Trent Alexander-Arnold came under fire again this week for his defensive capabilities, this time from former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane criticised the Liverpool full-back stating: “I can’t believe how bad he is at defending. For a guy that’s played a lot of games in defence, it’s like he’s never played there before.” His comments were in response to a suggestion from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher that Alexander-Arnold could be a contender for Premier League player of the season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Defending Questioned Again
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Criticism Is Nothing New
The criticism of the Liverpool number 66 is nothing new. Since his breakthrough into the first team in 2016, Alexander-Arnold has been subjected to comments on his defensive capabilities and subsequently receives criticism like no other full-back in the Premier League.
There was no better example than the 2-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup at the start of the month where, despite waxing lyrical about his performance, Gary Lineker and the Match of the Day pundits could not resist bringing up the two-times the right-back was passed by Gabriel Martinelli, of which nothing came about for the Gunners attack. The argument will be that it is about providing balance to the analysis, but it seems that praise cannot come without zooming in on his weaknesses.
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There are undoubtedly many aspects of his defending that can be improved. He can struggle in one-on-one situations, but it only takes one moment in a game for this to be magnified and turned into a much bigger problem than it actually is.
Defending Trent Alexander Arnold
The problem with the analysis from the pundits in the public eye is that it is often lazy and sensational. Keane’s comments were blunt and stated that the Liverpool full-back could not defend. By that token, neither could Paul Scholes because he could not tackle effectively for those who remember.
Defending one-on-one situations is just one facet of individual defending. A midfielder – is not criticised for being unable to attack when playing only one in every three forward passes, so why are pundits so dramatic at the other end?
The thing here is that Alexander-Arnold can defend if you are looking at it holistically. His positional game has improved massively, and considering his change of role in this Liverpool side, it is even more impressive that he is able to understand when to revert to the role of full-back and when to cover if retreating from a more narrow position.
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Statistically, there are a number of areas that Alexander-Arnold is thriving in as well. According to FotMob.com, this season, he is in the 97th percentile per 90 minutes for recoveries (defined as recovering a loose ball), further highlighting his positional awareness, as well as being in the 93rd percentile for blocks per 90, suggesting a tendency to be in the right place at the right time in and around his own goal. He also finds himself in the 81st percentile for aerial duels compared to other full-backs, the 74th percentile for interceptions and the 71st percentile for possession won in the final third.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Outperforms Rivals
For context, all of those stats put Alexander-Arnold ahead of Kyle Walker and, with the exception of aerial duels and possession won in the final third, Kieran Trippier. In fact, despite being dribbled past more than Walker and Trippier, the Liverpool star still possesses a higher tackles-won % than either of his England counterparts.
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When adding all the qualities that the Liverpool academy graduate brings to his side’s attacking game, which most football fans don’t dispute are to an elite level, it seems crazy that there is this consistent focus on his defending. The Liverpool system has also been designed and re-worked to mitigate any weaknesses and to fully maximise his strengths, reflected in the Reds only losing once in the league since he was moved into the inverted role, not to mention the fact that Liverpool have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League this season.
The Liverpool star is not a perfect defender, but the rhetoric he cannot defend is lazy.
