England are now out of the World Cup squad. There are some glaring omissions. Some huge names. But one of them is more mysterious than the rest – Trent Alexander-Arnold. The right-back is a divisive figure because of his defence. No need to elaborate further. Everyone has seen this clip. But one thing that cannot be disputed is that he has great talent with the ball at his feet.
There is no player in the England squad who can pass as well as Alexander-Arnold. No one can cross it better than him. In fact, very few Premier League players over the past 20 years have been able to do that. It’s no wonder he compares to Kevin De Bruyne in these two aspects of his game. And he could have been on every other team in the World Cup. Yes, all 47 other countries. Spain, France, Brazil, even Argentina. There’s no doubt about that.
Now, I’m not saying Alexander-Arnold had to start for England. Reece James is absolutely phenomenal. When he’s on form, he’s probably the best two-way right-back in the world alongside Achraf Hakimi. He has great balance in attack and defense.
But it’s not only bizarre, but shameful, that a player of Alexander-Arnold’s caliber isn’t coming off the bench.
When your legs are tired, who better to force the opposition defender to do exactly what you don’t want to do, which is turn and sprint towards your own goal to catch the likes of Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins who have just come off the bench. What a threat England would have been if they had been able to use their fresh legs to tap into Trent’s long, diagonal passes.
Manager Thomas Tuchel clearly prefers Jed Spence, who is clearly a good defender and can also play at left-back. why? Now, Tuchel said this morning: “It’s mainly a matter of energy, connection and trust between me and the players.” He trusts Spence. He clearly doesn’t trust Trent.
Fair enough in situations where a fullback is needed to shut down the opposition winger. It’s smart to want Spence in moments like that. But what about a situation where you need a game-changer off the bench if you want to win the World Cup? Will someone do something unconventional to break down the defense?
There’s a reason Alexander-Arnold plays for Real Madrid. There’s a reason he has the most assists (64) by a defender in Premier League history. There’s a reason he’s a two-time Premier League champion and Champions League winner. He has gained a lot of experience at the highest level, under the highest pressure and in the toughest atmosphere.
As a footballer he is arguably better than most players in the England squad. And he will be a formidable weapon. Rivals will be relieved to see him left at home.
Alexander-Arnold is a threat not only with passes and crosses, but also with long-range shots. He’s a great free kick taker. He is a good ball striker and has a decent penalty record as well.
Instead, he plans to take a vacation this summer. What a sad waste of the talent of a sensational footballer.
