TAA: A master at midfield? Liverpool must make it work

Against Leeds, the Reds' right-back performed admirably in a new hybrid position, indicating that he might be used in the center much more frequently.

By: Frenkie Tran

04/19/2023 07:05

Trent Alexander-Arnold may then play a role in Liverpool's fantastic midfield overhaul. The answer is very likely based on the events of the last few weeks. The Reds' native hero, who has achieved great heights as the most inventive and aggressive of right-backs, has just started to demonstrate a few new skills. the quarterback Trent? Promising. The metronome Trent? Impressive. Trent might be Jurgen Klopp's savior.

Although the 6-1 victory against Leeds on Monday night was convincing, doubts about his England international will doubt continue to be raised about Alexander-Arnold. He is accustomed to this. Specifically, can he serve Liverpool more in midfield than at fullback going forward?

A performance to savor

Alexander-Arnold's performance at Elland Road undoubtedly supports the idea that the infield is where he will play in the future. The 24-year-old was exceptional, setting up Darwin Nunez's sixth goal and Cody Gakpo's first for Liverpool. Trent is at his best: a driving low cross and a perfectly timed clip over the top. But there was so much more for fans and Klopp to enjoy besides the assists.

Despite starting the game, at least technically, as the right-back, Alexander-Arnold spent most of the time controlling play from the position of right-sided central midfield. And my goodness, he did it brilliantly.

He was the player on the pitch with the most touches of the ball (153). In fact, he received more touches than he ever did in a professional game. Only Virgil van Dijk completed more passes than his 124, and his completion percentage was just over 91 percent. 34 of those passes were made in the final third, more than double the amount of any Leeds player and at least 10 more than anybody else wearing red.

A performance to savor

Additionally, there was defense work. Possession was regained for his team more frequently than anybody else on the pitch (11) thanks to three tackles, two of which he won. He also had an interception and two clearances. Four Liverpool players went towards Georginio Rutter in the 92nd minute, according to Klopp, who said that this was his favorite move of the contest. In the Leeds half, Alexander-Arnold was in charge of the counter-press.

Only 17 of his touches occurred in his own defensive third, and only 12 occurred in the final third, which was revealed from his touch map. The majority of the goals occurred in midfield, with less than a third coming in what you could term a "typical" right-back position.

He barely tried one cross over the entire 90 minutes, but he did flick a superb free-kick to the back post in the second half, setting up Mohamed Salah for a goal that was ruled offside by Van Dijk. Overall, it was a strong performance, the type that will unavoidably make Klopp wonder how best to use one of his key players moving forward.

Super strengths

Alexander-Arnold's position in midfield has been a subject of discussion for some time. In recent years, it has a tendency to pop up frequently, notably when he is being chased by a difficult winger or when Liverpool's engine room appears to be lacking in spark.

He used to play it frequently when he was a young player in the Reds' program. Prior to beginning his transition to right-back as an Under-16s player with an eye on a first-team future, he was often a No. 6 or No. 8.

Alexander-Arnold's position in midfield has been a subject of discussion for some time

The director of Liverpool's academy, Alex Inglethorpe, had a significant part in that conversion and once reportedly said, "Make your strengths super-strengths, and make your weaknesses credible." This may sum up the challenge Alexander-Arnold has encountered throughout his career.

Alexander-Arnold has most likely mastered the former better than the latter, but might a move back to midfield help balance things out? Klopp appears to be at least open to taking a look.

Tactical trends

Football is a popular sport right now, especially in terms of strategy. And there seems to be a need in the Premier League right now for full-backs who can dribble into midfield and aid a side in maintaining possession.

Actually, Pep Guardiola came up with that. The Manchester City manager utilized players like Joao Cancelo, John Stones, and even the young Rico Lewis as 'inverted full-backs' at the Etihad after Philipp Lahm and David Alaba at Bayern Munich had success doing that. Kyle Walker, according to Guardiola, has trouble keeping up with the demands, which might end up costing the England player dearly.

Football is a popular sport right now, especially in terms of strategy

Mikel Arteta, Guardiola's former No. 2 at City, has used Oleksandr Zinchenko at Arsenal similarly, and even Manchester United employed Aaron Wan-Bissaka on Sunday against Nottingham Forest in a hybrid full-back/midfielder role, with unexpectedly effective results. Wan-Bissaka is not a natural ball player.

In terms of technical ability, Alexander-Arnold is as talented as any of the players mentioned. If Liverpool can assemble the right group of players around him, namely, disciplined, energetic midfielders who can cover the wide areas defensively, they may also be able to benefit from the most recent tactical change in English football.

Changes incoming

This summer is expected to bring about a lot of change at Liverpool, as several long-tenured players are expected to go while others reach the last stages of either their contracts, their careers, or both. The message coming from within the club is that there will be money available, even though a deal for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham has been postponed. Klopp has made no secret of his desire for additional arrivals.

It will be interesting to watch who Liverpool ultimately signs. In recent weeks, numerous names have been connected, and according to Betimate, a lengthy list of potential signees has been compiled. This list includes names like Mason Mount, Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo, Matheus Nunes, Ryan Gravenberch, Teun Koopmeiners, and Florentino Luis, among many others.

This summer is expected to bring about a lot of change at Liverpool

Apart from the fact that they are all midfielders, those guys have something in common. They are young (between 20 and 25 years old), talented, and experienced, yet they still have the potential for growth and a lot to prove. Think Andy Robertson, Gini Wijnaldum, Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Nunez, and Gakpo. That has been Liverpool's approach to the transfer market for years, and it will continue to be so this summer, which is expected to be one of the most significant in recent memory for the club.

The Reds' fortunes must be revived by bringing in the proper players, but it may also assist Alexander-Arnold to develop his talent. He has suffered more than anybody else this season, but the Scouse star may benefit from a change—or two—or three.

A note of caution

It is crucial to remember amid all of this that celebrating a victory over Leeds, no matter how great, is probably not a good idea. On the night, Javi Gracia's squad played poorly and served as the ideal opponent for a club and players wanting to gain some confidence, such as Liverpool, with their leaky defense and powderpuff attack.

For the Reds and Alexander-Arnold in his new hybrid role, there will undoubtedly be more obstacles in the future. One wonders, for instance, how he would handle midfield against a club like Manchester City which retains the ball well, or Brighton which pushes with knowledge and vigor. And while asking Ibrahima Konate and Jordan Henderson to watch over Luis Sinisterra is one thing, what about Marcus Rashford, Jack Grealish, or Vinicius Junior?

For the time being, Klopp and Alexander-Arnold have at least given themselves another alternative, either in-game or for specific matchups. These are all questions that may or may not be resolved in the upcoming weeks and months.

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Written by: Frenkie Tran

My football predictions cover a variety of competitions and tournaments. In addition to English and European football, football predictions also include tips on games taking place in the USA, Australia, Africa, South America and beyond, from famous leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga to popular national leagues such as Croatian First League and Portugal Primeira.