Trent Alexander-Arnold reinvents the full-back position

Trent Alexander-Arnold (1998. West Derby, Liverpool) caught the attention of the Liverpool when, at the age of six, he stood out in an inter-school championship organized by the club. Ian Barrigan did not hesitate for a second and offered his parents the chance to enter the club’s academy from Merseyside. No sooner said than done. Almost 18 years later, Trent is one of the symbols of the club, idol of the whole city and indispensable piece of a historic team.

In his first years in the academy of the ‘red’ team he played as a midfielder and in quite advanced positions. As he progressed through the categories he redefined his position and ended up becoming a right back. However, it is obvious that he is a player with an unusual creative capacity for the position and that has completely redefined the full-back position. The numbers say that he is Liverpool’s most creative player.

Alexander-Arnold is the top assistant on his team (16 assists so far this season) and also leads the Premier League (11 goal passes). His figures only confirm his ability to generate danger and situations of advantage from any area of ​​the field and the (capital) importance he has in Liverpool’s creative game. Last season he was the player in the Premier with the highest number of expected assists (10.86) and this is the fourth consecutive season that reaches double figures on goal passes.

The assist king

The main virtue of Trent Alexander-Arnold, undoubtedly, is the ability to attend. In the 36 games that he has played so far this season he has already broken all of his assist records: he accumulates 16 in the total of all competitions Y 11 in the Premier League.

But not only that, his passing range and incidence in the opposite field have increased his presence in dangerous areas and his finishing ability. Has created 18 great chances in the Premier League and averages 3 key chance-generating passes per game. Last season he gave 10 goal passes, while in the two previous campaigns he added 14 assists in each one. This is the fourth consecutive season in which he has reached double figures and it is in which he has broken as much more than a side.

There are two more pieces of information that leave you in a very good place. He is the top assister in the Premier League since the start of the 2018/2019 season: 43 assists. Behind is his partner Robertson, with whom he surely forms the best pair of full-backs in the world. the side of the Liverpool He also appears in the ranking of the defenders who have given the most assists since 2012. The first is Jordi Alba (55), the second robertson (48) and complete the podium Alexander-Arnold with 44. However, Trent was 14 years old in 2012 and was in the sub15 category. Very meritorious.

A creator brain on the right side

Trent has transformed the position of right back. The function of such a player in any big team is to intervene in the offensive game by hanging balls from the band and winning the baseline to offer the most effective solution possible for his team. And that is what Alexander-Arnold did in previous years at Liverpool.: He had quite a leading role, but most of the danger he created It came from the band.

Nevertheless, this season he is displaying all his offensive potential and is creating many chances insidein a very similar role -saving distances- to the one that has Kevin DeBruyne at Manchester City. In fact, the Liverpool winger adds twice as many assists as the Belgian. It is enough hard to put a label on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s game because there is hardly anyone who does what he does with such success and precision. Maybe Joao Cancelo can get closer, but the position of the Portuguese in the City is much more backward and participates quite a bit more in the base building of the game.

clop He has exploited all the qualities and has a privileged brain cooking game on the right wing. In fact, not long ago The debate about why, why not, the German should test Trent in midfield was very recurrent. Southgate He put him as a midfielder in a match for the English team. The technician of the Liverpool was clear: “If you watch our games you see that Trent’s position has changed, he appears all over the pitch. But why make the best right-back in the world a midfielder? I don’t get it.” Jürgen, aware of the qualities of his player, added: “In a match where our team is dominant, of course they can play in midfield, as ‘6’ or ‘8’, but not at this time.”

In a chart designed by Odriozolite he is shown to be the most dangerous passer in virtually every zone on the right flank. Only Coufal sneaks into his private preserve, but Trent’s superiority is overwhelming. Generates a large number of dangerous situations per game. He is the player with the most and best center in the Premier (66 centers completed successfully) and the second player who intervenes the most, only behind Joao Cancelo.

And it is true. Alexander-Arnold has his place on the right flankbut with his long movements and movements he is capable of generating advantages throughout the field. Against Benfica in Lisbon it was one more example of this. With the 16 assists that he adds he is 5 away from reaching Dani Alvesthe defender with the most assists in a single season. The Brazilian completed 21 with Barça in the 2010/2011 season. Liverpool have at least 11 games left this season. Another challenge for Arnold, a winger who wants to mark an era.