Gareth Southgate is searching for the right word, the Trent Alexander-Arnold question on his lips. And it does not come easily, which speaks to the overall dynamics of the situation, the history of it, as well. “A lot of time with England, it’s been a difficult … not relationship because I’ve always got on well with him,” the manager says.
Southgate is talking after England’s 4-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win in Malta on Friday night and there is an instinctive reaction – call it self‑defence – when he worries that the conversation might be veering into personal territory. Because this has been a part of it, at least with regard to popular perception. “Gareth doesn’t like Trent. That’s why he doesn’t pick him.”
Relationship probably is the right word – in terms of the one that Alexander-Arnold has had or not with the rhythms of Southgate’s setup. It has been difficult. Everybody can see and marvel at Alexander-Arnold’s talent, especially the Liverpool fans who watch him every week, and it is not as if Southgate is blind to it. But how to accommodate a playmaking right-back, who can struggle defensively against the top wingers?
Jürgen Klopp has done everything at Liverpool to create the platform for Alexander-Arnold, also playing him up and across more this past season – fast, elite-level centre-halves, a hard-running midfield. But the fit, and this is the best way to put it, has not been there with England.
Perhaps Southgate does not have the time on the training pitch to build around Alexander-Arnold at right-back; Klopp’s complicated system requires daily fine-tuning. International managers have to be practical, first and foremost. But, really, it is about the blend. Southgate has a different one and that begins with the other right-backs at his disposal – Kyle Walker, Reece James, Kieran Trippier.
“Trent’s been unfortunate that we have such high-quality and experienced full-backs,” Southgate says. “It’s hard to give somebody the faith. It’s a bit like when we went to the big tournaments … we had five or six wingers. You can’t have them all believe that they’re the favourite son because you can’t justify that with your actions in the end. So whenever you’re putting other players in, inevitably it’s going to hit somebody’s confidence.”
How to accommodate a playmaking right-back is not to play him at right-back, rather in midfield. It appears that Southgate has reached this conclusion and Alexander-Arnold, too, has come to see it as his route into the England team.
It was only Malta. It is a constitutional requirement to say so. But it was easy to become lost in how it all went for Alexander-Arnold in the role of right-sided No 8, overtaken by the idea of him there, Declan Rice holding and Jude Bellingham to the left: the dream 4-3-3 midfield with a bit of everything, plenty of everything. The feeling only intensifies when Alexander-Arnold offers his thoughts.
“There is definitely potential there,” he says. “It is just about putting questions into the manager’s mind – knowing that I can play in there and bring qualities to the game that other players can’t. Hopefully causing headaches [for Southgate] is what I need to be doing.
“It is certainly an avenue [into the team], one that is clearly being explored. It’s something the manager wants to explore and I want to explore. It is one that is exciting. I want to make sure I am playing as many England games as possible. That has always been the aim.”
It was the second time that Southgate had tried him in the role. The first was against Andorra in September 2021 when Alexander-Arnold did not look comfortable; he could not influence the game. Southgate returned him to right-back for the second half. It was different against Malta, Alexander-Arnold wowing with the vision and precision of his passing, making things happen in the final third, scoring a long-range cracker for 2-0, as well. What was he most happy about?
“I would say overall just positioning, being able to pick up second balls, interceptions were there as well,” Alexander-Arnold says. “It is just about finding that fluidity in there. With games it will become more natural. Hopefully I am able to build on this foundation.
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“I enjoyed it. For a new position and new role in a system I’ve not played in before, there were good signs, good moments and stuff I can learn from. I am sure I will. Especially in the first half I found myself in positions where I was able to impact the game and bring the quality I do.
“I know the qualities that I’ve got and the things I need to work on. Whatever position I play in, that will always be there. I am someone who is a perfectionist, who wants to be as close to perfect as possible.”
Southgate talks about how the transition into the role was easier than against Andorra because of how Alexander-Arnold has been “playing in those areas for his club”. He talks in detail about what he did well and what he needs to learn; the new reference points. But above all, he just talks about him as a midfielder. It is as if he truly sees him as such.
“Definitely, I’ve always felt it,” Southgate says. “I had a chat with him four weeks ago about it and he was excited. We talked real detailed specifics. He was curious and he asks intelligent questions. We know he has played a bit deeper for Liverpool but we wanted to get him in those higher areas for the reasons that we saw.
“There are two bits he’s having to learn. One is receiving in those tight areas, which he did really well – it’s very different to receiving with the touchline at your side and most of the play in front of you. And then the out-of-possession is different. He’s used to going forward to press so that bit’s fine. But the angles and the covering for second balls and those things which you still have to do – they’re the bits we just don’t know yet.”
What next? Plainly, Alexander-Arnold needs to test himself in the position against higher-grade opponents and there will be calls for Southgate to stick with it, continuing in the next qualifier against North Macedonia at Old Trafford on Monday night. The hope is that Malta could prove to be the start of something for Alexander-Arnold, the moment when it all clicks at international level.
“You’re giving him real confidence and you’re investing in him something very specific where he will have a different feel about it,” Southgate says. “I’m sure he will probably have enjoyed this England game more than any other. I’ve always said he’s a talent we’re trying to find a way with.
“Let’s see where it takes us. I don’t think we can say after a game against Malta: ‘That’s it, it’s there.’ I said before the game it might not be perfect. I’m sure there are going to be challenges he won’t have faced but he did brilliantly and it’s something really exciting moving forward.”
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