Alexander-Arnold hits a sweet spot with England to get Klopp thinking

As soon as the England starting line-up was published before last week’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta, it was clear what role Trent Alexander-Arnold would perform. Indeed, alongside his name was the number 10. The official England Twitter account also tweeted a picture of Alexander-Arnold’s shirt to hammer home the point.

While Jurgen Klopp has experimented with Alexander-Arnold in a central position for Liverpool, Gareth Southgate leaned fully into the idea of the 24-year-old as a midfield playmaker. The boldness of the ploy was rewarded with a stunning goal, and a generally impressive performance, by Alexander-Arnold. He caught the eye again days later against North Macedonia.

Klopp should be emboldened by what he saw from his player for England. The Liverpool manager must build around Alexander-Arnold as a central playmaker. The 24-year-old has the quality to be a key part of the Reds’ midfield rebuild, which started with the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton. This summer could mark the start of a new chapter for Alexander-Arnold.

He has always been a creator. Even at right-back, his primary purpose for Liverpool over the last few seasons has been to get on the ball and make things happen, whether that be through a cross into the box or a pass into the centre of the pitch. Defensively, though, Alexander-Arnold has long been something of a liability.

By pushing the 24-year-old into the middle, though, Klopp can put in place a defensive safety net behind him, giving Alexander-Arnold a platform to do his best work without distraction. Transfer rumours linking Benjamin Pavard with Liverpool this summer suggests Klopp is planning to evolve his team at right-back.

“I haven’t played it too much, but it feels comfortable,” Alexander-Arnold said when asked about playing as a central playmaker for England. “It feels natural, I will say that. It’s somewhere I can see myself playing. I want to make sure I am regularly on the team sheet and that was a good foundation to build on. I think the role I’ve been playing with club football, it’s a new avenue. It’s still early doors, it’s only one match, but it’s important that when I get the opportunity, I take it.”

England's number 1⃣0⃣

A man-of-the-match performance from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

He came out on top in a number of stats tonight 👇 #BBCFootball #MLTENG pic.twitter.com/QTaiGg0VnL

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 16, 2023

Liverpool with Alexander-Arnold as a central midfielder would be a different sort of team. The Reds need control of possession to get the best out of the 24-year-old on the ball. Others around the England international would be required to compensate on the defensive side of the ball, but it would be worth it.

Klopp’s Liverpool must evolve. Last season prompted much internal reflection from many at Anfield with the Reds finishing a lowly fifth in the Premier League table, outside the Champions League spots. Klopp’s high-energy, high-intensity ‘Gegenpressing’ approach no longer appears to be as effective.

This isn’t to say Klopp should completely ditch his trademark coaching ideology, but it’s clear the German must adopt new ideas to stay at the cutting edge of the game. This is something Pep Guardiola has done several times over the course of his managerial career, most notably with the integration of Erling Haaland last season.

Evolution started with the signing of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, but last season highlighted how it is still a work-in-progress. Klopp must strike the balance between the high-energy approach that worked so well for Liverpool in the past and a new possession-orientated style of play. Using Alexander-Arnold in the same way Southgate did against Malta and North Macedonia could be the bridge between those two things.