Trent Alexander-Arnold detailed the changes he had to make to his game six months before leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid. The homegrown defender spent just one season under Arne Slot before deciding he needed a change of scene. It was a memorable campaign as the Reds swept to the title, while Alexander-Arnold had to get to grips with the tactical demands of the Dutch coach, having only previously played under Jurgen Klopp in the first team.
The full-back explained the changes that led to him having less creative influence on the team, as Slot sought to improve his defensive play. Alexander-Arnold told the club's website about the flexibility required. He said: 'In certain games I'll be inside because of the way they [the opposition] press. Sometimes they press differently. It all varies on how they press.'
Despite having less of a starring role in an attacking sense, he admitted that Slot's tactical tweaks still put him in a position to impact the game. He added: 'The manager will dissect how they press so we can outnumber the way they press. If they press with three, we'll have four players around, so that we can play through them. If they press with a two, then there'll be three players. It's just about who those players are and where it works best.'
Alexander-Arnold said: 'So, wherever the manager tells me to be, I'll be there because he'll tell me that's most likely where you'll get the ball. And if that changes, then he'll tell me during the game, 'You're not getting the ball there, try there and maybe surprise him in there and see if that works.' Throughout the game, there's a lot of things going on but if I understand it then it'll work. So far it has.'
It's unclear whether those changes contributed to Alexander-Arnold's decision to leave the club. Meanwhile, Slot was candid about the player's need to hone the defensive side of his game, telling TNT Sports: 'When we started to work together, I emphasised also a bit on his defensive work. He had to keep producing the numbers in assisting goals, but if we wanted to be a team that concedes less shots, he had to improve a bit in defending.'
Alexander-Arnold has endured a troubled first season in Madrid, which has seen a change of manager after Xabi Alonso was sacked and a struggle to hold down a regular first-team place. The 27-year-old was recently dropped to the bench after arriving late for a training session ahead of the Madrid derby against Atletico, although he came off the bench to set up Vinicius Jr's winning goal in the 3-2 victory. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold looks set to miss out on the World Cup after not making England's 35-man squad for the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
