Trent Alexander-Arnold: Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher on Liverpool full-back’s impact | Football News

Gary Neville believes Trent Alexander-Arnold could become an all-time great with his “unprecedented” impact from full-back – if he becomes a “half-decent defender”.

Jurgen Klopp has deployed the 24-year-old in central areas for eight games running, with flashes of promise emerging from the get-go during the 2-2 draw with Arsenal in early April – teeing up Roberto Firmino for the Reds’ late equaliser.

The England international proceeded to notch two assists in the 6-1 win over Leeds and registered 153 touches – the third-most of any player in a Premier League game this season.

He then registered an assist in his next three games against Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Tottenham – before lashing home a stunning free-kick past Daniel Iversen in the 3-0 win over Leicester.

Six assists and one goal in eight games.

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Gary Neville said: “He’s been a key player [at Liverpool] for four of five years. His ability on the ball, what he’s doing – in terms of his contribution to Liverpool’s attack – is unprecedented. I’ve never seen a full-back have an impact on a team like he does..

“It’s just, sometimes, he gets caught one on one, or looks like he just doesn’t do the basics well, when they’re away from home or playing in a massive match in Europe.

“If he was even just half a decent defender, he would be one of the greatest full-backs of all-time – and he still can be.

His ability on the ball – in terms of his contribution to Liverpool’s attack – is unprecedented… If he was even just half a decent defender, he would be one of the greatest full-backs of all-time – and he still can be.

“At the moment, he’s not even in the England squad. That player we’ve just seen [on Monday], spraying it around the pitch, pinging one in from 30 yards – and he can’t get into the England squad. So, something is not quite right there.

“You might say it’s Gareth Southgate’s problem, and that’s why he can’t get in – because England don’t play that way – but he’s got to push Reece James, Kyle Walker, Kieran Tripper and all the others that are lined up to play there because his ability is special.

“How England adapt and find a way for him over the next few years [is the question]. Jurgen Klopp’s finding a way for him. He’s adapted his team for Alexander-Arnold – and the fact they were conceding goals.

“Let’s be clear, [Klopp] wanted to get Alexander-Arnold into a different position, so it was more protected – the three at the back and the two in front means Trent doesn’t get so exposed on that side and it’s working for them.

“But [Alexander-Arnold] has got to find a way to make sure he can deal with those difficult matches, four or five times a season, when he’s got a great left winger against him.

Jamie Carragher added: “If I’m Gareth Southgate, I’d be thinking he’s challenging the midfielder players, as well [as the right-backs]. Don’t forget, it was Southgate who put him in midfield before anyone and Klopp criticised him for it.

“When you talk about England’s midfield options, [there is] Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham – but there isn’t much behind that. I think he could be pushing there. Forget the hybrid role: he could play the midfield role for England.

“I don’t think we’ve ever talked about any other full-back like we talk about him. No one else comes up in conversation more than him.

“You’re looking and thinking, ‘How could he be that good on the ball?’. The free-kicks, crossing ability and now this hybrid role; running games and creating chances from almost the halfway line. It’s not even like a No 10, who’s getting it and turning and slipping a little pass – he’s making 40-, 50-yard passes and putting players through.

“He gets caught out defensively at times – you can’t deny that. But, he is probably the most talked-about full-back of all-time, certainly in the Premier League era. The reason is because we’ve never seen anyone like him.”

Trent is probably the most talked-about full-back of all-time, certainly in the Premier League era. The reason is because we’ve never seen anyone like him.”

Klopp: We drilled new role in March

Speaking to Sky Sports last month, Jurgen Klopp said: “We’ve always known he has the potential to do it. But, to play a role, it’s not about a player. It’s about having the whole system in place. You have to set it up. We have to train.

“People said his defending is not good. This year, that discussion took over because we, as a team, were not defending well.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in an advanced role or a right-back position. It starts in the frontline, if they don’t defend as well, the midfield doesn’t know where to go as the distances are too big.

“Trent is then too far advanced as to where we’d like him and then the last line is a little bit too deep and then all of a sudden, there’s a complete breakdown. We ended up in a lot of situations where Trent was too late and he couldn’t get a feeling of the situation. Defending is all about timing and if the distances are too big, then there’s no timing possible.

“People started saying: this winger is quicker than Trent. That was the case two or three years ago – so that’s not important.

“We had a successful formation for years, we had it in our minds where, if we had to change something, that could be something. He’s still defending in the right-back position and we had a lot of games last season when we played him in an advanced role. Now, it’s a bit more central.

“But you have to set up the rest of the team as well. It’s not just done by putting a player in a different position. We had time for that [a few] weeks ago, when we had an eight or nine-day training spell and we used it for that. It worked out and it’s very important how the last line adapts.

“The real reason for the improvement is the general defending. There are moments where we defend well and Trent can pop up in a different space. But it’s helped Fabinho as well. You can see how he’s flourishing now. Cody Gakpo is a perfect player for the central space. Everybody buys into it. It’s a like a breath of fresh air.

“We will have a proper pre-season. We will have two more weeks for the holiday. That doesn’t mean the holiday is longer, but the pre-season will be longer and we will make sure we will be ready for a proper fight next year. We will be closer next year.”

Trent: I enjoy new hybrid role

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Alexander-Arnold said: “It’s not just been [discussions between] me and [Klopp], it’s a team system.

“It’s getting the best out of players and finding a system that works best for us that is a little different from what we are used to do.

“I do definitely [enjoy it]. I wouldn’t say it’s further up. It’s not like I’m getting in the box and scoring goals. It’s more in the centre of the pitch and I enjoy getting on the ball and passing and being creative in those areas.”

Analysis: How Trent’s role has changed

The full-back has registered 53 assists since his debut in 2016 – bettered only by Kevin De Bruyne and team-mate Andy Robertson – but had created only two goals during this campaign until facing the Gunners last month.

Per 90 minutes, the past eight games equates to being eight times more effective. But it isn’t just assists: all key attacking metrics have spiked significantly: expected assists, chances created, passes in the opposition half and he’s getting more of the ball.

The heat maps below show the stark difference of his positioning since the turn of April, showing how the unconventional full-back has been venturing into the central third far more frequently.

The touch maps from his previous six games below break down his new role, revealing these regular central forays after being benched for the goalless draw with Chelsea following the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Carra: Only De Bruyne matches Trent for defence-splitting passes

Speaking after the victory over Leeds, Carragher was full of praise for Alexander-Arnold and provided a deep-dive analysis of the full-back’s new role.

“His role from midfield in the second half against Arsenal was almost like a Steven Gerrard performance, where he was a bit everywhere and there was a lot of running involved,” said Carragher.

“Trent has provided quality from an unconventional full-back position – he plays the role differently. But, for me, watching him in midfield, getting more involved, running the game, I think this is almost perfect for him.

“I don’t really care where Trent is on a team sheet. I want to see him on the ball [in the region highlighted below] because, if he’s on the ball in those areas, whether he’s playing midfield, full-back, wing-back, or on the right of a midfield three, there are very few players in world of football who could match him.

“Klopp and Liverpool have to find a way [to utilise his strengths], as they have done for the last four or five years as a full-back. If that position isn’t working this season, then as a midfield player. Your job as coaching staff is to make sure you get that man on the ball.”

Indeed, Liverpool had done exactly that. “People said his defending is not good,” said Klopp. “This year, that discussion took over because we, as a team, were not defending well.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in an advanced role or a right-back position. It starts in the frontline, if they don’t defend as well, the midfield doesn’t know where to go as the distances are too big.

“Trent is then too far advanced as to where we’d like him and then the last line is a little bit too deep and then all of a sudden, there’s a complete breakdown. We ended up in a lot of situations where Trent was too late and he couldn’t get a feeling of the situation. Defending is all about timing and if the distances are too big, then there’s no timing possible.

“People started saying: this winger is quicker than Trent. That was the case two or three years ago – so that’s not important.

“We had a successful formation for years, we had it in our minds where, if we had to change something, that could be something. He’s still defending in the right-back position and we had a lot of games last season when we played him in an advanced role. Now, it’s a bit more central.

“But you have to set up the rest of the team as well. It’s not just done by putting a player in a different position. We had time for that [a few] weeks ago, when we had an eight or nine-day training spell and we used it for that. It worked out and it’s very important how the last line adapts.

“The real reason for the improvement is the general defending. There are moments where we defend well and Trent can pop up in a different space. But it’s helped Fabinho as well. You can see how he’s flourishing now. Cody Gakpo is a perfect player for the central space. Everybody buys into it. It’s a like a breath of fresh air.

“We will have a proper pre-season. We will have two more weeks for the holiday. That doesn’t mean the holiday is longer, but the pre-season will be longer and we will make sure we will be ready for a proper fight next year. We will be closer next year.”