Trent Alexander-Arnold: The good, the bad & the exquisite

""If Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in the squad of England then England must have an extremely good squad, let me say it like this."

- Jurgen Klopp in April 2021

In April 2021, Gareth Southgate opted against calling Trent Alexander-Arnold into England's squad for the World Cup Qualifiers against San Marino, Albania and Poland.

At the time, Southgate hinted that Alexander-Arnold's performances over the past couple of years had gradually declined, and given the depth of talent available to England - the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James to name just three - he didn't justify a place in the squad.

Jurgen Klopp, Alexander-Arnold's manager at Liverpool, couldn't believe it.

"If Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in the squad of England then England must have an extremely good squad, let me say it like this," Klopp remarked at the time. "I have no problem if my players get some criticism. They can get it from me, they can get it from other people.

"I respect that Gareth makes his own decisions, of course, but I didn't understand it anyway because Trent Alexander-Arnold was in the last two seasons at least, let me say the season before and the season before that, the stand out right-back in world football - that is the truth and at an unbelievable young age."

In fairness, Klopp wasn't lying.

Alexander-Arnold had been the standout performer in the world for two years and was instrumental to Liverpool's Champions League and Premier League's triumphs. He essentially reinvented the fullback wheel with teammate Andy Robertson and struck fear into every defence he faced.

The criticism that's been levelled at Alexander-Arnold over time is that he isn't actually much of a defender. Positionally he can be naive, his decision making is dubious at best, and he doesn't always recognise the danger that is around him. Basically, he'd been found out a little bit.

Against West Ham, in a pulsating game Liverpool would lose 3-2 - ending the club's 25-game unbeaten run in the process - Alexander-Arnold displayed all of the characteristics that continues to make him one of the most talked about footballers in England.

He displayed the good, the bad and the exquisite.

The good

Liverpool are a team who dominate possession against 90% of the teams they face. Against the Hammers, things were no different.

A goal down early on, the Reds attempted to pin their opponents back in their own half. West Ham were happy to oblige, sitting deep and soaking up pressure - believing in their own ability to remain resolute.

Alexander-Arnold's role was to pick the passes for Liverpool. In recent weeks, Phil Foden has been lauded for his 'quarterback' style of play - sitting deep in central midfield to spray aerial balls over the top or pierce through balls along the ground - and the Reds' number 66 found himself performing a similar role.

Liverpool's plan was to get at young Ben Johnson by overloading play down the left hand side. Andy Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain attempted to double up, Sadio Mane joined Diogo Jota more centrally and Alexander-Arnold tucked in alongside Fabinho in the middle.

For the most part, the tactical move served its purpose. Alexander-Arnold's passing was crisp, it had wonderful tempo and he still found time to drift out wide and whip dangerous balls into the box. He was accurate, he was on the ball and he looked capable of making something happen - despite West Ham's stern resistance.

He even floated some wonderfully weighted balls over the top in the second period, and his crossing and corner delivery made the hearts of many West Ham supporters stop at times.

The bad

Though he was good in possession, there were still areas of concern. Whenever Liverpool lost the ball, West Ham had their own preferred method of attack - and it involved getting down that right-hand side to exploit Alexander-Arnold and the nervy Joel Matip.

As a duo, they simply don't work. Matip doesn't have the pace to get back, he too gets caught out of position too easily and with Alexander-Arnold focusing on attack, the ball over the top was West Ham's easy way out.

Michail Antonio should have made Liverpool pay when set through one-on-one, but didn't, while a floated ball over the top towards the end of the half was inexplicably not cut out by Alexander-Arnold.

Cue Virgil van Dijk to the rescue with a wonderful block tackle on Jarrod Bowen.

In the second half, it was more of the same but West Ham showed more willingness to break out from their defensive shell. Then, after a mistake from Sadio Mane, Alexander-Arnold's lack of awareness - and Matip's - was exposed again.

Jarrod Bowen burst forward, Matip got sucked over towards the ball, Pablo Fornals charged into the space and Alexander-Arnold was too late in getting back - as he so often is. It cost Liverpool a goal and, ultimately, the game.

The exquisite

There was, however, one reminder of why Alexander-Arnold should always be in and around Gareth Southgate's England squad, no matter how many options he has at his disposal.

His set piece quality, and consistency, is superb.

Here, he stood over the ball 25 yards out after Mohamed Salah had been fouled by Declan Rice outside the penalty area, and like we've seen so many times before, Alexander-Arnold bent a truly brilliant effort into the top corner.

Arcing over Jarrod Bowen's head, it was a picture perfect strike - set outside the post before dipping under the bar, giving Fabianski absolutely no chance. Nobody else on the pitch could have done it.

That quality is what makes Alexander-Arnold's deficiencies in other areas so frustrating. At 23, he has the world at his feet, but his genius at one end of the field continues to be undone by his inability to learn at the other.

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