuck inside, switch to a back 3, ask the RCM to cover him and for him to run back once we lose the ball, why not just play Gomez at RB and start him at RCM?

I also don't understand the ''we will lose his crosses'' argument. Watching the past 5 games, it seems to me that about 80% of his crosses come from right central positions and he crosses much less than he used to because we ask him to do other things anyway.

Here is a few lines from an article written about him:

''He has three assists in all competitions this season, but just one in the Premier League (which came from a corner vs Aston Villa); notably down from the seven assists in 10 games he ended last season with. He is still crafting opportunities from open play, though, averaging 1.5 chances created per 90, up from 1.3 last season, although fewer of those are coming from crosses.

As you can see below from his open-play chances created in the Premier League both last season and this, he has gone from firing in plenty of crosses from the right of the penalty area to hardly doing so at all in 2023-24, with the majority coming from deeper areas.

Alexander-Arnold averaged 4.3 open-play crosses in 2022-23, but that is down at 2.8 per 90 this season. In fact, he has never averaged fewer than 4.1 open-play crosses per 90 across a full season in his career, though his open-play chances created aren’t noticeably lower than his career average, so he’s staying more or less as creative even though he isn’t firing the volume of crosses into the box he once was.''

Link: https://theanalyst.com/na/2023/12/what-is-trent-alexander-arnold-and-does-it-matter/

Can’t break a low block or the forwards are playing poorly our answer to every attacking issue is stick Trent in midfield here’s a idea why not start with him there and play with a RB who also provides attacking width and defensive solidity 🤷‍♂️.

Been saying that for the last 18 months. We'd be a much better team with a quality right back and Trent in midfield. Its not f*cking rocket science I don't think.

Been saying that for the last 18 months. We'd be a much better team with a quality right back and Trent in midfield. Its not f*cking rocket science I don't think.

Yeah I don’t think he enjoys or wants to play RB anymore but it’s not as simple as just sticking him in midfield, he has weaknesses that would need to be covered playing in that position.

Yeah I don’t think he enjoys or wants to play RB anymore but it’s not as simple as just sticking him in midfield, he has weaknesses that would need to be covered playing in that position.

Never thought of that till now, makes sense thinking about it.

Yeah I don’t think he enjoys or wants to play RB anymore but it’s not as simple as just sticking him in midfield, he has weaknesses that would need to be covered playing in that position.

Yep

He'd need to play in a 2 or as the right sided 8 for me

Yep

He'd need to play in a 2 or as the right sided 8 for me

The 8 is perfect for him.

Yep

He'd need to play in a 2 or as the right sided 8 for me

I don’t think he is dynamic or mobile enough for an 8 role