Agbonlahor: Alexander-Arnold should consider retiring from international football

[TLW]

Gabriel Agbonlahor believes that Trent Alexander-Arnold should seriously consider quitting international football due to the lack of opportunities that he has been given under the current manager.

 

The Liverpool full-back has had his issues with form this season and it seems that Gareth Southgate has put a thick red line through his name as we draw ever closer to the naming of the World Cup squad.

 

In a extraordinary snub, Alexander-Arnold was not even in the matchday squad for the Nations League clash Germany on Monday night.

 

And Southgate was unapologetic in the aftermath, saying that he flush with options in the right-back position and intimated that the 23 year-old is at the back of the line.

 

Agbonlahor who has his own ‘war of words’ with Jurgen Klopp this season, sprung to the defence of the Liverpool man on Talksport  and made some very valid points on Talksport (per the Echo).

 

 

"If I was Trent, I would retire from international duty if I don't get in a World Cup squad. I would retire until a new manager took charge of England to give me the opportunity.

 

Agbonlahor was particularly taken aback by the words of Southgate that Kieran Trippier is a better all-round player.

 

“For Southgate to come out and say Trippier is better all-round than Trent, I think that is an insult. I do like Trippier but Trent is an all-round better player than Trippier. Walker and James, for me, are better than Trent but don't say Trippier. Come on, the joke is over Gareth.

 

“It wouldn't surprise me if he did retire. We've seen players in the past retire from England because they weren't getting the opportunities."

 

There is no doubt that Alexander-Arnold has looked flat this season with the incredible amount of games he has played in the last 12 months so the idea of more rest time would be a pleasing scenario for Jurgen Klopp and Reds fans In general.

 

At the end of the day, the decision lies with Trent himself and you sense he is kind of character who will want to prove a point to the doubters.

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[cloggypop]

Talksport can fuck right off 

[VladimirIlyich]

I wish he would too,but for the benefit of LFC and nothing more. 

[Mudface]

[Guest]

And miss the opportunity when called upon to score 25 own goals and get Southgate fired? Not on your nelly...

[Freddo]

The gimp said walker and James are better than trent. Stopped reading then. What a load of shit. Jurgen would be best served ignoring this fat cunt 

[dave u]

Southgate has made up his mind that Trent doesn't play right back the way he wants his right back to play. That's his right, but I sort of agree with Agbonlahor in that Trent should probably say "listen peanut head, nothing I do is going to change your mind so let's just part ways and I'll come back after the world cup when you get sacked."

 

He won't though, because that's just not how it works. He'll keep showing up when picked, despite being third or fourth in the pecking order.

 

If Trent did what Agbonlahor suggests, the likes of Adrian Durham and all the 'England is the most important thing in the world' crew will absolutely batter him. It's probably not worth the negative publicity, but it would be fucking boss if Trent did tell him to stick it.

[Manny]

14 minutes ago, dave u said:

Southgate has made up his mind that Trent doesn't play right back the way he wants his right back to play. That's his right, but I sort of agree with Agbonlahor in that Trent should probably say "listen peanut head, nothing I do is going to change your mind so let's just part ways and I'll come back after the world cup when you get sacked."

 

He won't though, because that's just not how it works. He'll keep showing up when picked, despite being third or fourth in the pecking order.

 

If Trent did what Agbonlahor suggests, the likes of Adrian Durham and all the 'England is the most important thing in the world' crew will absolutely batter him. It's probably not worth the negative publicity, but it would be fucking boss if Trent did tell him to stick it.

Yeah I’ve said all along that Southgate doesn’t want a right back like Trent, he wants a more orthodox meat and potatoes player like Walker or James to do that role and play a different way. I don’t have a problem with that either even if I think he’s wrong - he’s paid to get the best out of the whole team and I’m not paid anything so I don’t give a shit.

 

What I object to is him dragging Trent to every training camp, friendly, qualifier and tournament to sit on a bench because he’s fudging the issue - he won’t pick him as he doesn’t fit but he won’t drop him as he’ll get criticised for ignoring him completely. So Trent is a key player for us but not for England, but gets no rest as he spends international breaks jogging round a pitch.

[Barrington Womble]

22 minutes ago, dave u said:

Southgate has made up his mind that Trent doesn't play right back the way he wants his right back to play. That's his right, but I sort of agree with Agbonlahor in that Trent should probably say "listen peanut head, nothing I do is going to change your mind so let's just part ways and I'll come back after the world cup when you get sacked."

 

He won't though, because that's just not how it works. He'll keep showing up when picked, despite being third or fourth in the pecking order.

 

If Trent did what Agbonlahor suggests, the likes of Adrian Durham and all the 'England is the most important thing in the world' crew will absolutely batter him. It's probably not worth the negative publicity, but it would be fucking boss if Trent did tell him to stick it.

Trent will want to go the world cup, even if he's out of the picture to start. There's just no way he wouldn't want to go. 

[gkmacca]

Southgate is manager so he can do what he wants as far as selection is concerned. But there's also a duty of care, and that's where he merits outside criticism. If someone wanted to write a text book on how to take a hugely promising young player and first unnerve them, then embarrass them, then humiliate them, all they'd need to do is go through the Trent/Southgate timeline.

 

Any of his other right backs would find the defensive aspect of their game suffering if they were put into Klopp's system. That wouldn't mean they'd forgotten how to defend, it would mean that it's a great system that has, as one of its drawbacks, a tendency to brutally expose defenders on rapid counter attacks. Now how they'd all rate in the same system is anyone's guess - it might well still be the case that Trent would still be found wanting - but I don't think it's unrealistic to suspect that they'd all look much, much closer in their defensive stats. 

 

So all Southgate really needed to say publicly was what he needed, and who he wanted for his system. But instead, at a very early stage in Trent's development, he encouraged a national obsession with Trent's 'defensive deficiencies'. Then he sat back and let it fester.

 

Before that Trent was seen as this really promising kid learning his trade in massive games. After he was perceived as a right back who can't defend. Thanks, Gareth, you must be so proud.

 

And it's not just that. It's also his absolutely blatant refusal to help the guy out at all. Take his last press conferences. Every invitation by interviewers to acknowledge Trent's positives was batted back with him turning the praise on to the other right backs. Absolutely no willingness even to send the player home with even the tiniest bit of respect. It's petty and unprofessional and, for his managerial future, pretty foolish, and, as the piece reproduced below shows, even old cheerleaders like Henry Winter are enraged by it now.

[gkmacca]

The Times:

 

Gareth Southgate’s treatment of Trent Alexander-Arnold borders on the brutal and the bizarre. England’s manager omitted him from his match-day squad to face Germany, casting further doubt over whether one of the most admired and decorated young players in Europe will go to the World Cup.

 

Yet Southgate himself was among the distinguished Uefa technical observers such as Frank de Boer, Claude Makelele and Roberto Martínez who voted the Liverpool right back into the Champions League team of the season last May.

 

“The playmaking full back shone for the quality of his passes — with the most played into the final third — and set pieces,” the Uefa citation read. And now?

 

Alexander-Arnold dutifully reported for this week-long England camp, trained in his usual dedicated fashion, yet was denied the opportunity to kick a ball in anger by Southgate. For a manager rightly lauded for his people skills, this was pitiless and perplexing.

 

Uefa’s fêted “playmaking full back” was left on the bench with England losing in Milan against Italy on Friday, when the team were crying out for a creative catalyst. He was then left out completely against Germany, a move greeted with bemusement by many England supporters, with contempt by Liverpool fans.

 

Of course it’s not personal by Southgate, but it doesn’t half feel it. For a manager who generates such warmth within the squad, this cold-shouldering seems almost cruel, let alone odd. What happens if the icy hand of injury snatches some of his right-back choices away before Qatar? Will Southgate then go begging to Alexander-Arnold? His handling of a popular international seems even stranger. In the interests of balance, there must be an acknowledgement of the defender’s few flaws. Even those of us supportive of his playmaking strengths see his occasional weaknesses.

 

Uefa’s gushing technical observer panel — which included Southgate — adorned their annual report with a photograph of Alexander-Arnold. It was nice, but the picture was of him up against Real Madrid’s Vinícius Junior, who exploited the defender’s lapse in concentration to score the goal that decided the Champions League final in Paris in May.

 

Southgate also has good alternatives such as Reece James, his first choice for Qatar, and Kieran Trippier — both were in the match-day squad for England’s final game before the World Cup, the Nations League dead-rubber matchagainst Germany.

 

It also needs accepting that Alexander-Arnold has not been in the best of form for Liverpool, yet it should be emphasised that he is not alone among Jürgen Klopp’s struggling players, nor is he the only England player called up despite their club travails. Hello, Harry Maguire. The only consistency with Southgate seems his inconsistency. At least an out-of-sorts Maguire knows he reports for duty with Southgate going to start him.

 

Alexander-Arnold loyally turns up at St George’s Park, knowing he may not play, certainly not start. Patriotic? Yes. Committed? Yes. He’s always reported for duty, making many appearances in the youth teams, before his talent earned the teenager promotion to the seniors. He has represented England 17 times and they have lost only two of those games.

 

And now he’s deemed surplus to an underachieving nation’s World Cup mission. A player nominated for the Ballon d’Or scarcely three years ago. There’s a good player in Alexander-Arnold that Southgate fails to bring the best out of. His exclusion is not simply a story about one player not having a chance to face Germany. This was a cold, brutal statement that Southgate somehow does not trust a player who’s won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup. He has been named three times in the PFA team of the year and he is still only 23. He’s good enough for Klopp, but not Southgate.

 

He can take free kicks, corners, even penalties. He’s creative, as 45 assists in 167 Premier League appearances confirm, let alone 11 goals. To add to the debate about his defending, it is worth noting that he has made only two “errors leading to goal”, according to official Premier League statistics.

 

As for England, as Southgate is fixated with playing with a back five, then why not field Alexander-Arnold at wingback? Kyle Walker can cover across. Even if Southgate relented and went with a back-four system that most of his squad play in with their clubs, he could start Alexander-Arnold there. John Stones can cover across.

 

Alexander-Arnold’s ignoring confirms the caution in Southgate. If England are to reach out for the golden prize in Qatar they need to believe in those who can launch attacks with defence-destroying 60-yard passes like he can. It is hardly an exaggeration to claim that not since David Beckham has an English player delivered so many tempting crosses from the right. Nor since Paul Scholes has one struck a ball so arrow-straight. Alexander-Arnold can switch play in a second, allowing England to escape from pressure on the right and overload and overlap on the left.

 

By effectively banishing such a playmaker, Southgate sends a message that England will try to tiptoe their way through the desert in November and December. The meek may inherit the earth, but they’re not going to fight and play and pass their way to World Cup glory. Alexander-Arnold could give England that special dimension.

 

We spoke to Southgate about him on Sunday. It happened to fall to me to ask about Alexander-Arnold. The question was simple, focusing on the fact that Southgate has been talking to players about speed in transition post-Milan, and surely Alexander-Arnold could accelerate attacks with his delivery? I asked whether he had doubts about the defender given what had happened in Paris.

 

Southgate’s response was revealing. He briefly praised Alexander-Arnold and promptly name-checked others. “He’s a fantastic footballer, and he adds, as a lot of the other players do, different qualities to the game . . .” Southgate responded.

 

“But very few play that pass,” came the interjection. That pass that Alexander-Arnold can play, turning defence into attack, a draw into a win.

 

“No, of course, he does have a fantastic range of passing,” Southgate replied and instantly lauded others. “We’re blessed with different profiles of player in that position, if we play with wingbacks, Trippier and Reece James are also exceptional and we’re always having to look at the full package and assess the players on all of their attributes.

 

“They’ve all been to Champions League finals, some of them have been to latter stages of major tournaments with us, Trent’s won the league, Trippier’s won the Spanish league, Walker’s won the English league [and James has won the Champions League]. We have to go with the ones we believe [in], and ultimately I’ll be judged on the outcome.”

 

He will and, partly, through the Anfield prism. “At Liverpool they find a way of playing that brings the best out of his attributes,” Southgate added, “and that’s what we’re all trying to do with every team, you’re trying to build a team that accentuates the positives, and within the group protects yourselves against how the opponents might come for you.”

 

The message was clear. Southgate is focused on protection, not projection. He admitted that Klopp could bring the best out of a special talent. Southgate has yet to, and that’s England’s loss.

[VladimirIlyich]

I'm glad as it just gives Trent more rest time for us. Speaking more as a neutral though,there are very few clubs that use full backs in the way Liverpool do and that is why we have one of the best managers in the game and England have a four four fuckin' two' dinosaur in charge. You dont get the England job with your fancy forrin systems and tactics.

[Harry Squatter]

Southgate will be gone anyway soon. Even the Ingerland mob are getting sick of him. 

[gkmacca]

44 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

I'm glad as it just gives Trent more rest time for us. 

I sort of feel the same way, except Trent strikes me as a pretty sensitive soul and I suspect this kind of crap is having an effect on his game. It's certainly not having a positive effect.

 

Of course, there's an ignoble tradition of Engerlund bosses seeming to have an irrational problem with LFC players. Keegan was held back for ages before slowly being shown some trust. A great player like Terry McDermott (and I'm convinced had someone with that ability played for Chelsea, Arsenal or Spurs he would have been in every damn squad) was repeatedly ignored. Even Gerrard was messed around for quite a while before, almost grudgingly, he became a regular. 

 

But people forget how young Trent was when all this pressure started. He hadn't turned 21 when all these idiotic 'definitive' judgements started about his defensive ability. It's a disgrace, and the saddest thing is even some LFC fans were sucked into all the madness.

[an tha]

Yes.

 

Tell Ingerlund and all the scouse hating/bashing, tory voting, s*n reading, brexit voting, royal loving, flag shagging vermin that follows them to do one.

[Captain Turdseye]

Hopefully he’s on a mission to prove people wrong over the next few weeks. 

[Bjornebye]

Talk Shite Sport 

[Bobby Hundreds]

It's okay for him to say someone else is better than Trent but not the man whose job rides upon his decisions. Southgates the manager its entirely his prerogative to choose who he likes. Trent is playing an unorthodox role Southgate hasn't the imagination to just try Trent how he wants to try Trent.

[gkmacca]

It's a tad ironic that Gareth gets all thin-skinned when Klopp defends TAA. 'He keeps having a go at me, I don't know why' - maybe it's because (a) he keeps being asked to respond to your comments about his own player, (b) he's entitled to defend his own player and his own coaching after you repeatedly question both, and (c) he probably thinks you deserve it, you horse-faced clunt. 

[Barrington Womble]

Southgate is a prick. But I understand why he doesn't pick Trent. It's an English disease to be afraid of genuine talent. Someone like Trent if he was Brazilian would be seen as one of the world's great full backs. The English media and fans would bemoan why we don't make players like that. Yet here we have one and he's 4th choice - because he doesn't fit the model of those that have gone before him and the English image of a.full back. There's no willingness with English managers to embrace anything that is out of the normal and that includes talent. I don't think it would matter who was England manager, Trent would still not be England's full back. Even when England have gone after foreign coaches they've picked conservative ones who'd you'd struggle to know weren't English if they didn't speak. The only manager I can remember who did that was Venables. Robson did it to a fashion, but even when Gascoigne was a cert to be centre mid for England, he still went to Italia 90 as an outsider. 

[LFC 6 Times]

Realistically from our squad only Alisson, Virgil, Nunez and Jota will be key players for their nations at the coming WC.

[coachpotato]

He’s still smarting from the 9-0.

[Trumo]

Agbonlahor is a crayon-chewing galoot no matter what he says.

[Tony Moanero]

45 minutes ago, coachpotato said:

He’s still smarting from the 9-0.

Crystal Palace? He didn’t make his senior debut until a year or two after.

[coachpotato]

Yes, it hurt that bad!
 

My mistake.