Speaking on Vibe With Five, Jermaine Jenas has been discussing Trent Alexander-Arnold after a tumultuous week for the right-back.
Alexander-Arnold hasn’t had the best fortnight to say the least. He didn’t play a single minute for England over the international break, and on Saturday he put in a shocking defensive display as his man, Leandro Trossard, netted a hat-trick at Anfield.
There has been plenty of discussion about Alexander-Arnold’s defensive abilities over the past few days, and while that’s been a point of contention throughout the media, Jenas isn’t too worried about it.
Indeed, the pundit says that he’s never been too bothered about his lack of defensive abilities, stating that the trade-off for his genius on the ball is more than worth it.
Alexander-Arnold is a genius
At a time where Alexander-Arnold is being widely panned, Jenas actually praised the full-back, describing him as a genius on the ball.
“I just think with Trent, I’ve never been too obsessed with his defending. It’s not the strongest part of his game, but I’m prepared to sacrifice it for his genius when he’s on the ball, and I think that’s what Jurgen Klopp does,” Jenas said.
Never been an issue before
Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t the best defender in the world, but he never has been.
Indeed, this is the same player that has helped Liverpool to three Champions League finals and a Premier League title in recent years – he’s not changed one bit really.
What has changed is the lack of cover behind Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool have had plenty of issues at centre-back this season with injuries to Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate, while Jordan Henderson is also a real defensive presence on the right flank, and his absence has been felt quite a lot this season too.
Was Alexander-Arnold poor at the weekend? Of course he was, but at the end of the day he’s still one of the best players in the Premier League.
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