Brentford boss Thomas Frank sees promise in Liverpool redeploying Trent Alexander-Arnold
Speaking on Premier League Productions (h/t Liverpool Echo), Brentford boss Thomas Frank sees promise in the hybrid role for Trent Alexander-Arnold and believes he will do well in midfield for Liverpool.
In the last two league games, we have seen a slight tweak in the way Alexander-Arnold has been utilised by Jurgen Klopp. The 24-year-old is starting as a right-back, but moving to midfield alongside Fabinho when the team is in position.
From that situation, the England international has all the passes in the book to create chances, pick people out in space and recycle possession as swiftly as he can. Because of this new role, he now does not have to run 50 yards to recover his forward from the fullback position.
Here’s what Frank said when asked about Alexander-Arnold’s new role and his game in general (h/t Liverpool Echo):
“I think the future for Trent could be in the midfield. I understand how they want to play and all of that. He is doing a lot of things.
“There are a lot of so-called experts, not me, that say Trent should defend better. It’s also a little bit down to the way Liverpool play, which if they are top, then they are – for me – unplayable. One of the best teams in the world as they have consistently shown.”
While the first two paragraphs of the quote are self-explanatory, let’s focus on the last bit. We have seen Alexander-Arnold being criticised for every mistake he makes as if other players of that position are footballing messiahs.
The 24-year-old has had an ordinary season by his high standards, but to call him out after one bad season is naive and also encapsulates the tribalism involved in the game, where a pundit, who used to play for a rival club, will do anything to pick him apart even if he plays well.
So, this from Frank was an objective analysis at its best. He said that with a coach’s hat on and made more sense than any pundit would.
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We hope to see more of Alexander-Arnold in that hybrid role, and quite possibly as a midfielder in some of the games. It would not be surprising if Klopp does not alter things for the game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
