Stephen Warnock has told the Football Show on Sky Sports (12/10/20 at 11:05 am) that Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has ‘a lot to learn’ after he was played further up the pitch for England.
Gareth Southgate opted to play Alexander-Arnold as a wing-back, which is slightly more advanced than his right-back role for his club.
Alexander-Arnold is a naturally attack-minded full-back, so that role should suit him perfectly.
But former Reds defender Warnock doesn’t believe that’s the case and thinks the Anfield academy product isn’t himself when he’s asked to play a further 10 yards up the pitch, as he proved against Belgium.
“No, it’s not but he’s young and he’s still learning the position,” Warnock told Sky Sports. “Not used to seeing him in this position [furthest man forward on the edge of the penalty area]. I think where we are used to seeing him is 10 yards further back.
“When you think of Liverpool, you would have probably have Mo Salah [where Alexander-Arnold is now playing for England] and Trent would be arriving onto the scene [from behind]. He’s almost marking himself when he plays – he has got a lot to learn.
“It’s something that he’s trying to get used to. It’s something that he’s trying to understand. But I still feel Trent Alexander-Arnold coming onto the game in a back four [rather than as a wing-back] suits him more.”
Gareth Southgate has a lot of options to choose from when it comes to right-backs – he played three of them during England’s win against Belgium on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier played as a left-back, whilst the quicker Kyle Walker played on the right side of a back three and Alexander-Arnold was the wing-back.
Going forward, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Walker in a back three because Southgate has used him there before, so it seems the battle for the right-sided full-back spot will be against the Liverpool and Atletico Madrid duo.
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