Is he a right-back? Is he a midfielder? Jurgen Klopp’s solution to getting the best from Trent Alexander-Arnold is to encourage him to be everything, everywhere all at once.
Depending on patience levels, Alexander-Arnold drifting from right-back to strengthening and dictating play from the centre is long overdue, or a timely innovative response from a manager who has exhausted options during a perplexing season.
It is a fair presumption the 4-1 defeat at Manchester City was a tipping point – a moment when Klopp knew he had to get creative with a key player and his team’s structure.
On a humbling afternoon, Alexander-Arnold was in possession just 48 times and barely in any attacking zones. He made four successful recoveries, three of which were in or around his penalty area.
There was a significant improvement and variation against Arsenal – 76 touches and more prominent in the second half of the draw – but it was at Leeds on Monday where his numbers radically improved. He had 153 touches – the most possession he has had in a league game – and was fundamental to Liverpool looking more like Liverpool.
A touch map which, at his best, once suggested he was more of a right wing-back than full-back, showed he drifted inside to receive the ball like a “quarterback”.
Klopp will surely admit that the sight of John Stones successfully performing a similar “hybrid” role in a City shirt caught his eye when considering an experiment. Arsenal have used Oleksandr Zinchenko in the same way.
Where Alexander-Arnold differs from Stones and Zinchenko is that while they knit defence, midfield and attack with clever short passing, he is more of a killer – as demonstrated with his two assists in the 6-1 win at Leeds. Klopp also indicated that reinforcing midfield to ensure Fabinho was not a one-man shield was equally, if not more, influential in the tactical rethink.
Alexander-Arnold’s movements in the past two fixtures made Liverpool less vulnerable to counter-attacks. He made 11 recovery tackles at Leeds – four in the hosts’ half. Crucially, when Alexander-Arnold was not in his usual full-back position, Ibrahima Konate played a pivotal role covering Liverpool’s right.
The adjustment is reflective of what many have argued during Liverpool’s difficult campaign – that Alexander-Arnold’s world-class technical and athletic abilities are more reminiscent of an attacking midfielder than defender.
Questions about his defensive instincts are not new, but before this season were more frequent when on international duty. For his club, the vulnerabilities became more visible when the middle three evolved with Georginio Wijnaldum’s departure. The back four had to absorb more pressure with a defensive-minded midfielder removed from the middle three.
Last season, Liverpool played a high-risk game in which Alisson Becker’s shot-stopping in one-on-one situations was prominent. They were so good at creating and scoring, the number of chances conceded was downplayed. This term, rivals have found a way to maximise their opportunities in tandem with Liverpool’s powers receding.
Previously, James Milner or Jordan Henderson were adept as “false full-backs” when Alexander-Arnold surged forward. This season, Liverpool’s right flank has been targeted often and midfield’s ability to cover or help has been found wanting.
Until this month, Klopp sounded reluctant to change what had worked for the past seven years.
Of course, he can counter that Alexander-Arnold is still playing right-back, and the past two games are not the first time he has been given licence to roam. Moving forward, the adjustments will be made in-game as much as game-to-game. If Thiago Alcantara starts there may be less need for Alexander-Arnold to slot in as playmaking No 6, or seek to receive Alisson’s goal-kicks centrally rather in a wide area.
But for sure, the past two performances offer a glimpse into how Klopp will utilise Alexander-Arnold to provide a fresh option. He knows assuming midfield habits is familiar territory for him given, at 17, he was regarded as an all-action midfielder in the Gerrard mould. His past two games point to an intelligent and exciting compromise.
Those still pining for Bellingham will lament Klopp’s inability to buy a midfielder who can do it all.
Those who recall the famous scene in Moneyball where Brad Pitt explains the merit of finding three cost-effective players who can do the job of one extremely expensive one will see Alexander-Arnold as a crucial element of the restructured team Liverpool need to become contenders again.