Trent Alexander-Arnold facing biggest test of his career so far

By Alexander Puri

Trent Alexander-Arnold has accomplished quite a lot for his age. At just 22, he’s won the Champions League a year after appearing in the final, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup and the Premier League title, along with a host of individual awards.

Along the way, he’s formed arguably the strongest fullback paring in the sport with Liverpool left back Andy Robertson, broke the record for most assists in a single season for a defender and scored a few screamers himself. 

Alexander-Arnold’s rise has understandably occurred very much in sync with Liverpool’s over the past few seasons. And it’s no coincidence that as the level of his performances have dropped this season, Liverpool’s have as well. Such is the extent of his value to this side that their production up top has declined significantly in the wake of the 22-year old’s struggles.

Liverpool’s threat going forward over the past few seasons has in no small part been a product of Alexander-Arnold and Robertson’s surges up the pitch and exceptional service from out wide.

Not only have the two contributed an abnormal number of goals for defenders, but their mere presence in the last third frees up space for Liverpool’s front three to wreak havoc on opposition backlines. Roberto Firmino commands plenty of praise for performing a similar function in a more central role, but Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane owe plenty to Liverpool’s fullback pairing as well. 

Liverpool’s defensive record over the past two seasons only further underlines the magnitude of their importance to this side. Their work rate exemplifies Klopp’s demands and vision for his side perhaps more than anything else on the pitch. 

The Reds have been touted as a “well-oiled machine,” for their relentless pressing and consistently high tempo. We haven’t seen much of that this season, but the absence of those qualities also justifies this characterization. Because when you remove a cog in the machine, it inhibits the other gadgets. And that’s exactly what’s been the story of Liverpool’s season: remove the output from their fullbacks and the rest falls apart. 

As a result of Liverpool’s bizarre amount of injuries to their center backs, the likes of Henderson and Fabinho have had to drop back. This has ramifications all over the pitch. The two midfielders obviously can’t offer nearly the same level of solidity as the typical pairing of Van Djik and Matip or Gomez, and Liverpool’s fullbacks therefore have to drop back more frequently to provide greater cover. That then dilutes Liverpool’s threat going forward as opposition defenders can allocate more attention to Liverpool’s front three, who themselves have fewer sources of service. 

While many of Liverpool’s players have struggled as a result, Alexander-Arnold has perhaps felt the effects of Van Djik’s absence more than anyone in this side. The fullback’s form in particular has taken a massive dip over the past few weeks and his lack of freedom to reinforce Salah down the right flank is certainly a factor in his recent difficulties.

As trying a moment as this is for Jurgen Klopp and his side, the Englishman now faces the first serious test of what has proven an exceptional career for a player of his age. 

Despite the inconvenience of his side’s emergency set-up, it’s not entirely to blame for his recent dip. He has recently struggled to find Liverpool players in the box with his crosses and he has also faced criticism for his ball retention, particularly after losing possession 38 times in the defeat at Southampton last month. It’s important to put the former issue in the context of the extraordinary high standard he’s set over the past three seasons, but the drop off in his delivery remains a concern nonetheless. 

His run of form at the moment is undoubtedly an unfamiliar experience in his professional career. However, the reality is that no matter the quality of a player, anyone is susceptible to these periods of their career. Alexander-Arnold’s poor spell won’t last forever, but if he’s to reach the high level that the early years of his career strongly indicate he can then he must learn how to ride through and play himself out of these moments.

Klopp has described his men as “mentality monsters,” due to their collectivism, fearlessness and sheer will to win match after match, week after week. Amid a difficult run of form, Alexander-Arnold must now exercise that same mental fortitude on an individual level.  

Featured Image: Michael Regan / Getty Images