In some ways, it was a season that completely encapsulated Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s profession up to now, however might a brand new supervisor lastly see his function change for good?
Liverpool’s new vice-captain took one other step in direction of an virtually inevitable inheritance of the armband on the membership in 2023/24, as long as he resists any potential temptation from Actual Madrid.
The best-back – sure, we’re nonetheless calling him that – already carried an immense burden previous to his promotion throughout the management group, appearing as an academy poster boy, native hero and inheritor to Steven Gerrard‘s throne all through his youthful years.
Now, the previous skipper would kill for Alexander-Arnold’s medal assortment on the age of simply 25, however the largest chapter in his Anfield story might but be penned and probably the most important questions could quickly be answered by the brand new boss.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, 2023/24
Began: 29 (All competitions)
On instead: 8
Unused sub: 1
Objectives: 3
Assists: 9
General Season Ranking: 7
A rocky street
As was a standard theme all through a lot of the squad, Alexander-Arnold’s marketing campaign was a considerably extra bumpier trip than he would have hoped, as a result of health issues.
A hamstring damage stopped him in his tracks again in September following what had been one other promising begin, however he quickly regained his standing as some of the very important cogs within the Jurgen Klopp machine in his inverted full-back function.
Subsequent knee ligament issues started shortly after the flip of the yr earlier than reoccurring the next month, and retaining him out of a major chunk of the run-in.
Throughout that point, a sure Conor Bradley made it his mission to emphatically announce himself on the senior stage.
His showings at right-back prompted conversations a few future transfer into midfield for Trent, later compounded by the information that we’d be getting a brand new handle in the summertime – however extra on that later.
Whereas it’s true that we are going to possible by no means absolutely know the place Klopp needed Alexander-Arnold to be at every given second on the pitch, it’s honest to say there have been occasional defensive lapses through the first half of the marketing campaign.
These added gasoline to the hearth so far as these conversations round transferring to midfield have been involved.
Incomparable affect
The place there have been shortcomings and sporadic bouts of criticism, there have been intervals of utter brilliance in equal measure.
The 25-year-old continued to show that solely Kevin De Bruyne can realistically be thought-about to be on the identical planet so far as creativity goes within the Premier League.
Whereas he didn’t fairly hit the stratospheric help numbers he has reached in earlier years, he merely mesmerised us along with his imaginative and prescient and passing at numerous factors all through the season.
Alongside that, he reminded us of his capabilities as a match winner and goalscorer by stepping up within the very important moments wherein you want to have the ability to depend in your best possible.
He single-handedly rescued three factors throughout the house of eight days with breathtaking late strikes in opposition to Man Metropolis and Fulham, with out which our title bid would possible have by no means really caught hearth post-Christmas.
There have been a number of equally-sublime situations wherein he arrange his teammates, a combination of pleasant clipped balls, trademark set-pieces and world class long-range switches.
May it lastly be time for the midfield transfer?
Earlier than Arne Slot had even set foot on Merseyside, many followers had already drawn their very own conclusions about what nonetheless lies in retailer for the Reds’ No. 66 so far as his place on the pitch is anxious.
Many imagine he has all the time been destined to finally step into midfield and observe within the footsteps of his former idol, others really feel the arrival of a brand new supervisor will be the catalyst for that.
The Dutchman seems to favour a 4-2-3-1 formation and with the ability to share the defensive burden with somebody like Alexis Mac Allister as a part of a two might effectively be the right tonic to unleash extra of his potential.
The flip aspect of that coin is that he has proven us on numerous events previously that he’s greater than able to being the primary character at right-back, his 79 profession assists mirror that.
Whichever method you land on it, it’s clear that the vice-skipper will probably be an important a part of our hopes of success on this new period of the soccer membership.
This is the reason securing his long-term future is crucial, guaranteeing that his contract state of affairs shouldn’t be one thing we enable to unfold into an even bigger story than it must be.
On his day he stays among the best and most original footballers on the planet. You possibly can assure Slot is relishing the prospect of working with him no matter what he has received deliberate with him tactically.
Get that contract in entrance of him, please, Reds.
Greatest second: The good late winner in entrance of the Kop at residence to Fulham.
Worst second: A tricky return from damage up in opposition to Gabriel Martinelli in an finally expensive defeat on the Emirates again in February.
Position subsequent season: Whether or not it’s at right-back, in midfield or within the hybrid function, one factor you could be certain of is that he’ll proceed to be some of the vital males on the pitch.
