When England’s national football team announced their squad, much debate was sparked again over the inclusion of a man who nearly always raises more questions than answers — Trent Alexander-Arnold. Thomas Tuchel’s decision to drop the right-back was unexpected, especially given that he had overcome recent fitness concerns and hit form at Real Madrid.
“It’s a sporting decision,” Tuchel said, making it clear that despite his quality other players are ahead of him at the moment. Yet the absence has resurrected divided views about one of his generation’s most gifted full-backs.
There was one vocal supporter of Trent as one of the best in the world: His former teammate, David Beckham, who emphasized his offensive strengths while dismissing criticism of how he plays defensively. “I’m a huge fan of Trent,” he said, even comparing him to some legends like Roberto Carlos.
For Beckham, attacking contribution can sometimes take precedence over defensive deficiencies — an important consideration in the modern game when full-backs are expected to play a major part going forward.
Roy Keane lent the debate some of his trademark bluntness. “When people criticise him for his defending, he should be looking at others and thinking: ‘You’re not that much better than me at defending!’ ” he said, raising doubts about the criteria used for selection of the squad.
The debate speaks to a wider change in how the role of full back is now perceived, with creativity, passing and chance creation all playing a more prominent part.
That being said, competition inside England is particularly incendiary and the decision to exclude a player with 34 international caps has certainly not gone amiss.
With the World Cup on the horizon, Alexander-Arnold knows that every chance is precious. His training performances will be key to winning over Tuchel and his national team spot back.