Trent Alexander Arnold is an appearance shy of 100 in the Premier League. Before he inevitably reaches this milestone, it’s worth casting a high-level view over his productivity during the 3-seasons that he has been a mainstay.
Trent has 27 Premier League assists and 36 in all competitions. He has completed over 5,600 passes domestically and continues to dazzle audiences with cross-field passes that don’t seem to get less accurate with distance. 416 of these long balls have successfully been received on the other end.
The Scouser has whipped in over 700 crosses into the box with an accuracy of 23%. His threat out wide is arguably as important to Liverpool’s style of play as anywhere else on the pitch. The rhetoric from fans and pundits around the club has consistently been, ‘when will he move into midfield?’ I would argue having him out wide is the team’s biggest asset.
Trent occupies an area of the pitch where there will always be more space. The impact he has on the Football pitch from a traditionally defensive area is part of what is redefining the modern full-back. Of course, the likes of Kyle Walker, Danny Rose and Benjamin Mendy had been doing a similar thing for Manchester City, before he burst on the scene.
Stark though, is the contrast in productivity between those players and the 22-year-old. To see someone of Trent’s age, approach this position with such maturity is quite fascinating.
His style of play is hybrid, and a direct comparison wouldn’t suffice. To narrow it purely to past LFC players, I’d say he’s a mixture between Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
To qualify this: His movement on the ball reminds me of how Torres used to glide across the pitch. He covers vast distance with fewer paces than you’d expect. He now cuts inside and occupies pockets of space that push him closer to dangerous situations, this means he is able to deliver balls from a myriad of angles.
His dynamism on the ball is like Gerrard. His first thought is always how can I make my next action as penetrative as possible. His back lift and the power he generates on shots and passes bamboozle defences. The way he carries himself on the pitch elevates his physical stature to greater than what it is. I think the main reason he reminds me of Stevie now though, is the fact that mentally teams are fearful of what his next move is. This causes anxiety, and defenders to overthink themselves.
Defensively, he wears his heart on his sleeve. I see Carragher in those stretches, lunges and last gasp blocks that he pulls out of the bag. He is vocal for a player of his age, and understands how important his role down the flank is tactically for the team. He shows courage in the way he defends in his own penalty area. Trent’s lofted passes from his own half towards the edge of the opposition box instantly switch the pressure from defence to attack and cause teams problems. This is something Carra did for years with far less recognition. TAA possesses Jamie’s mental strength and tactical discipline.
If Alexander Arnold carries on his current trajectory, there is no reason why he won’t become an all-time great. The key differentiator is he has the chance to do it in a team with tangible aspirations of sustaining a legacy. The worst thing the footballing world could do is shoe-horn him into a position where he is less likely to have as big an impact on the game as he does currently.
Trent is undoubtedly a generational talent.
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