Trent Alexander-Arnold

[Irishnev]

Gerry Byrne will be turning in his grave.

Not sure how much detail you caught up on, but it appears he picked up the injury during the first take on, which is why the 2nd seemed so half hearted (think Jaco picked up on that before injury was announced TBF). Played another 20 odd minutes with the injury too, so maybe a bit of slack next time?

All are in bed so I’m catching up now - ffs, the timing could’ve been worse I guess but we’re threadbare in defence right now

[RedReet]

Was actually a little before the first time Martinelli skinned him. Said it in the other thread, match thread maybe, on Sunday.

You could see him hitch on that side and then was trying to force things for about ten minutes after that.


Kept rubbing it as well.

Looked very similar to when a boxer twists a knee or ankle joint when moving and then tries to work through it for a few rounds in the hope it is just a knock/twist that deadened a nerve rather than a tear or impact injury.

Good spot.

Really felt like a determined performance from him on Sunday, already said I got Gerrard vibes and the fact he was willing to play through the pain barrier shows how much he wanted it.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Good spot.

Really felt like a determined performance from him on Sunday, already said I got Gerrard vibes and the fact he was willing to play through the pain barrier shows how much he wanted it.

Second half saw him (and the team in general) put in a great shift. Not that thay were bad in the first half, more that they were outplayed by a team that was doing better for that 45 minutes which happens, but in the second half the team was constantly grinding and gaining little footholds to build on whilst at the same time refusing to let Arsenal have those footholds back.


Think everyone was really good in that second half but think the grit shown by Konate, Gomez, Jones and Nunez gave the rest something to latch onto and to build their own push backs on top of.

Those four for me were the rocks that a lot of other performances were then able to be built upon.

You get a core in a team that look like they are not going to break during a tough spell in a game, that are fighting every battle without taking a backward step and it is hard to not want to go shoulder to shoulder with them and fight the common enemy together. Imo of course.


Think for various reasons the two recent games against Arsenal were our two best team performances this season. Those two games may well be the ones that saw the heart and character of Klopp 2.0 mature and not be found wanting in the heat of battle. The games that turn a team that has been great at coming back this season into a team that "knows" it can soak up pressure from the big hitters in the game and then look those big hitters back in the eye after taking a big hit to the chin.

Is why I am really looking forward to playing Chelsea at the end of this month. We started the season like we were overly cautious and overly respectful of teams like Chelsea, teams that are trading on past reputations with a manger trading on a reputation from a long time ago as well, whereas now we know we can square up and go punch for punch and that we have the character on and off the pitch to get us through rough patches.

[Irishnev]

[ame="https://twitter.com/lfc/status/1753112076849906123"]https://twitter.com/lfc/status/1753112076849906123[/ame]

[Exiled_red]

Not wanting to be knee-jerk here but I feel Trent is becoming something of a dilemma for us. He's a really good player but the hybrid role doesn't always work, particularly against the bigger sides. Against lesser sides giving him the freedom to float around and influence the attacking side of the game works quite well, against bigger sides we leave far too much space down that side and get opened up or caught out too often.

I know he has only played a handful of games but I feel the side has looked more balanced with Bradley playing as a more traditional RB and width down that side has been useful in stretching games, with the hybrid role there is almost no width down that side.

Should we stick with Trent in the hybrid role all the time, just use it for some games, move him to midfield or get him back to playing as a regular RB providing width from that side (I'm not sure regular RB is a role he wants to play anymore)

[danperkins]

I don't think it's knee jerk even if Trent wasn't match fit and it is a very small sample size with Bradley. We've been talking for quite some time now about how much of a luxury player Trent is, his defensively weaknesses, lack of pace and what exactly we should do with him. It is a real dilemma as he wasn't playing poorly up until he injury & we do have the joint best defence in the league. In saying all those things, watching the games we can all see the frailties and holes in that setup to accommodate Trent and the stress and strain it puts on the likes of Konate mopping up behind.

Certainly having the Bradley option or that type of player is very beneficial for certain games, that width and pace can be the difference in games.

[Rigadon]

Not wanting to be knee-jerk here but I feel Trent is becoming something of a dilemma for us. He's a really good player but the hybrid role doesn't always work, particularly against the bigger sides. Against lesser sides giving him the freedom to float around and influence the attacking side of the game works quite well, against bigger sides we leave far too much space down that side and get opened up or caught out too often.

I know he has only played a handful of games but I feel the side has looked more balanced with Bradley playing as a more traditional RB and width down that side has been useful in stretching games, with the hybrid role there is almost no width down that side.

Should we stick with Trent in the hybrid role all the time, just use it for some games, move him to midfield or get him back to playing as a regular RB providing width from that side (I'm not sure regular RB is a role he wants to play anymore)

We’ve got better midfielders than Trent. We’ve arguably got better right backs. I don’t like the inverted role. Would rather wide full backs. Nothing will change this season but will be interesting to see what the new manager does.

[Exiled_red]

If Bradley could continue on his current form (big if) I would give him the RB spot and move back to a regular back 4 formation with Bradley/Gomez/Robertson playing the fullback roles. But it requires TAA to move into midfield and the question there is who do you leave out? He isn't suited to the DM role, which leaves the two number 8 roles. He would be most suited to the right sided 8 role but that is Szoboszlai's position and he has been doing well there, he is less well suited to the left sided 8 role and again Jones has been playing well there, seems harsh to drop either one at the moment and as good a player as TAA is I'm not sure he's shown yet that he is better in midfield than those guys.

It feels like he is still playing RB as we have to get him into the team somehow and that's the only role that's available.

I like Trent but where he plays feels like a problem to me at the moment.

[Kenneth]

He’s one of the best passers in world football and it seems crazy that we struggle to utilise him, so I was trying to decide how to build a team around him, where he would play and in what formation if he was the main man. First point is that he is not a defender. Yes, we were great and he played RB in a great side but other teams worked it out and he started getting badly exposed to any kind of pace in behind. Right side of a three in midfield is too much for him imo, he’ll end up standing around pinging long passes around but not doing the leg work needed in the press (it sometimes looks like he thinks he’s above it) or holding positional discipline. Centre right in a midfield 4 may be better suited, or maybe a RM.

Basically, Trent doesn’t get a start in a top side playing 4-3-3 for me. He should be swaggering around right midfield, with numbers in support, unlocking defences with his passing. It will be fascinating to see what a new manager does with him, if he stays for that.

[Norbs]

I think Trent would work better as a wide right forward, playing in the middle negates most of his strengths

[rudedog]

That was his first start in a month so I think we need to cut him a bit of slack - let's judge after a few more games before we decide if this a genuine concern. I also think we really missed Endo yesterday.

Trent wasn't reason we got beat yesterday, the whole team including the manager needs to take ownership of that.

[Exiled_red]

I think Trent would work better as a wide right forward, playing in the middle negates most of his strengths

I have wondered about that but would he be capable of getting anywhere near enough goals to make it work in that position?

[Kenneth]

That was his first start in a month so I think we need to cut him a bit of slack - let's judge after a few more games before we decide if this a genuine concern. I also think we really missed Endo yesterday.

Trent wasn't reason we got beat yesterday, the whole team including the manager needs to take ownership of that.

The timing of this conversation prompts that response and I get it, but none of the things being discussed are specific to yesterday and haven’t been obvious for some time.

[RichC]

That was his first start in a month so I think we need to cut him a bit of slack - let's judge after a few more games before we decide if this a genuine concern. I also think we really missed Endo yesterday.

Trent wasn't reason we got beat yesterday, the whole team including the manager needs to take ownership of that.

I think he started through necessity yesterday with Bradley not being available tbh.

[frank the tank]

As Rogadon says, it will be interesting to see what the new manager does. It all depends on the formation that we go with.

In Xabis 343 formation, then it is possible that he plays central midfield maybe next to MacAllister.

I wonder if we were offered mega bucks from someone like Real Madrid would the club sell him. Lets say they were able to sell both Trent and Mo for +200m and give that to the new manager......