O Trent Alexander-Arnold Experience is dead. It’s time for another Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment. LiverpoolArsenal’s vice-captain appears to be a misunderstood and underutilized talent at international level. His time in midfield lasted 123 minutes against Serbia and Denmark and was of sufficient importance, a voyage of scientific discovery, that he took on a status of his own. It was an ‘experience’.
That this was considered a failure was evident when Gareth Southgate worked through a series of Declan Rice’s partners against Slovakia – Kobbie Mainoo for skill, Conor Gallagher for corruption, Jude Bellingham for overhead kicks – and no scenario required Alexander-Arnold.
At least not as a midfielder. But there was a pressing need for Alexander-Arnold in his original incarnation, as the revolutionary right-back, the ultimate creator, a player with the ability to make the extraordinary happen. There seemed to be a change in thinking when Gary Neville, Englandis the right-back with the most caps until a few weeks ago, said it was “illegal” for Alexander-Arnold not to be playing. “He’s the best footballer at right-back we’ve ever seen in this country,” said Neville, a more prosaic talent who recognizes an extraordinary talent.
If Slovakia had won, as they deserved, then it could have ushered in an era in which Alexander-Arnold went from third or fourth choice to automatic. Southgate’s reign would certainly have ended, probably of his own volition. The curtain could have fallen on the international careers of the two players who were Alexander-Arnold’s enemies.
Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier have been rivals and a double act; sometimes starter and reserve, sometimes right-back and left-back, sometimes right-central defender and right-back. They have been two of Southgate’s most trusted allies. Born four months apart in 1990, they have 139 caps.
For each of them, Slovakia may have been their last. Trippier admitted that, realistically, he may not make it to the 2026 World Cup. Walker has had second thoughts about retiring internationally, but has recently spoken about continuing, inspired by Pepe and Luka Modric. For the first time, however, he began to look his age against Slovakia.
The master of high-speed duels with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, was tormented by the less acclaimed Lukas Haraslin, the roadrunner suddenly trying to cross quicksand. He seemed unsure of his positioning and what to do when passes went past him. He almost delivered the knockout blow, sending a free kick straight to David Strelec who, with Jordan Pickford outside his box, almost scored from 50 yards. It was one of the worst of his 87 appearances for England; it was an illustration of all the old certainties of Southgate’s England being shattered.
When the coach keeps 10 starters the same for each game – the other coming from his preferred midfielder – and the team dynamic isn’t working, there is a mandate for change. In the group stage, England were at least able to console themselves with their defensive record, conceding a single goal and having the fewest expected goals. Even so, Slovakia had an xG of 2.09.
Walker’s defensive excellence has been his trump card; there was never any pretense that he could cross the ball like Alexander-Arnold. This could save him for the quarterfinals. Switzerland are particularly strong on the left flank: clever rotations on that side allowed them to unblock Italy. Walker could still look like the security blanket for Southgate.
However, the sterility further forward is reflected on the sides. England’s lack of left flank has been a theme in Luke Shaw’s prolonged absence. They used four players at left-back against Slovakia, none of them actually left-back. Trippier at least stepped forward to serve as a center for Phil Foden’s disallowed goal.
But if Walker’s mission is mainly defensive, he hasn’t offered a shred of creativity: his four games have brought no cross that finds a teammate in the box, no pass that finds someone in the box, one key pass, compared to Trippier’s seven . Walker’s expected assists so far are 0.1.
However, he was involved in two goals – a cutback that required two deflections before Harry Kane scored against Denmark and a long throw that Marc Guehi scored for Jude Bellingham against Slovenia – but not with invention.
Releasing Alexander-Arnold could at least add another dimension. Given that England’s salvation ended up happening by putting the ball in the box, putting their best cross on the field would allow that option. And if Southgate’s original plan to convert Alexander-Arnold into a midfielder stemmed in part from the belief that he could not replace Walker at right-back, it was then that England had a working system and game plan.
Now they don’t. And if Alexander-Arnold’s brief spell in midfield contributed to the problem, his return to right-back offers an alternative way of playing. But if, one way or another, Alexander-Arnold spent six years waiting for Walker and Trippier to leave the stage, his time may finally be near.
