Trent Alexander-Arnold Reflects On Midfield Role in 1-0 Win Over Serbia
The Liverpool right back started England’s first Euro 2024 match in midfield as the Three Lions won in the most worrying way possible.
On balance, Trent Alexander-Arnold had a strong showing in his 69 minutes in midfield for England against Serbia on Sunday. It wasn’t a perfect outing, but 91% pass accuracy, three shots on target, and a pair of interceptions spoke to a balanced and effective night.
Having spent his club season moving into midfield in possession from his usual right back position and then taking on a set holding midfield role in England’s Euro 2024 warm-up matches, it’s a new role but not entirely new one for the 25-year-old Liverpool star.
“I found it good,” he said. “It was physically demanding but when you play with the likes of Declan [Rice] and Jude [Bellingham] and with an experienced back four behind you, who communicate excellently, they talk you through the game, so it’s hard to go wrong.
“It may seem new but it’s not. We’ve been working hard on this role for the past year so a lot of preparation has gone into it, a lot of learning and a lot of analysing. They gave me a role to do and hopefully they feel like I executed it and helped to contribute to the win.”
England’s 1-0 victory over Serbia was met with mixed reviews, with the Three Lions up early thanks to a Bellingham goal in the 13th minute and then spending most of the rest of the evening trying to nurse that one-goal across the line against underdog opponents.
It’s an approach that has come to define manager Gareth Southgate’s England tenure in charge of one of Europe’s consensus most talented attacking sides, a front-loaded group that seems to have been instructed to try to see out rather than kill off matches.
Most famously it’s an approach that saw England lose the 2021 Euros on penalties after going up 1-0 against Italy in the second minute. Italy appeared on the ropes but rather than press the issue England went into a defensive shell and eventually lost on penalties.
The Three Lions will be expected to top their group this year with games against Denmark and Slovenia up next, but that opening performance against Serbia will have many looking towards the knockout rounds and a step-up in opposition quality with nervousness.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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