The shocking decline of Trent Alexander Arnold

OverratedOpinion

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Is that what constitutes a dribble past? Christ, I reckon even I could rack up some "dribble pasts" in the PL...


I thought it meant beating a man cleanly and leaving him in the dust, not turning backwards and running away from him.
Dribbling stats are generally ridiculous.

That video is the reason Grealish had the best dribbling stats in the league for a couple of seasons despite rarely actually beating a man in any valuable way.
 

imamuppet

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I found it funny that Neville as a right back himself didn’t call out Trent’s shocking attempt at trying to stop Ake for the Haaland goal. He would have called out Wan Bissaka or Dalot though.
Its as if our Gaz takes great pride in looking like an utter knut :lol:
 
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Rooney in Paris

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Is that what constitutes a dribble past? Christ, I reckon even I could rack up some "dribble pasts" in the PL...


I thought it meant beating a man cleanly and leaving him in the dust, not turning backwards and running away from him.
It's always been an absolutely stupid stat, both when used in defence of a player (the infamous Van Dijk stat) or to criticize them. It's basically gonna make those who commit and go 1:1 with players look worse than they are.

I mean Trent is a poor defender, but that's not the stat that particularly highlights it.
 

mav_9me

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How bad was he for Everton's goal, missed header clearance for first goal. And completely chickened out of battling DCL for the header.... unbelievable. I can't believe how bad that was.
 

Maluco

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He will always get off with it because the media can’t stop blowing smoke in the arse of these young players.

We had Gary Neville, a far more complete and well rounded full back, on his knees telling him that he couldn’t even begin to understand what he does.

Basic defending would be a good start.
 

Sandikan

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Gets loads of praise for his delivery yet puts in loads and loads of aimless balls all game without any mention.
 

SilentWitness

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He played some wonderful passes yesterday but defensively really poor. Whole defence for Liverpool was.
 

MayosNoun

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He played some wonderful passes yesterday but defensively really poor. Whole defence for Liverpool was.
This is Trent in a nutshell. A highlight-reel player who plays the percentages.

450 crosses per game and 300 long balls. 2 or 3 manage to look magnificent and the media fawn over it.

In reality, Bradley has been far more reliable at right back. He doesn’t get ghosted by average wingers week after week and stroll about like he owns Anfield whilst defending.
 

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This is Trent in a nutshell. A highlight-reel player who plays the percentages.

450 crosses per game and 300 long balls. 2 or 3 manage to look magnificent and the media fawn over it.

In reality, Bradley has been far more reliable at right back. He doesn’t get ghosted by average wingers week after week and stroll about like he owns Anfield whilst defending.
I dont understand what happened to his transition to central midfield. It was a thing a year ago or so. Seems much better suited to it.
 
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I dont understand what happened to his transition to central midfield. It was a thing a year ago or so. Seems much better suited to it.
I don’t see it personally. He’s a huge asset at full back when asked to do very little in defence, but I don’t see the stand out midfielder attributes.
No surprise that both he and VvD look much more ordinary when they actually have to do some real defending.
 

MayosNoun

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I dont understand what happened to his transition to central midfield. It was a thing a year ago or so. Seems much better suited to it.
He spent money on Szlobazszsazialaisla.

Like Harry Kane, I’d have to socially distance if I tried to say his name let alone spell it.

I think he’s tried to accommodate Curtis Jones too who is god awful. I agree, he was good in midfield. He took the ball well under pressure too which is the concern with a transition to midfield.
 

Oranges038

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This is Trent in a nutshell. A highlight-reel player who plays the percentages.

450 crosses per game and 300 long balls. 2 or 3 manage to look magnificent and the media fawn over it.

In reality, Bradley has been far more reliable at right back. He doesn’t get ghosted by average wingers week after week and stroll about like he owns Anfield whilst defending.
Pretty much. But that's just Liverpool in general long balls, long diagonals and spam crosses into the box.

Bradley has been a much better proposition at right back, because he actually plays the position in a good way, not just playing how he feels like playing.
 

Pogue Mahone

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Is that what constitutes a dribble past? Christ, I reckon even I could rack up some "dribble pasts" in the PL...


I thought it meant beating a man cleanly and leaving him in the dust, not turning backwards and running away from him.
Funny that it takes a United fan to share this to defend Trent, yet Fernandes has been crucified over the exact same stat all season without anyone ever pointing out what a load of bollox it is.
 

SilentWitness

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Neville after his recent soapy tit wank interview couldn't stop talking about his passing but was quiet over his Sunday League level defending.
This is Trent in a nutshell. A highlight-reel player who plays the percentages.

450 crosses per game and 300 long balls. 2 or 3 manage to look magnificent and the media fawn over it.

In reality, Bradley has been far more reliable at right back. He doesn’t get ghosted by average wingers week after week and stroll about like he owns Anfield whilst defending.
I think it is ultimately fine margins too. They should probably have scored one of the chances he created and at that point they were on the ascendancy and taking control of the game so it could have been a different story. I'd be more worried about the performances of VVD and Konate tbf. Both been pretty solid all season but atrocious last night, couldn't deal with DCL and VVD demonstrated piss poor leadership both during and after the game. Trent was just what we already knew about Trent.
 

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A half decent defender in his place and neither of Everton's goals go in.
 

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He will always get off with it because the media can’t stop blowing smoke in the arse of these young players.

We had Gary Neville, a far more complete and well rounded full back, on his knees telling him that he couldn’t even begin to understand what he does.
In fairness, when I see him "defending", neither can I.
I dont understand what happened to his transition to central midfield. It was a thing a year ago or so. Seems much better suited to it.
He lacks several key elements to be an effective CM I'd say, or you need to accomodate him too much. It might work when you have majority of possession and a team is happy to try to hit you on the break, but in a game of contested possession, his lack of general awareness and his defensive frailties means he'll be a liability. I'm not sure his passing is worth it on the whole.
 

Mike Smalling

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I have a mate that supports Liverpool that insists he is a good defender. Can't wait to bring it up again after this display.
 

erikcred

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I think it is ultimately fine margins too. They should probably have scored one of the chances he created and at that point they were on the ascendancy and taking control of the game so it could have been a different story. I'd be more worried about the performances of VVD and Konate tbf. Both been pretty solid all season but atrocious last night, couldn't deal with DCL and VVD demonstrated piss poor leadership both during and after the game. Trent was just what we already knew about Trent.
VVD has always been a fair weather leader. Henderson for all his flaws as a player was an immense captain compared to him.
 

Sandikan

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Neville after his recent soapy tit wank interview couldn't stop talking about his passing but was quiet over his Sunday League level defending.
Even on a podcast I listened to today someone said he was "arguably" the best right back in the world at one stage, even with his "slight" defensive weakness.

Slight?
And how can you possibly be the best at a position yet be really poor at the primary responsibility?

He's a systems player, like a lot of the Klopp lot, the system a few years ago was perfect to mask their weaknesses.
 

noodlehair

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He's always been an awful defender. It's just that now his team actually has to defend.

I also think he's gotten worse going forwards and generally since the media went into overhype about his long ball/crossing ability and he decided to listen to them. Like a poundshop full back version of post 2002 Beckham
 

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He's always been an awful defender. It's just that now his team actually has to defend.

I also think he's gotten worse going forwards and generally since the media went into overhype about his long ball/crossing ability and he decided to listen to them. Like a poundshop full back version of post 2002 Beckham
He also had a lot more protection from his MFs in the previous iterations of Klopp's teams. He's more exposed now.
 

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He also had a lot more protection from his MFs in the previous iterations of Klopp's teams. He's more exposed now.
Yep, Henderson et al. were crucial in how much ground they covered and filling in for Robertson and TAA at full back when they maraudered forward.
 

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Him and Salah were great first half of the season but completely dropped off since injuries. There are worse culprits - Nunez for example - but they’re supposed to be Liverpool’s best players and stand up and be counted and they haven’t when it mattered.
 

noodlehair

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He also had a lot more protection from his MFs in the previous iterations of Klopp's teams. He's more exposed now.
Yeah true. Part of why I always find it stupid when people use him as a stick to beat AWB with, and bang on about how being a fullback isn't about defending anymore. It sure isn't....until you play in a team where you have to do defending if you're a fullback, which is most teams.
 

GlasgowCeltic

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He also had a lot more protection from his MFs in the previous iterations of Klopp's teams. He's more exposed now.
He’s so good on the ball it seems stupid to not just give him whatever protection he needs, he’s like Liverpools only creator

he should follow through on the Real Madrid rumours, Valverde is pretty much the perfect player to give him the support he needs
 

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You can tell he doesn’t have elite mentality. He’s let his ego get in the way of his development.