It comes as no surprise that Gareth Southgate used Trent Alexander-Arnold as the scapegoat, but even that cannot detract from the England manager’s problems.
Liverpool’s vice-captain was taken to the Euros as a midfield option for England, donning the No. 8 shirt and asked to play in a double-pivot alongside Declan Rice.
In the first two group games, he was pulled after 69 and 54 minutes respectively, both times replaced by Chelsea‘s Conor Gallagher – make of that what you will!
And in the final group outing against Slovenia, he was dropped altogether and was only looked at for the final six minutes in his natural position at right-back.
A world-class player forced to be the scapegoat, but it is hard not to expect anything different from Southgate.
All too predictable…
The England manager has readily referred to Alexander-Arnold in midfield as an “experiment,” and even bizarrely cited a lack of a Kalvin Philips replacement as an issue.
Bear in mind, he hardly played Philips in the World Cup when the former Leeds man was available to him!
Speaking after the 1-1 draw against Denmark last week, Southgate said: “I wanted to get Conor on; we needed some energy and to press better. He’s (Alexander-Arnold) had some moments where he’s delivered what we thought he would.
“We know it’s an experiment. We know we don’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Philips. We’re trying different things and at the moment we’re not flowing as we’d like.”
That is an understatement. Three games and just two goals to show for it.
The Three Lions have amassed a measly 11 shots on target despite a squad boasting the Bundesliga’s top goalscorer, and the La Liga and Premier League players of the season.
But, of course, it is the Alexander-Arnold experiment that was deemed the issue despite Liverpool’s No. 66 creating the most chances of any England player in the group stages (3).
As per FotMob, the 25-year-old only played 129 minutes against Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia but averaged 2.1 chances created per 90 – the next best is Harry Kane and Phil Foden with 1.1.
A player with vision, and the ability to execute and take England out of playing in their comfort zone – qualities which are obviously too daunting for Southgate.
It was an entirely predictable storyline that Alexander-Arnold would become the fall guy, asking a right-back to play out of position and then throwing him to the wolves.
It was almost three years ago now, but it is hard not to think of Jurgen Klopp‘s words after the first England experiment: “Why make the best right-back in the world a midfielder?”
Listen to Jurgen…
All this is not to say that Alexander-Arnold has been head and shoulders above the rest, but Southgate is not allowing any of his players to shine and be free from the shackles.
You would have more enjoyment watching paint dry than watching this England side.
You cannot expect Alexander-Arnold to be able to pull the strings and use his vision and ability if there is no movement up the pitch, I saw someone aptly liken it to a quarterback without any wide receivers.
It is just throwing a generational talent under the bus, which is only compounded when you realise Southgate had the chance to use one of the most-ever creative right-backs in his natural position, and didn’t.
That could change in the knockouts, though you feel it is out of necessity rather than choice on Southgate’s part as Kieran Trippier continues to struggle with a calf injury.
The nonsense ‘he can’t defend’ rhetoric is tiresome and if that is to be the plan we are bound to hear more of it from the press – there seems few ways Alexander-Arnold can win.
This is a player who won everything with his club by the age of 23 and has helped transform how many view the role of a right-back, and yet he is treated as the scapegoat on the international stage.
He was pulled from the team against Slovenia and what would you know, England were still diabolically boring and lacking inspiration – so much for Trent being the problem, Gareth.
England have a manager who is clueless about how to get the best out of a squad that is full of talent, his lack of tactical understanding is on centre stage and our vice-captain is paying the price.
Perhaps Southgate ought to listen to Klopp’s words from 2023 and go from there: “If we just put him there (in midfield) then we lose one of the best right-backs in the world, so we should not forget that.”
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