Graeme Souness urges Gareth Southgate to include Trent Alexander-Arnold in England World Cup squad
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‘He has deficiencies in defense…but what he gives in the future far outweighs that’: Graeme Souness urges Gareth Southgate to find a place for Trent Alexander-Arnold at the World Cup after the Liverpool star had stayed out of England vs Germany
- Trent Alexander-Arnold has been left out of England squad to face Germany
- The Liverpool star’s chances of going to the World Cup seem smaller and smaller
- But Graeme Souness has urged Gareth Southgate to bring him to Qatar this year
- Sportsmail columnist is adamant that Trent still brings a lot to the table
- He insists the 23-year-old’s attacking qualities outweigh his defensive weaknesses
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Gareth Southgate should include Trent Alexander-Arnold in his World Cup squad because of the attacking qualities he can bring to England, emphasizes Graeme Souness.
Alexander-Arnold’s chances of appearing on Qatar’s flagship showpiece later this year appear to be shrinking after the Liverpool right-back failed to make Southgate’s squad for their Nations League game against Germany on Monday night.
He also failed to come off the bench in Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Italy, strongly suggesting that the Three Lions boss is not on his mind at the moment.
It has proved to be a difficult season at club level for Trent so far, who has been criticized for his defensive performance in Liverpool’s defeats to Man United and Napoli.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been left out of Gareth Southgate’s matchday roster for England’s game against Germany on Monday night
But Sportsmail columnist Graeme Souness is adamant he should go to the World Cup
But Souness is adamant the 23-year-old can still bring a lot to the table for England, urging Southgate to include him in his World Cup squad because ‘what he gives for the future is much greater than’ its vulnerabilities at the back.
‘With Trent, he has so much quality when he gets into the last third,’ the Sports post columnist continued talkSPORT. “He’s the greatest kicker of a ball, he pings those crosses flat, fast and hits the right spot in the middle of the goal, exactly where he wants it.
He typifies that saying of ‘he could land the ball on a six pence’. He is a great kicker of a ball.
The Liverpool defender’s chances of appearing at the World Cup are shrinking
But Souness insists Alexander-Arnold should be included in Southgate’s roster because of the attacking qualities he can bring to England
“Yes, he has shortcomings when it comes to defending, but what he gives in the future far outweighs that.
“When I say that, I think for tournament football you have to start a game with the belief that you’re going to play the very best of the team you’re playing against, so in that sense you might start with someone who is a better defender – but you must include Trent in your World Cup squad. You have to involve him.
“A simple way of putting it would be that if you’re chasing a game, he’s your man. If you get to the last 15/20 minutes and you’re holding onto something, I don’t think you’re going to introduce Trent to that situation.
“But if you’re looking for a goal, he’s your man. He has the most incredible qualities when you get into that last third.”
Alexander-Arnold was not the only high-profile name missing from England’s squad on Monday, with AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen and Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse also left out.
But the Liverpool star’s omission means he has only played in five of England’s 31 games in the run-up to the World Cup, showing he is a long way from Southgate’s plans.
