ESPN pundit Alejandro Moreno believes he knows the real reason why Jurgen Klopp has opted to change the position of one Liverpool star.
Since making his senior Reds debut in 2016 Trent Alexander-Arnold has become recognised as one of the best full-backs in the world.
Towards the back end of last season and during the early months of the new campaign, however, the Scouser has been deployed in an inverted role which sees him enter into midfield when we’re in possession.
Getting our No. 66 on the ball in more advanced central areas allows him to showcase the creative side of his game in more dangerous positions but Moreno believes there’s another explanation to our German tactician’s tactical tweak.
“Here’s the thing about Trent: Jurgen Klopp has had to find a place for him on the field to hide him. So that defensively he doesn’t get exposed. If there’s a player that you have to hide on the field, then he cannot be your most valuable player,” he told ESPN (via The Boot Room).
“The reason that Trent Alexander-Arnold is not playing right-back for Liverpool is because he is horrendous defensively. So they’ve had to find a different way for him to play.”
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Most Liverpool fans will admit that there are question marks surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s defensive ability but he gets a lot more stick than he deserves.
He is still a quality defender – just one that instead thrives when going forward as well.
The England international still starts game as a right back but just attempts to influence the game from midfield when the game allows him to.
He’s missed parts of the campaign with a hamstring injury but when the Academy graduate was first moved into his new role at the end of last season he and our attacking players really did thrive.
This tactic, one that Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta use frequently, certainly does work but it perhaps should only be used against certain opponents to ensure we’re not left stretched in a defensive sense when we do lose the ball.
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