Arne Slot, Liverpool’s new head coach, has communicated to Trent Alexander-Arnold, the vice-captain, that his progression as a defender relies heavily on his ability to sustain a concentration level of “100 per cent”. In their pre-season discussions, Alexander-Arnold voiced his aspiration to be “the defender that strikes fear into opponents across Europe”.
During a post-game interview following Liverpool’s triumphant 3-0 match against Bournemouth, where Alexander-Arnold added the 100th goal of his career with Liverpool to his tally, the 25-year-old expressed his intentions to enhance his defensive prowess, countering claims that questioned his abilities in this area as “harsh”.
Slot emphasises that whilst the defender’s critics fixate on his on-ball skill set, Alexander-Arnold’s challenging objective lies in maintaining his focus throughout the entirety of the game, irrespective of his position in relation to the ball. The coach noted that despite this, no professional instruction was given to him for defending during the past three months, citing his prominent victories in the Champions League and the league title as evidence of his defensive competency. Hence, Slot’s goal is to ensure Alexander-Arnold recognises all necessary components that contribute to a superior game performance.
Liverpool, hosting West Ham in the Carabao Cup third round this coming Wednesday, have thus far defended four clean sheets out of five Premier League matches indicating a commendable defensive record. However, Slot remains restrained with his praise, arguing the team’s fixture list has been advantageous and that it would be premature to form any conclusion at present.
Slot contended that despite the team’s solid defensive record, in their most recent match, their goalkeeper was overtaxed to maintain the clean sheet. Furthermore, he pointed out that all the teams they have come up against have been in the lower half of the league table, a factor which must be considered when evaluating their performance.
In the coming matches, we are set to meet some challenging squads. Following our game against West Ham, we’re gearing up for a couple of tough away games, lining up against Wolves and Crystal Palace. The manner in which we perform in these matches, particularly in terms of goals conceded, will reveal whether our current favourable league position is due to a ‘kind’ fixture list. Additionally, the fact that out of the last five matches, we have hosted three might also have contributed to our present standing.
In light of Alisson’s injury, Caoimhín Kelleher will once more step in for him, though Alisson could make his comeback from his muscle issue in time for the Wolves game this Saturday. The gifted 17-year-old midfielder, Trey Nyoni, may potentially get some game time in the cup tie. – Guardian