Page 34 - Soccer360 Issue 105

ALEXANDER- ARNOLD SPOTLIGHT
BOTTOM: LEFT
Alexander-Arnold has a record-breaking number of Premier League assists for a right-back
BOTTOM RIGHT:
A famous corner kick routine saw Liverpool beat Barcelona in
the 2019 Champions League semi-finals
“NO RIGHT-BACK
IN PREMIER LEAGUE
HISTORY HAS
MORE ASSISTS TO
THEIR NAME THAN
ALEXANDER-
ARNOLD”
with a total of 255. Just as impressive is that he ranks fifth for the number of chances created with 49, more than any of his Liverpool teammates.
However, the most telling statistic of all is that at the age of 25, no defender in Premier League history has more assists to their name than Alexander-Arnold’s 57. To put that even further into context, the next right- back on the all-time list of assist makers is Manchester United legend Gary Neville, with a mere 35 in almost double the number of appearances, just to exemplify the changes the full-back position has undergone in
the past 20 years. Indeed, Neville himself
has described the Liverpool star as ‘David Beckham and Kevin de Bruyne at right- back’.
Amidst all the praise, there’s still a perception that Alexander-Arnold is weak defensively and that saw him begin to be targeted by opposition teams, leading many to suggest that he should be a midfielder
in the long-term. He’s taken the first steps towards being an all-out midfielder in 2023-24, but it’ll be interesting to see if
that becomes a more permanent role under Klopp’s successor. With the emergence of another promising, attack-minded right- back in youngster Connor Bradley, the Reds may have that option to fully capitalise on Alexander-Arnold’s talent while still retaining
a constant threat in the right-back position. The unrivalled skillset Alexander-Arnold brings as a full-back is the topic of considerable analysis and debate, which
has been only exacerbated by his ongoing struggle to establish himself in the England national team. Since being handed his international debut in 2018, he’s only gone on to win 23 caps - including just two at major tournaments - and has never been first-choice at any stage under coach Gareth Southgate, much to the bewilderment of fans and the media, while Klopp has also had his say on the matter more than once. After all, he’d likely walk into just about any other team in world football.
In an era of quality English right-backs, Alexander-Arnold is often compared to his peers and Southgate has generally preferred the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, and Reece James as he feels they are stronger defensively and provide a better balance
to the Three Lions’ 3-4-3 setup. In fact, throughout his England career it’s as if Southgate has viewed Alexander-Arnold as something of an oddity; unsure of where he fits into the side. That’s where the subject of him playing in midfield comes in again.
For the Euro 2024 qualifiers against
Malta and North Macedonia in June 2023, Southgate did give him the chance to start, but in an advanced central midfield position.
The result was his best few days in an England shirt as he adapted wonderfully to his new role, scoring with a terrific strike in the 4-0 win in Malta. If he has any chance of forcing his way into the starting XI for the finals it will be as an attacking playmaker, but even then, he faces extremely fierce competition.
Nevertheless, Alexander-Arnold is a generational talent that England can’t afford to let slip through their fingers. His status
at Liverpool is likely to remain secure, but the idea that a player of his quality can fail to have a meaningful career at international level is hard to fathom for many. As Euro 2024 approaches he could hardly be doing any more to persuade Southgate that he should start their tournament opener against Serbia, but his hopes very much hang in the balance.
Whatever happens, he’s already secured something of a lasting legacy with his record-breaking achievements in the Premier League, as the Liverpool fans who refer to him simply as ‘Trent’ have seen a young star with no.66 on his back redefine the role
of a full-back. As he prepares to take up
a permanent midfield role with both club and country, there should be several more standout moments to come.
34 SOCCER360