The Anfield star’s stats may be down but don’t be deceived, insists FFT’s tactics oracle – his switch to midfield has made Liverpool more potent and could prove cosmic for England
Words Adam Clery
Last term, Jurgen Klopp had a problem. Attempts to evolve his Liverpool team from a chaotic, explosive, high-pressing side that literally used the metaphysical concept of ‘just tackling in their half’ as a playmaker were falling flat.
The German wanted a Liverpool team who could better dictate the tempo of a game. Or, to translate that, he wished to feel like he was driving a sportscar that had an accelerator and a brake, rather than an accelerator and a big red button with ‘WEEEEEE’ written on it.
Heading into last season’s Christmas break, they were sixth and 15 points off the title pace. By this December, however, they were top, looking more potent in attack and more robust in defence.
There have been many factors behind that, but the most interesting has been the maturing role of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Last season’s defensive liability at Anfield is now this season’s midfield heartbeat...
01TRENT IN THE MIDDLE
While still nominally starting as the Reds’ right-back, Alexander-Arnold has been operating in midfield. Deployed next to Alexis Mac Allister in a 3-box-3 (3-4-3) formation, he drifts from the flank in their build-up phase to form the base of a midfield four (right).
Using that system (as Manchester City and Arsenal also have over the past 12 months) is designed to give you a numerical advantage in the middle of the park, freeing up one of those four players from the opposition press. At City they ensure it’s Kevin De Bruyne and Arsenal allocate Martin Odegaard or Declan Rice. At Liverpool it’s Trent… and he’s thrived.
Previously Liverpool’s most creative wide threat, he averaged more than eight crosses per game in the last two seasons but found a team-mate with a through-ball once every two matches. So, 8.3 and 0.5 per 90 minutes.
He’s since become Liverpool’s most creative central threat, seeing his crossing more than half in his new role (he still takes set-pieces, of course), but more than trebling the frequency with which he fashions a chance via a killer pass through the middle. That’s 4.1 and 1.6 per 90, the latter of which is the best in the Premier League for defenders or midfielders.
02TRENT IN THE MUD
Perversely, as one particular stati
