Trent Alexander Arnold

Excellent piece. He alway comes across as a very smart and grounded lad in interviews. Really excellent what he's doing right now, and sobering. I had plenty of friends who were on the books of pro clubs as schoolboys, but only one of them ever played pro - he made two substitute appearances for Mansfield Town.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...academies-and-the-games-brutal-talent-machine

 

Great article..

 

Very interesting I didn't realise they missed quite so much, its ridiculously intense .

 

One of the best passers of the ball in the premier league and would improve most teams playing in the middle of the park.

Unbelievable talent.

Liverpool are crying out for legs and quality in central midfield.

Klopp still thinks he’s a right back…

If I were on the liverpool board I’d be insisting Klopp buy a full back and switch Trent. He’s better than anything they will buy in central midfield given they say they can’t afford Bellingham.

 

thanks for posting. Good lad TAA.

 

But we've had years of world class trent at RWB. So I can see why a world class manager in Klopp would want him to stay there. But this season with players available he definitely should have moved into midfield in that stones/zinchenko role a lot earlier than he has done. But if they get some midfielders which they're crying out for, trent should stay in his normal position. Record breaking assists, he's insanely talented going forward

 

He’s not a right back though - and he’s shown he can’t temper his attacking tendencies to be an effective full back in a back four. Too much happens behind him when Liverpool aren’t playing well, which they haven’t since going three up today.

Look at that spurs goal - where the frig was he? Nowhere. Albeit ably assisted by VVD deciding to have a nice sit down rather than run perisic into the corner!

TAA isn’t a natural full back, he’s not a great defender, and you could argue he’s wasted playing there anyway. Middle of the park or right of a midfield three he’d be outstanding.

 

Mate you can't say hes not a RWB when every single elite manager in the world has at some point said he's the best in the world in that position. There's a big difference between RB & RWB in the elite sections of football these days, Trent was perfect in that role because he had players like Henderson, Fabinho & Wijnaldum alternating in protecting his back line - there's a reason he was one of their most important players when winning the league for first time in 30 years and getting to multiple champions league finals and even winning one. If they don't replace their midfield I dont think they'll have a choice but to play him there, Klopp is clearly reluctant but doesn't really have a choice without investment

 

Nah, right back for me.

 

My second favourite Arnold after this fella.

 

Nice read, cheers.

 

He's a number 6 when Liverpool are attacking and right back when the ball is lost. With a bit of a free reign when on the attack, sometimes a counter attack can go down the left flank and hes not there. Another player should be covering but TAA will get the blame

 

That's only started recently though, and that's because he's been struggling all season. Its worked wonders for City & Arsenal so Liverpool would be daft not to use him like that especially with someone as talented as he is

 

Thanks for that!

 

He isn’t a right back in the sense of the word 20 years ago but he is now. Modern full backs at top sides spend more time attacking than defending. The aim is to constantly have the ball so that they don’t have to do any defending & if they do lose it they press high up the pitch to win it back before they can be countered.

The big problem at Liverpool hasn’t been the full backs, it’s the lack of legs in midfield. Liverpool could play with attacking full backs previously but injuries & ageing to all of Henderson, Fabinho & Tiago & the inexperience of their replacements Elliott, Jones & Bajcetic has caused the issues.

 

The can’t defend myth is baffling. They’ve knocked out / beaten pretty much every top European side bar Real Madrid over the last 5 years. Full backs who can’t defend don’t go to places like Bayern Munich, PSG. Barcelona etc & look a million dollars

Look at the facts. 3 champions league finals & won one, they’ve reached 90+ points 3 times in an era up against Man City & all their wealth. In my time growing up sides like Man Utd & Arsenal never got near to 90 points in a two team league.

If City & their financial doping wasn’t around we’d be talking about one of the greatest English sides there’s ever been.

 

Can I just say, despite whatever 'doping' city have done, it isn't the players fault. They're still one of, if not the, greatest english side ever (unsure whether they have to win a CL for that). I love the fact they've overtaken actual cheats in Arsenal who doped many, many moons ago at our expense.

 

Of course not, if I was a player I’d love to play for them. They’ve definitely got to win the champions league. You can’t go down as one of the greats if you don’t win the greatest prize in club football.

 

I think I have to disagree with your last point on that bud, haha. Ronaldo9, Vieira, Bergkamp, Ibrahimovic, Buffon ( I think?), Van Nistelrooy, Cantona, & many more obviously, never won the champions league

 

I don’t mean individuals, I mean teams. Definitely not individuals, the Brazilian Ronaldo is 100% a great for starters.