Trent can’t defend

[Spaghetti]

This is how I’m seeing it tbh. TAA is playing terribly this season. Don’t get me wrong. But Klopp hasn’t adjusted tactically to make up for an ageing midfield and it’s exposing the flaws in Trent’s game.

Alexander-Arnold has always had a harder time with the defensive side of his game. This isn’t something new. It’s just being exposed more this season.

He needs to be moved higher up the pitch imo. A 4-4-2 allows flexibility to become a 4-3-3 if needed and puts the defensive burden on whoever we stick at RB (Gomez or Ramsey). Alexander-Arnold can then play on the right and tuck in a bit when needed. He seems to like the inside right position anyway.

He can’t keep playing RB though. Martinelli will roast him next week.

Would it not be easier to just drop him for a bit? He’s not good enough to warrant a change of formation and to be played as a luxury player.

He has all kinds of records for giving the ball away.

I think he’s a decent player, but a bit of time out of the spotlight would do him good.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

This is how I’m seeing it tbh. TAA is playing terribly this season. Don’t get me wrong. But Klopp hasn’t adjusted tactically to make up for an ageing midfield and it’s exposing the flaws in Trent’s game.

Alexander-Arnold has always had a harder time with the defensive side of his game. This isn’t something new. It’s just being exposed more this season.

He needs to be moved higher up the pitch imo. A 4-4-2 allows flexibility to become a 4-3-3 if needed and puts the defensive burden on whoever we stick at RB (Gomez or Ramsey). Alexander-Arnold can then play on the right and tuck in a bit when needed. He seems to like the inside right position anyway.

He can’t keep playing RB though. Martinelli will roast him next week.

I’d say it’s less about adjusting the system to his ageing midfielders and more about actually bringing more of those workhorse type athletic mids. Sort of started with Thiago imo: he’s an unbelievably talented technical midfielder but he’s never suited to play how the best Liverpool teams played. Lacks the pace, physicality, and engine. Liverpool are just slow and unimposing in the middle of the park now yet still try to play like it’s 2017.

Agreed though as now he has no choice and has to alter how they play, or they’ll get roasted all season by teams in space that are willing to outwork them and have a bit of quality.

I’d go with a formation similar to what Ancellotti used to do with Madrid when Ronaldo was there.

442. Stick Salah and Diaz up top, have Carvalho/Elliot/Firmino off the left, Fabinho and Thiago through the middle, and Trent on the right, and then a normal back 4 behind them. Play a bit more on the counter to conserve energy and let Salah and Diaz play in space with play makers allowed to come inside from both wide midfield positions.

 

[MayosNoun]

He’s so arrogant and shit. He is absolutely nowhere near the level of Premier League defensively. There are far better defensive right backs at Championship level.

His awareness is dreadful, he has no motivation whatsoever to defend and he’s too arrogant that he jogs about leaving his teammates to cover.The longer he remains in the team the more other teams will exploit that side and get results.

His attacking ability seems to get way more overrated the worse his defending ability becomes. It’s like people are attempting to compensate despite his reduced attacking output of late.

 

[Klopper76]

He’s so arrogant and shit. He is absolutely nowhere near the level of Premier League defensively. There are far better defensive right backs at Championship level.

His awareness is dreadful, he has no motivation whatsoever to defend and he’s too arrogant that he jogs about leaving his teammates to cover.The longer he remains in the team the more other teams will exploit that side and get results.

His attacking ability seems to get way more overrated the worse his defending ability becomes. It’s like people are attempting to compensate despite his reduced attacking output of late.

See this is just going way over the top. He wouldn’t have been a mainstay in a side that has obtained 90+ points in three of the previous four seasons if he was “shit”.

 

[WeePat]

 

[WeePat]

See this is just going way over the top. He wouldn’t have been a mainstay in a side that has obtained 90+ points in three of the previous four seasons if he was “shit”.

I actually think he had worked on his weakness and made improvements last season, the second half of it at least. He was pretty good defensively with the occasional lapses still, but you could see him being alert, staying disciplined and tracking runners etc. He looks like he’s taken a clear step backwards for the improvement I saw in him last season.

 

[MayosNoun]

See this is just going way over the top. He wouldn’t have been a mainstay in a side that has obtained 90+ points in three of the previous four seasons if he was “shit”.

I didn’t say he was always shit though, did I?

He’s the right back version of Dele Alli, who was also once playing well.

 

[MayosNoun]

I actually think he had worked on his weakness and made improvements last season, the second half of it at least. He was pretty good defensively with the occasional lapses still, but you could see him being alert, staying disciplined and tracking runners etc. He looks like he’s taken a clear step backwards for the improvement I saw in him last season.

His positioning has always been dreadful. He had okay enough pace to recover but he’s absolutely lost all of that now after bulking up.

He is also very lazy.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

I didn’t say he was always shit though, did I?

He’s so arrogant and shit.

.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

This is how I’m seeing it tbh. TAA is playing terribly this season. Don’t get me wrong. But Klopp hasn’t adjusted tactically to make up for an ageing midfield and it’s exposing the flaws in Trent’s game.

Alexander-Arnold has always had a harder time with the defensive side of his game. This isn’t something new. It’s just being exposed more this season.

He needs to be moved higher up the pitch imo. A 4-4-2 allows flexibility to become a 4-3-3 if needed and puts the defensive burden on whoever we stick at RB (Gomez or Ramsey). Alexander-Arnold can then play on the right and tuck in a bit when needed. He seems to like the inside right position anyway.

He can’t keep playing RB though. Martinelli will roast him next week.

Well he won't because Trent won't be there to attack!

But yeah, Klopp's team need a robust, hyper mobile engine room with mega stamina. Harvey Elliot is not that player.

 

[P-Ro]

They're actually debating on RAWK whether it would be a good idea for Gomez to come in and play RB.

 

[Red Shorts]

Nice of him to celebrate Brightons goal with a premature knee slide.

 

[CannonBalls]

Dont think he can be considered as a defender anymore.
Cant defend and does not want to defend.
He is basically a specialist final ball/cross player in some ways similar to Ozil or Beckham. Its very difficult to accommodate those these days. Also he is still far off those two still.
Ideally Liverpool would do well to move on from him, otherwise accommodating him would require many changes.

 

[cyberman]

Dont think he can be considered as a defender anymore.
Cant defend and does not want to defend.
He is basically a specialist final ball/cross player in some ways similar to Ozil or Beckham. Its very difficult to accommodate those these days. Also he is still far off those two still.
Ideally Liverpool would do well to move on from him, otherwise accommodating him would require many changes.

He doesn’t even cross the ball that much anymore. Just lazy, cross field passes galore.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

They're actually debating on RAWK whether it would be a good idea for Gomez to come in and play RB.

Do they have any better option? Neco Williams probably would have got a chance by now but he’s gone to Forest

 

[Chief123]

Playing against Liverpool is the easiest tactical team talk for every opposition team right now.

Just put someone with a bit of pace or trickery on your left wing and you’ll create plenty of chances behind Trent and the high line.

His lack of awareness and desire to defend is criminal and a delight for opponents.

I can see Martinelli tearing him an absolute new one.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Actually, didn’t they buy that Scottish RB that we were linked with, Calvin Ramsey?

 

[giggs-beckham]

He really thinks he's Beckham these days

Not with the work rate surely

 

[mu4c_20le]

Not with the work rate surely

Yeah I should've said he thinks he's made it like becks, that he can just show up deliver a few pinpoint crosses and call it a day

 

[Stevondo8]

He is poor defensively, just seems this year his attacking output isn’t compensating for it. Watching MOTD highlights, I reckon you could say 2 out of 3 Brighton goals were down to Trent. Poor headed clearance (Henderson should do better) and the skinned in the box for the first, shite chest control and lack of effort to get back in defensively for the second. Plus a few other chances where gap between him and matip seemed too big.

I wouldn’t pick him for England either at the moment. I would say liverpool need to drop him but who else have they got? Gomez?

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

This is how I’m seeing it tbh. TAA is playing terribly this season. Don’t get me wrong. But Klopp hasn’t adjusted tactically to make up for an ageing midfield and it’s exposing the flaws in Trent’s game.

Alexander-Arnold has always had a harder time with the defensive side of his game. This isn’t something new. It’s just being exposed more this season.

He needs to be moved higher up the pitch imo. A 4-4-2 allows flexibility to become a 4-3-3 if needed and puts the defensive burden on whoever we stick at RB (Gomez or Ramsey). Alexander-Arnold can then play on the right and tuck in a bit when needed. He seems to like the inside right position anyway.

He can’t keep playing RB though. Martinelli will roast him next week.

I used to think they were well drilled and made the most of players‘ positives. Full backs pushed up, Henderson dropped back (giving them licence), midfield basic but solid, front line caused havoc.

Henderson seems to have dropped off a lot quickly so doesn’t give the defence cover. Meanwhile, they’ve lost Mane, pushed Salah very wide (doesn’t make the most of him) and bought ……. Nunez. Seems a mishmash now.

Klopp must be worried by Trent’s lack of effort though. He looks like he can’t be arsed.

 

[MayosNoun]

It’s insane how many excuses are made for him. People have blamed Harvey Elliott’s defensive duties, Pep Lijnders book, a new system and even resorted to blaming his new long hair.

He’s garbage now. Defensively, he is Nuno Tavares level of shit.

 

[TheLord]

Klopp is trying to spin the narrative by arguing that the media are too critical and analytical of TAA's everyday performances and that he has many "other" world-class attributes.

But if you're not good at your primary job (defending) then it doesn't really matter if you're a worldie in three other secondary jobs.

 

[Stadjer]

Klopp is trying to spin the narrative by arguing that the media are too critical and analytical of TAA's everyday performances and that he has many "other" world-class attributes.

But if you're not good at your primary job (defending) then it doesn't really matter if you're a worldie in three other secondary jobs.

In the Liverpool system his primary job isnt defending though... atleast when the system is working the way Klopp wants it to work.

 

[tentan]

Southgate was right all along.

 

[galwayfa]

Salah not preforming has highlighted how little he contributes, Salah or Mane reading the crosses, one gone and one not on form after the hefty pay rise(we have being there) highlights the weakness of his game, still after that,

 

[suheilsworld]

Martinelli is going to run circles around him. Him and Jesus are going to overlap that side a lot

 

[Ole'sattheWheel]

His head's gone. Like Maguire & Shaw - the negative media spiral will just get worse

 

[bringbackbebe]

Something's gone terribly wrong between him & VVD. It's almost as if seeing last season's AWB & Maguire defending in Liverpool shirts.

Salah not preforming has highlighted how little he contributes, Salah or Mane reading the crosses, one gone and one not on form after the hefty pay rise(we have being there) highlights the weakness of his game, still after that,

To be fair, I thought Salah did well yesterday. They always looked like they were going to score in most games this season. It's in the back they keep making schoolboy mistakes.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Crap defender. Looks good when he's in a dominant team. Shown up when he's not. Doesn't deserve to start for England as Reece James is clearly better. Liverpool need to get that Ramsey kid up to speed.

 

[Adisa]

He is trying to force Klopp to change his position. This he's not a RB doesn't make sense. He broke into the team as a RB.
He is just being lazy.

 

[cyberman]

See this is just going way over the top. He wouldn’t have been a mainstay in a side that has obtained 90+ points in three of the previous four seasons if he was “shit”.

That’s because he had prime VVD, Fabinho etc around him to cover. Under Jose’s 2nd place season we were on course for 89 points until the last couple of games where we gave up and that had Valencia and Young as FBs
Now his actual level has been exposed. It’s not as if this is a new thing with Trent, teams always got behind your defence last season but the opposition missed chances after chance while also blazing 1v1s wide or straight at Allison.
It was never sustainable no matter what nonsense about planning to give away easy chances because Allison was the worlds best at 1v1s there were.

 

[lysglimt]

The problem with a TAA playing for England compared to playing for Liverpool - is a) level of opposition and b) the consequences of losing

TAA (in form - not the way he is playing now) against inferior opposition will strengthen Liverpools chances of winning in 4 out of 5 matches. The chances he creates for very prolific strikers outweigh the chances he creates for the opposition. And in the P.L - Liverpool at least until this season, has been superior to more or less every other team than City. So if TAA creates 3 chances for his teammates a game, and one for the opponent by being average defensively - he massively improves Liverpools chances of winning

When playing for England - it is different. England will play much fewer teams they are a lot stronger than. And unlike in a league where you can afford a defeat, you cant use a player who can lose you games. Because that means you are out of the tournament.

I would bring TAA as a back-up player to whip in crosses if England need a goal, but I would never dare to use him against good opposition from the start in a game.

 

[Lee565]

I think he should be tried in attack on the wings, with the talent he has on the ball and good turn of pace maybe he could do what bale did at spurs

 

[Alan Partridge]

Love the way, just before halftime, he heads the ball back into back across his own box then jogs out of the penalty area leaving the rest of the Liverpool defense to just about deal with it

 

[Trequarista10]

He is trying to force Klopp to change his position. This he's not a RB doesn't make sense. He broke into the team as a RB.
He is just being lazy.

I quite like this theory. He was always weak defensively, but he has been atrocious this season.

 

[crossy1686]

For a bloke that’s supposedly world class, every team I’ve seen get a result against Liverpool have attacked his side with reckless abandonment.

 

[Remember the geese]

Have they ever used him further up on the right? I'm thinking in a Valverde type of role. Salah at centre forward, with Diaz on the left. Could that work?

 

[TwoSheds]

This is how I’m seeing it tbh. TAA is playing terribly this season. Don’t get me wrong. But Klopp hasn’t adjusted tactically to make up for an ageing midfield and it’s exposing the flaws in Trent’s game.

Alexander-Arnold has always had a harder time with the defensive side of his game. This isn’t something new. It’s just being exposed more this season.

He needs to be moved higher up the pitch imo. A 4-4-2 allows flexibility to become a 4-3-3 if needed and puts the defensive burden on whoever we stick at RB (Gomez or Ramsey). Alexander-Arnold can then play on the right and tuck in a bit when needed. He seems to like the inside right position anyway.

He can’t keep playing RB though. Martinelli will roast him next week.

Who would play up front? And who'd play LM?

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Have they ever used him further up on the right? I'm thinking in a Valverde type of role. Salah at centre forward, with Diaz on the left. Could that work?

For all the Beckham comparisons he doesn't even have 1/3 of the engine he had or off the ball ability to make threatening runs. He'll be ill suited to a more combative role like Valverde aside from when he's on the ball, he's not a grafter.