‘If you were Klopp’ – Ex-Red suggests ‘exceptional’ Liverpool star needs to be trialled in a different position
Steve Nicol believes Trent Alexander-Arnold needs to be deployed in an attacking role for Liverpool because the Scouser ‘can’t defend’.
The England international has received heavy criticism this season for his defensive showings and with the Reds struggling for consistency throughout the squad.
There have been calls for the 24-year-old to be moved into midfield but former Anfield favourite Nicol believes the Academy graduate’s future lies even further upfield.
“He can’t defend, so why would you play him in a defensive midfield role, maybe you play him further up the park,” Nicol told ESPN (as quoted by The Boot Room).
“Would you play him left-wing or right-wing? Whichever side he’s on?” the ex-Red was asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “Look, he’s better from the halfway line forwards. He is particularly bad defensively and if you were Klopp surely he’s thinking it or one of the other coaching staff is saying ‘boss, we can’t keep doing this,’ but they keep doing it.”
We understand why Alexander-Arnold, a player that Jurgen Klopp has labelled as ‘exceptional’ this season (in comments relayed by 90MIN), has had his critics this season but a lot of that criticism has been unmerited in our opinion.
It’s important to remember that Liverpool have won every major trophy possible in recent years with our No. 66 at right back so we can’t let one poor campaign tarnish his reputation.
He is still a seriously good full-back and he’s redefined the position in recent years with his unbelievable range of passing and ability to calve open opposition defences.
It could therefore make sense to play him in wide attacking role, but the way in which our German tactician tells his full-backs to play means he’s already operating pretty much like a winger.
It will be interesting to see where his future at the club lies but Klopp has already make it clear that he doesn’t like the idea of Trent in midfield.
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