Trent Alexander Arnold has had to play a bit of a part-time role in Real Madrid so far.
Trent Alexander Arnold’s Real Madrid career is not off to a great start as the first team lacks chances. The former Liverpool fullback had to settle for a Los Blancos bench victory on Sunday a few days after being replaced by a LaLiga debut with Osasuna.
Initially, Alexander Arnold was immediately leaned to be the first choice, but now appears to have been expelled by the club’s captain Dani Carbajal. Manager Xabi Alonso emphasizes that the starting spot is not guaranteed, but sources close to the club claim that the right backverse is a loss to Carvajal.
This led Alexander Arnold to face a difficult battle to begin his Bernabéu career. He may have to be patient and spend time on the bystanders – history suggests he is not sitting with him.
read more: Trent Alexander Arnold: What happened to the former Liverpool defender after AX warningread more: Xabi Alonso says he can stay on the bench in Real Madrid after Trent Alexander-Arnold is dropped
Earlier last season, Alexander Arnold replaced each of Liverpool’s first three Premier League matches. After being hooked for two weeks in a row, footage of him thoroughly sick of the bench quickly circulated, prompting manager Arne Slot to walk to explain his decision.
The Dutch later said he understood why Alexander Arnold was unhappy and suggested, as Alonso had recently done, that rotation and maintaining fitness was the reason behind his team’s choices.
“All players want to play 90 minutes, but I don’t think the players who were on the bench from the start are really happy with the choices I made,” Slot said in August 2024.
“He took a few weeks off and came back. This is his third game. We have to look after him because we need him for the entire season, not just for the first two games… So we’re looking after Trent.”
At the time, questions were rising about Alexander Arnold fit into the slot system, with Institute Connor Bradley seeking his place. However, England’s international bouncing back, reaffirming itself and ultimately became a mainstay as Liverpool surged into the Premier League title.
He will definitely want a similar transformation in Madrid. With Carvajal’s contract expired at the end of the season, competition for location may not be that intensely advance, but if Alonso is convinced of his worth, his performance must improve.
His ability to play the ball is undeniable, but questions arise about his contributions. In order for him to establish himself as a patron of the first team, he will need to exclude the creases in his defensive game.
In Liverpool, being a local local that endured the academy helped fans overlook his defensive failure. However, Real Madrid’s supporters are unlikely tolerant.
“It depends on what you need when it comes to games, workloads and opposition,” Alonso told reporters when asked about his decision to drop Alexander Arnold over the weekend.
“I haven’t made any decisions for next month, and I’ll see how we recover and make sure people are important and ready to start, get off the bench or get into the next game.
“This is important for the stability of a team’s performance… There are 20 players on the team. I try to make the most of them all.
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