Trent Alexander-Arnold: A Midfield Metamorphosis
Trent Alexander-Arnold, a name synonymous with assists and pinpoint deliveries from the right flank, stands at the precipice of an intriguing transformation. Having made 310 appearances for Liverpool since his debut in 2016, the 25-year-old is gearing up for the 2024-25 campaign with renewed vigor and a potential shift in positional play.
Despite carving a niche as one of the best right-backs in world football, Alexander-Arnold’s recent ventures into midfield for England have not gone unnoticed. He started in midfield for England in six of his last seven starts. Tim Jenkins, a former analyst and assistant coach for Liverpool Under-21s, provides some context on his versatile history, noting, "He'd played in midfield in Pep Lijnders' Under-16s, at the base of the diamond. He was right in the middle of the pitch and involved in everything."
Jenkins added, "When he went into the Under-18s with Neil Critchley, they started to help him use his physical attributes a bit, so he played on the outside as a right winger or a right full-back." Before this, Alexander-Arnold oscillated between being a centre-half and a full-back in the Under-15s age group under Michael Beale.
The current narrative shift isn’t coming out of the blue. In the 2018-19 season, Alexander-Arnold registered 12 assists, the third-highest tally in the Premier League. The following season, his 13 assists were second only to Kevin De Bruyne. Even in the 2021-22 campaign, his 12 assists were bettered only by Mohamed Salah, underlining his consistent influence on the pitch.
Last season, the Liverpool stalwart ranked in the 99th percentile for expected assisted goals per 90 minutes (0.37) and passes attempted (87.71) in Europe’s top five divisions. His 5.25 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in the Premier League and Europa League also put him in the 99th percentile among full-backs, further embellishing his credentials.
From a statistical viewpoint, his knack for progressive play remains undeniable. He was in the 98th percentile for progressive passes (8.69) and ranked third among Premier League outfielders for switches of play (32). His 147 successful long passes further demonstrate his range and vision, emphasizing his ability to dictate play from various parts of the field.
Jason McAteer, a former Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, and Republic of Ireland player, articulated the modern demands of a full-back, which Alexander-Arnold has embodied, "Today's full-back is a lot more like a wing-back. You've got to get forward. You've got to get balls into the box. And you have this hybrid role where you come into midfield." McAteer believes that Alexander-Arnold’s qualities must be fully utilized, noting, "Trent has got that many attributes that you've got to get him into the team. You look at Trent now and he's grown up, he's evolved."
Nonetheless, the move to midfield has its challenges. McAteer points out, "His qualities are there to be seen, but you can be exposed. Time and space are your best mates in football. If you're not given that by the player alongside you, defending and taking players away, you're not going to flourish." He elaborates on the defensive limitations exposed during Alexander-Arnold's deeper midfield role with England, "He was great on the ball, but without it he was exposed and he became a bit of a scapegoat."
As Liverpool prepares for its upcoming season, perhaps Alexander-Arnold’s hybrid role will continue to evolve under Jurgen Klopp’s tactical nous. "Klopp would say that sometimes Trent will be on the outside, sometimes he'll be on the inside – wherever he is, he’s just going to be Trent," Jenkins asserts, hinting at the fluidity in Liverpool’s approaches to leverage their star player's myriad skills.
Trent Alexander-Arnold embarks on another chapter in his storied career with speculation surrounding his future at Anfield. His contract is set to expire this summer, and there are murmurs linking him to Real Madrid. While his absence in Liverpool’s tour of America may fuel transfer conjectures, his starting role in the final pre-season friendly against Sevilla signals his importance to the current squad.
The journey from a young centre-half in the Under-15s to a heralded full-back, and now a potential midfield maestro, underscores the evolution of a player with immense adaptability and vision. Whether it's delivering assists from the flank or orchestrating play from the center, Alexander-Arnold remains a dynamic force in modern football.