Harry Redknapp says Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has ‘all the ability’ to play as a forward and shared that he would pick him for England’s squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as he told talkSPORT on Thursday morning.
There is a big chance that Alexander-Arnold will miss his golden ticket to Qatar, with Gareth Southgate recently leaving him out of England’s matchday squad that drew 3-3 with Germany on Monday night at Wembley.
For far too long now, Liverpool’s creator on the right just hasn’t been able to cement his place in Southgate’s starting XI, despite success on the domestic stage.
At one stage or another, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James have all played ahead of the 23-year-old, who is yet to register an assist this season, but he has a remarkable 62 assists from his 235 Liverpool games.
The season just hasn’t gone to plan for Alexander-Arnold, but he isn’t the only one in Liverpool colours who hasn’t been performing at his best ability.
Either way, for Alexander-Arnold, it seems as though his England place is under threat and he won’t be going to the 2022 World Cup, but Redknapp made it clear that he would take him.
“I still think I would have him in the squad,” said Redknapp. “He is a fantastic footballer. He can create things.
“Surely someone has to work with him. Those little parts of his game. Most of his game is incredible going forward, his passing and his crossing. He is still open to that ball inside and not aware sometimes defensively or at the back post.
“Someone has to work with him on the training ground? Let’s do 20 minutes every day. Get your body position right. Get yourself back in position and just do a bit with him. It’s not rocket science to spend a bit of time and sort those problems out because he has got a few problems defensively.
“I would still take him (to the 2022 World Cup). But, we are very strong a right-back, for sure. But he would be in my squad. He could even play in different positions. He has the ability to play forward, play central (midfield) or wide in front of the right-back.”
ALEXANDER-ARNOLD’S TIME WILL COME
Southgate just hasn’t got the minerals to bring the best out of Alexander-Arnold, that’s why the attacking fullback has to wait until he’s no longer in the Wembley dugout.
Alexander-Arnold has years and years of his best football ahead of him and he is just in an era of outstanding right-backs being produced by England.
It’s crazy to think that the Liverpool academy product could be left at home for the 2022 World Cup, yet he would probably walk into the squad of the current world champions, France.
Either way, along with Southgate’s call to continually select the out-of-form and now-benched Manchester United captain, Harry Maguire, these are calls that will make or break the England boss in Qatar.
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