Jurgen Klopp has made no secret of his frustration at the continued calls that Trent Alexander-Arnold fails to defend over the years, and remains the same following his omission in England.
From Liverpool’s perspective, Alexander-Arnold getting a break from match action after sitting on the bench and in the stands for England in recent internationals was a welcome boost.
For the player himself, it will have been a disappointment that Gareth Southgate looked the other way in defense in what was the final break before World Cup selection.
A whole web of emotions, as the Reds will be the first to say that Alexander-Arnold should be a sure starter, his career at Liverpool leaves few alternatives.
But Southgate hasn’t seen it that way, and Klopp responded respectfully when asked about Alexander-Arnold’s time with England, but said that from “my point of view, it’s an easy choice.”
The stick with which the No. 66 is easily hit is his defence, and the Liverpool manager was not eager to entertain the idea once more, leaving him exasperated and saying “I just don’t get it”.
“We as a unit did not defend well [this season]defending is an art because everything has to work together,” Klopp told reporters.
“Trent didn’t do well in these moments either, but in other moments he defended exceptionally well, but for him and his situation, nobody mentions it.
“I’m not stupid, I would talk and work all day with him to be the best, but now we come to a point.
“If you judge a player you think about his overall package, and the skill set he has to be influential in possession is insane for a right back!
“I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a right-back like that, where you think about passing here and there, switching sides, crossing, free kicks, corners, smart and quick decisions.
“He is an outstanding footballer in a situation where three other right-backs in this country are doing very well, we must not forget that.
“We have the way we play, in our high pressure very often, Trent is the tallest of the three at the back.
“This is how we play football, now they say ‘defend better’, you can’t have everything. If you want to press, you have to have players in certain positions.
“It’s a risk we take, it’s not a crazy risk, but the moment we don’t win [the ball]people ask where is Trent?
“That’s a question I don’t understand, everyone who watches football so often and for so long, why then would they say ‘that’s their main job?’ – I told him he has to be there. [in high press].
“Every player in the league has these challenges, but every expert [say] ‘this situation you see is a weakness’.
“Honestly, I just don’t get it. I don’t get that part of us just accepting that a world-class talent is judged on the one thing he’s not as world-class at as he is at other things.
“If I wasn’t a good defender I wouldn’t play.
“He is involved in everything, that is absolutely fine and he is doing well.
“But again, it’s not a criticism of anyone, we all have our different ideas and match plans. If that doesn’t suit England then that’s it, we can’t change it.”
That’s right, Jurgen.
