'Maybe': Darren Bent shares what he really thinks about Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold's defending
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Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defending has been a topic that has been much debated since the youngster made his Liverpool debut in 2017 under Jurgen Klopp.
The 25-year-old is one of the best passers in world football and his creative ability needs no introduction, but he has been caught out a fair bit by opposition attackers over the years.
Nevertheless, Alexander-Arnold has enjoyed a fantastic start to the new season for club and country and has quickly established himself as a key player under new Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
Amid his recent run of form, Darren Bent feels his defensive ability is not as bad as people make it out to be, although he did point out a glaring weakness in the Englishman’s game.
Darren Bent defends Trent Alexander-Arnold
Bent feels Alexander-Arnold’s role as an inverted full-back is more of a bane than a blessing as he often gets caught out of position while defending.
“It's maybe not as bad as people make it out to be. Last season in the Premier League, he was dribbled past more than any defender,” Bent said on talkSPORT.
“Sometimes, he's up against the best players in the world on that left-hand side and because he plays as an inverted fullback so much, I think he's tracking back a lot of times so it's a little bit harsh.
While Bent defended Alexander-Arnold’s ability at the back, he pinpointed his ability to defend the back post as a glaring weakness that other teams have exploited over the years.
Bent continued: “The one thing Trent needs to work on is his defending at the back post – the amount of times people sneak in behind him or get in front of him to get a shot on goal. It's about the awareness of what's behind you.”
Where do Liverpool stand on Alexander-Arnold’s contract?
With his contract set to expire next summer, Real Madrid are keeping tabs on Alexander-Arnold as they look to snap him up on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Liverpool will want to retain the 25-year-old, who has risen through the academy to become one of the biggest matchwinners in world football.
However, they have thus far been unable to tie him down to a new deal and run the risk of losing him for nothing as teams would be free to negotiate a transfer with him after the turn of the year.
Emmanuel Petit believes Alexander-Arnold would be making a mistake if he left Liverpool and advised him against a move to Real Madrid as English players have traditionally flattered to deceive in Spain.
However, Jude Bellingham’s tenure in the Spanish capital so far refutes that logic, so it remains to be seen what happens if Alexander-Arnold indeed receives an approach from Real Madrid.
