Klopp: Trent CAN defend!
Boss stands by ‘exceptional’ right back
JURGEN KLOPP has delivered an impassioned appraisal of ‘world- class’ Trent Alexander- Arnold and is mystified by accusations that Liverpool’s full back can’t defend.
alexander-arnold has been the subject of significant debate all week after Gareth Southgate cut him from England’s 23- man squad for the Nations League clash with Germany and then said Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier has a better all-round game at present.
Klopp was respectful of Southgate and would not be drawn into discussions about the selections he made for his team, the German insisting that whatever he said about the decision would not help England’s chances of being successful.
‘a manager picks a player, or not,’ said Klopp. ‘I would obviously decide differently but I’m not in charge of this team and that’s how it is. If you want to discuss it, I have a lot of things to say but I’m not sure it makes sense.’
In Klopp’s view, there is no reason why alexander-arnold cannot end up going to Qatar and the pair had a frank discussion about it when the 23-yearold returned to Liverpool’s training campus on Tuesday in a mood that his manager described as ‘not in the mood to party’.
What Klopp could not hold back on, though, was the notion that alexander-arnold is deficient in his defensive capabilities.
There is no escaping the fact that he has had a difficult start to the campaign but the idea he lacks defensive qualities left his manager bewildered.
‘Yes, there are other situations where he was not aware (enough) or there was a challenge he should have won — true,’ said Klopp. ‘But every player in the league has these challenges. But with him? Every time it is picked up and analysed, all the experts are saying this is a weakness.
‘honestly, I just don’t get it. I just don’t get that part of it. a world-class talent gets judged by the one thing he is not as world class at as the other things. If he was not a good defender, he would not play. I cannot just tell him, “If we get the ball, you wait there!”
‘ Maybe we will have these games where we will say, “Just give it to Trent, he will do something special!” No. We have different ideas, match plans and ways to play. If that does not fit for England, we cannot change that.
‘a player can only offer what he can offer and I or Gareth or whoever makes a decision about what fits in the way they play. The player has to accept that. It is the world we are living in.’
There was never any doubt in Klopp’s mind about starting alexander- arnold against Brighton this afternoon — Liverpool’s first Premier League game since September 3 — and he wants to see a performance to remind people of his ability.
‘ My point of view, it’s an easy pick. Whichever team I would coach in the moment, I would sign him because he is exceptional,’ added the Liverpool boss.