Trent Alexander-Arnold's recent struggles are a concern for Real Madrid and his latest slip up came in a 2-1 win against Celta Vigo last night (March 6th). The English defender arrived as a free agent last summer after leaving boyhood club Liverpool.
Many regard Alexander-Arnold as one of the best full-backs in the world because of his incredible playmaking abilities. But his defending has always been under scrutiny and he isn't getting the protection he once had at Anfield.
The 27-year-old was particularly at fault for Celta's equalizer when he failed to deal with Williot Swedberg. The Swedish attacker broke past Alexander-Arnold with ease before finding Borja Iglesias who tucked home from close range.
Madrid had taken the lead through Aurelien Tchouameni and fortunately ended up with all three points in the dying embers of the game. Federico Valverde's superb strike bailed Alexander-Arnold out.
Alexander-Arnold's defensive vulnerabilities are a problem
Alexander-Arnold's struggles continued last night and his vulnerabilities at the back are proving a problem. He is excellent on the ball and going forward but is too tame in one-on-one situations.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney had warned the Englishman that he needed to improve the defensive side of his game. He said after Madrid's 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League playoff:
"On the ball, he’s one of the best in world football. He has to be good at defending. He has to be good at both sides of the game. Off the ball, defensively, that’s where he has to improve. That’s where the question marks are on Trent."
Alexander-Arnold has done nothing to answer those questions asked of him by Rooney. His performances have dipped in recent weeks and Alvaro Arbeloa might soon have to consider dropping the former Liverpool man.
Is midfield the way forward?
Former England manager Gareth Southgate was ridiculed for using Alexander-Arnold in midfield at the start of Euro 2024. The right-back was coming off a superb season with Liverpool and many were insistent that he should be a starter.
Alexander-Arnold didn't impress in the role but his team were unconvincing as a collective during the tournament. In this Madrid team he could fare well in midfield given the club are already prioritising signing a creative midfielder this summer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Celta Vigo | Statistic |
|---|---|
Minutes played: | 90' |
Defensive contributions: | 1 |
Tackles (won): | 1 (1) |
Recoveries: | 5 |
Ground duels (won): | 1 (1) |
Aerial duels (won): | 1 (1) |
Crosses (accurate): | 13 (1) |
Possession lost: | 24 |
Trialling the versatile Englishman in a midfield role could be the way forward to benefit from his playmaking ability. He's too much of a risk in defence, especially against direct wingers who often target his side because of his inability to handle them.