Background
Just when you think the usual England team problems have gone, they resurface. We had the grace and skill of Glen Hoddle in the 80’s, Matt Le Tissier in the 90’s, Gerrard-Lampard in the 00’s and 10’s and now we have the case of Mr Trent. Hmm…what to do these awesome skilful technical star dusted players?
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Alexandra Trent-Arnold is one of the most technically gifted players in world football. He of course is considered a right back in formation terms but is one of Liverpool’s most important creative player. The wily fox Ancelotti worked it out whilst at Napoli, stop Trent and Liverpool create less chances. All good so far, but then we come to England.
Apparently, Trent is not good at defending as the rest of the right backs. Ok, based on what? Well he struggled against Rashford a few years ago? He was 19 mate! Well take last season, was exposed, even all the tv commentators said it? Last season, Liverpool were struggling with injuries in defensive positions — centre half and midfield — lot less cover. This season, his team haven’t conceded a goal so far since his normal team mates are back and the team he was part of when they won the league was decent at the back as well! Ok, anyway, he started of his life as a midfielder so will be good at it? Klopp is one of the top two managers in world football, he had midfield issues last year, but never moved him…so next!
Reality is, at England, he does not have the pacey centre halves he needs to function as an attacking full back or those intelligent defensive midfielders so the system England use to successfully win against teams we should be winning against and lose against teams we need to beat to actually win a tournament doesn’t support Trent’s skillset.
So we can use him in midfield right, oh sorry, actually never worked last week? Well, he was playing in England’s makeshift backup team and the experiment wasn’t even for an entire match. Pet hate time — what is the obsession of trying new systems with random players. Why not try Trent next to Grealish and Foden, with Kane ahead of him or Bamford with the full team? No, too much effort.
Anyway, so why would you move a world class player in one position to another one where he might be good. All of this doesn’t make sense either and it’s time we start treating Trent Alexandra Arnold with the respect he deserves due his brilliant footballing skills. Let’s celebrate this talent and build something that brings the best out of him and his counterpart Luke Shaw on the other side — my oh my — how he has developed! Where did he learn to pass like that! Sorry Jose, you were wrong on this one. Maybe three at the back with Kyle Walker or Reece James as right sided centre half. If not, we are in danger of castigating an once in a lifetime talent without the full facts.
To end, dear Trent, you are an amazing footballer, keep doing what you are doing and ignore all the England madness!
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