Trent Alexander-Arnold

[Doc_Piptorious]

If Trent had played on Sunday, social media would have went into meltdown. I'm glad Bradley got plenty of praise because he played well, but it just goes to show that if your side of the pitch gets targeted with every attack, it's inevitable that you will get caught out at times.

Think the difference would be that Bradley's game would change when targeted (as we saw it did and as it did in other games when he was targeted and then he would drop a bit deeper to counter it) whereas we have seen this season and last season that TAA stays up in a more advanced position even after being targeted.


Think the biggest issue with TAA playing in the inverted role is his positional play. He just seems to have stopped reading the game well when the other team has the ball and gets caught out of position a lot as a result.

And it is not something I think was always a flaw in him as when he was playing as an attacking RB that would go forward down the right flank he looked more like Bradley does now just with a far greater offensive output.

I have never bought into TAA being a poor defender as he showed many many times as a RB that was simply untrue, but as a midfielder I think his positional/spatial awareness is poor and the more disciplined side of that position does not suit his skillset/style of play.


For me it is pretty simple when it comes to TAA. As an attacking RB he is world class. As a playmaking midfielder he is decent to good but not top class as he has as many games where he looks bang average in the role as he does ones where he looks really good.


He was a bit of a stat unicorn when used as an attacking RB, that changed when he inverted last season and again this season. His stats used to be slightly better than Hakimi as an attacking RB, now whilst Hakimi's are still in unicorn mode, TAA's have dropped off in a number of metrics.

[Paul12]

If everyone was fit, would he be in your first 11 and if so where would you play him?

[Rich]

As crazy as it sounds I'd have Bradley ahead of Trent for the RB role.

And given our huge midfield creativity upgrade there's less requirement to have Trent in there too.

Which is all a bit daft considering TAA's ability but for the sake of the team, he'd be on the bench for me.

[Cerbie]

As crazy as it sounds I'd have Bradley ahead of Trent for the RB role.

And given our huge midfield creativity upgrade there's less requirement to have Trent in there too.

Which is all a bit daft considering TAA's ability but for the sake of the team, he'd be on the bench for me.

The midfield upgrade is the key difference.

[Alex]

Hes a really conundrum, probably one of our best players. But doesnt fit anywhere if he doesnt want to play RB. Bradley is better defensively, but Trents game was so much more than that.

[Pablo]

If everyone was fit, would he be in your first 11 and if so where would you play him?

Great question.

I want to immediately say he goes straight back in at RB. We forget he was having a very good season before he got injured.

Truthfully though I'm not so sure. Bradley has been unquestionably been a revelation. A very different fullback to Trent, he's a marauding, non-stop menace. He reminds me a bit of Dani Alves, or a young Andy Robertson but with a bit more goal threat.

I could see an argument for swapping them out depending on what we need tactically for each game. Would Trent settle for that though?

Back up at RB has been an issue for a long time for us. Now that we finally have that backup it is hard to know which one is the starter and which one is the backup!

I personally think Trent is mentally done with RB now and he wants that star role in midfield. Can he achieve that with us? Where exactly does he fit in?

I think the current rumours of him leaving are probably an indication he's been thinking along these lines too. My suspicion is his answer is Real Madrid.

[Doc_Piptorious]

If everyone was fit, would he be in your first 11 and if so where would you play him?

Nope.


Everyone fully fit and my starting team, based on form and how balanced the team looked with them in it, would be




-------------------Alisson---------------
Bradley----Konate------VVD------Gomez
-------------------Endo-------------------
-----MacAllister---------Jones-----------
Salah-----------Darwin-----------Jota



Darwin and Jota are pretty much sharing both the LW and ST spots and interchanging over and over throughout games in my line up. Was really impressed with how well they did that every time they were in the team together.

Bradley and Gomez take the full back slots as I think the back line is far more balanced with them there even though I think TAA and Robertson are more talented and/or more technical.

MacAllister providing some cover for the right flank when we are countered on that side, Jones doing the same for the left flank when needed. So an attack on the right when Bradley is in an advanced position, Endo shuttles right, Mac drops back. Rinse and repeat using Jones for the left.


When attacking Mac or Jones can supplement the right or left flank in attack and Endo pushes up into the position of whichever one has moved into a wider position. Probably Jones that would do this most often as he was doing it last season and again this season before his injury.

Endo/Mac/Jones I think is our best midfield trio and one that brings everything be it on the ball or off the ball.



That starting XI fully fit takes any team in the league for me.




Then come the summer bring in Tchouameni for the DM role , and Alphonso Davies (yeah gazzumping any move he has lined up with Real ) for LB using some of the 150m we got for TAA going to Real and we then rule the PL and CL.

[SB]

As crazy as it sounds I'd have Bradley ahead of Trent for the RB role.

And given our huge midfield creativity upgrade there's less requirement to have Trent in there too.

Which is all a bit daft considering TAA's ability but for the sake of the team, he'd be on the bench for me.

The midfield upgrade is the key difference.

Well said gents

[Rich]

Nope.


Everyone fully fit and my starting team, based on form and how balanced the team looked with them in it, would be




-------------------Alisson---------------
Bradley----Konate------VVD------Gomez
-------------------Endo-------------------
-----MacAllister---------Jones-----------
Salah-----------Darwin-----------Jota



Darwin and Jota are pretty much sharing both the LW and ST spots and interchanging over and over throughout games in my line up. Was really impressed with how well they did that every time they were in the team together.

Bradley and Gomez take the full back slots as I think the back line is far more balanced with them there even though I think TAA and Robertson are more talented and/or more technical.

MacAllister providing some cover for the right flank when we are countered on that side, Jones doing the same for the left flank when needed. So an attack on the right when Bradley is in an advanced position, Endo shuttles right, Mac drops back. Rinse and repeat using Jones for the left.


When attacking Mac or Jones can supplement the right or left flank in attack and Endo pushes up into the position of whichever one has moved into a wider position. Probably Jones that would do this most often as he was doing it last season and again this season before his injury.

Endo/Mac/Jones I think is our best midfield trio and one that brings everything be it on the ball or off the ball.



That starting XI fully fit takes any team in the league for me.




Then come the summer bring in Tchouameni for the DM role , and Alphonso Davies (yeah gazzumping any move he has lined up with Real ) for LB using some of the 150m we got for TAA going to Real and we then rule the PL and CL.

That's my starting 11 too - brilliant balance.

[Alex]

I think Trent, Szoboszlai and Robertson are in our best 11. I just dont know how we fit it all in.

[The_weatherman]

Looks like a new manager will play three at the back, which might suit Trent very well. I hope we sign him up soon, he's unique and we shouldn't take him for granted.

[Rafa Justice]

If everyone was fit, would he be in your first 11 and if so where would you play him?

No.

As a unit, McAllister, Endo and Jones are better than any midfield 3 we could have with Trent in it. Chuck Elliot and Szob into that too. Haven't seen enough of Bradley to know whether he's better defensively but I'd guess he would know that Vinicius was behind him if it came to it.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I think Trent, Szoboszlai and Robertson are in our best 11. I just dont know how we fit it all in.

Think if a best XI was picked on pure talent then they would all walk into it.


Not sure so though if one wants a very balanced looking team.


Though it speaks volumes about the quality in our squad that such a debate could be had

[Rafa Justice]

Looks like a new manager will play three at the back, which might suit Trent very well. I hope we sign him up soon, he's unique and we shouldn't take him for granted.

Players not worthy of being on high wages have hurt us before, extensions given out because of sentiment also. I think we need to continue to refresh the squad every year than have to overhaul everything at once every 4 or 5 years.

[DerKrampus]

Then come the summer bring in Tchouameni for the DM role , and Alphonso Davies (yeah gazzumping any move he has lined up with Real ) for LB using some of the 150m we got for TAA going to Real and we then rule the PL and CL.

I'd be moving heaven and earth to sign Davies - he's got pace to burn, perfect in a high line defence!