For the first time in a long while, there isn’t a Liverpool player represented in the England squad for this month’s international friendlies. Is there a need to state the obvious reason? Well, to put it plainly, Liverpool have endured a poor campaign, domestically at least.
Currently, champions Liverpool sit seventh place in the Premier League, twenty-five points behind leaders Manchester City who are running away with a title Liverpool worked effortlessly last year to lift for the first time in 30-odd years. This is historically the worst title defence in English top-flight history, even toppling Manchester United’s post-Fergie defence during the 2013/14 Premier League under David Moyes.
Joe Gomez and Jordan Henderson are of course part of that “squad” on the treatment table, and would have obviously been had they been fully fit. Certainly, a few familiar faces have missed out on receiving Southgate’s call, while others can rejoice at their first cap.
However, the most surprising name missing from the squad is Champions’ League and Premier League winner, Trent-Alexander Arnold.
It’s a decision that has raised a whole host of eyebrows, and not just those around Merseyside.
Gareth Southgate will not have made this decision lightly. However, the England coach says he took the difficult decision to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold because of the right-back’s struggles in his England squad as well as the decline in his performances for Liverpool this season.
The 22-year-old now finds himself behind Kieran Trippier and Reece James in the pecking order at right‑back and possibly also Kyle Walker, who Southgate has played as part of a three centre-back system.
The headlines centred around Southgate suggesting Alexander-Arnold’s club form has dipped this season compared to his two previous campaigns, is unquestionably true.
Whatever viewpoint fans hold towards Southgate’s decision, there can be no argument that its a brave and bold one. Most importantly, its a significant lesson that Southgate is putting across to every England youngster, that players will not be picked on reputation but on club form. If you have not been consistently playing at a high level for your club, there’s a high chance you won’t be picked.
The same cannot be said of Alexander-Arnold’s right-back rivals Kieran Trippier and Reece James who have both enjoyed fruitful seasons for both Atletico Madrid and Chelsea respectively. This is the attitude international coaches need to have, as players will strive to perform for their clubs to earn their England spot.
Alexander-Arnold can of course feel aggrieved at his omission, but its a decision which is represented through his club’s currently plight so far this season. The numbers involving all three candidates for the right-wing back spot tells its own story, Reece James and Kieran Trippier richly deserve their spots.
Whilst Alexander-Arnold played a major role in Liverpool’s title winning success last season and the season before last, he has struggled for consistency during the current one.
Currently averaging a relatively underwhelming WhoScored match rating of 6.82, the defender has not performed as consistently and as well as Kieran Trippier (7.26) and Reece James (7.00). In comparison to the others, Trent Alexander-Arnold still holds a decent level in his attacking play for his club, shown through his 3 assists so far this season, but its nowhere near the numbers registered last campaign (4 goals, 13 assists).
However, his effect to Liverpool’s attacking play has of course maintained a decent level. He averages 1.7 key passes, 6.80 final third passes and 9.19 progressive passes (completed passes that moves the ball towards the opponent’s goal 10 yards from its furthest point, or passes into penalty area) per90 mins.
For a player of his technical qualities, you’d expect that from Alexander-Arnold, but when Liverpool have needed him to perform in his defending, he’s failed to convince. Klopp has had to suffer the anguish of putting his team out without the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip and that will certainly have a ripping effect on nearly every top side in Europe, but the players that are left, need to step up in their absence.
It’s all well and great being brilliant in attack, but that must be backed up in defense too. It’s probably the main reason why Southgate hasn’t picked him for England and it was particularly evident in their win over Belgium last October where he struggled to cover the space behind him and failed to have an efficient effect in attack when it was needed the most. He was correctly replaced by Reece James in the final 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, Reece James has formed a significant part of Chelsea’s resurgence under Thomas Tuchel, especially in defence where they have kept eight league clean sheets in nine games since the German’s appointment. Kieran Trippier, has also played a massive role in Atletico Madrid’s rise to the top of La Liga this campaign, despite him being banned for a month. Still he’s managed to record six assists and become a solid element of Diego Simeone’s sturdy and rigid defence.
Reece James and Trippier have proven they can be relied upon in defence, and its an element Gareth Southgate will be paying stark attention too before England get their Euro 2020 campaign underway in June. When James, and Trippier have played for England, they’ve wholly impressed.
To get back in the squad, Trent will need to improve his defensive performances, he has only 2.71 tackles won + interceptions per 90 in comparison to Reece James (4.7) and Trippier (3.78). Also, for a player of Alexander Arnold’s size, he hasn’t performed in the air as well as his ground defensive duels, averaging just 0.20 aerial duel successes while James (1.57) and Trippier (1.94) trump him in that area also, despite both possessing short frames. It’s these small margins that Southgate will be looking at and spotting in his defenders. Trent Alexander-Arnold will know he needs to improve in those areas to have any chance of becoming England’s most trusted full-back.
There are no doubts, Alexander-Arnold is the most talented amongst his peers and could probably walk in this squad when he’s on song. He’s been an England success story ever since his surprise inclusion in the Russia 2018 squad and arguably the best right back in Europe let alone England. But selecting an England squad is not like picking a fantasy squad based on glamour and reputation, its about picking and developing a cohesive unit, a squad filled with players becoming a reliable presence in each of their unique roles.
Southgate admitted he needs to “look at himself” as to why he hasn’t got the best out of such a quality individual, but it won’t be right to lay the blame at the manager. Southgate has given the Liverpool full-back numerous opportunities over the past couple years, and for whatever reason, it hasn’t worked out. That’s for Trent Alexander-Arnold to solve.
For now though, Reece James and Kieran Trippier have performed admirably at every opportunity both at national and club level, so their inclusions at the expense of Trent-Alexander Arnold is very much justified.
If Alexander-Arnold desires a path back into the England spotlight, the ball is now in his court.
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