Following England’s underwhelming 1-0 win over Serbia on Sunday evening, conversations are already taking place to see where changes can be made as England look to seal their passage into the knockout stages of the competition. We caught up with former Manchester United and England full back Paul Parker. One of the talking points heading into the tournament was the utilisation of Trent Alexander-Arnold who had been used as an inverted right back for much of this season. However Southgate has elected to deploy the Liverpool star in midfield which has been met with a mixed reaction from fans and a mixed performance against Serbia.
In this article:
- Southgate needs to end the Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment
- Southgate is trying to force Alexander-Arnold into the England team
- Conor Gallagher should start ahead of Alexander-Arnold
Southgate needs to end the Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment
Trent-Alexander Arnold has spent the majority if not all of his professional career at right back where he has made a name for himself as one of the best passers of his generation. A wand of a right foot somewhat akin to that of David Beckham and Kevin De Bruyne. The decision of Jurgen Klopp to use Trent in an inverted central midfield role from right back seemingly gave Alexander-Arnold a new lease of life this season.
So much so that Gareth Southgate started Alexander-Arnold in midfield for England’s first game of the Euro campaign. Parker believes Harry Kane needs midfielders willing to link up with him rather than Trent’s tendency to pick out longer distance passes. Parker isn’t a fan of the Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment. Especially with players like Adam Wharton emerging.
“Trent is somebody that’s going to link up with Harry Kane. Trent is about knocking long balls and when you look at England that’s not the way to play in international football. It’s not played that way. The great midfielders at any European or world level play, little short and quick passes or are good runners with the ball.
“Jude Bellingham is someone that likes to run with the ball rather than always looking for the Hollywood pass and Trent is all Hollywood passes.
“Trent shouldn’t be in that midfield. He’s not a midfield player. He’s a right back who struggles defensively. Everyone says he’s great with the ball. Fantastic. But you’re not there just to do that. England have a lot of good emerging midfield players like Adam Wharton.”
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Southgate is trying to force Alexander-Arnold into the England team
The season before last was a bad one for both Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold which saw Klopp go to the measure of inverting Trent into midfield to help avert their struggling season. Parker goes on to point out the defensive weaknesses of Trent playing in midfield for England and argues he sees no need for Alexander-Arnold in the international game.
“Why are you putting someone in midfield who’s been outed as a full back at one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s like Southgate is trying to find a space for him in the team because he has a moment where he can knock a pass.
“A 60 or 70 yard pass isn’t essential. Who in the England team benefits? Harry Kane isn’t going to be looking to be running behind anymore. Teams don’t play that high and are not going to play that high so it isn’t going to work.”
Conor Gallagher should start ahead of Alexander-Arnold
Parker goes on to compare Alexander-Arnold to the situation he saw unfold at Manchester United where David Beckham allegedly had wanted to play in central midfield but Sir Alex Ferguson was insistent that Beckham would be better deployed as a wide midfielder. In the 1-0 win over Serbia, Conor Gallagher came on as a substitute for Alexander Arnold impressed Parker enough to have staked a claim to be in the starting line up against Denmark on Thursday.
“It’s like going back to my day with David Beckham who wanted to play in the middle and play those kind of passes. Sir Alex Ferguson said no and that Beckham is better off in the wide areas and he was right. We had Keane, Scholes, Butt and even Phil Neville playing those little passes and gives and goes rather than someone who can go and hit a diag.
“Conor Gallagher came on and did himself justice. I would have Gallagher in there ahead of Alexander-Arnold. I thought Gareth would go with that. Gareth may need to try and find a way to play Foden in midfield.”
