Arne Slot urged to play Trent Alexander-Arnold in brand new position in Gareth Bale comparison
Arne Slot has been urged to use "once in a generation player" Trent Alexander-Arnold further forward in his Liverpool side this season.
The Reds right-back is renowned for his excellent passing skills and range of distribution, often contributing with goals and assists from open play and set pieces, yet remains committed to his defensive role despite outside noise.
In fact, Jurgen Klopp tried and tested the academy graduate in a more central midfield role throughout his tenure, while Gareth Southgate did the same for England, yet both soon came to the conclusion that the 25-year-old is better suited at right-back.
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However, former Premier League striker Robert Earnshaw believes Alexander-Arnold is too good to play in a back four and has labeled him a "once in a generation type of player", urging Slot to use him in a more forward role if he really wants to get the best out of him - similar to Gareth Bale's transition during his Tottenham days.
"We have to get away from playing Trent Alexander-Arnold as a full-back, for me. In my opinion, the best thing about Trent Alexander-Arnold is everything is going forward," Earnshaw began on Sky Sports. "I'd play him anywhere in midfield, anywhere, it doesn't matter. If it's (for) Liverpool, maybe I'd put him on the right-wing.
"I saw Gareth Bale go from a fullback who was struggling, couldn't defend, getting beaten, to this global superstar. He was slowly going up the pitch but he had all the ability in the world - very similar to Trent Alexander-Arnold. But slowly, he went forward, left-wing to attacking midfielder, and then ended up pretty much as a striker.
"But it's because everything about him was going forward, same thing with Trent Alexander-Arnold. He has to play in a higher position. Get rid of thinking about him as a defender, because he is a once in a generation type of player and he needs to be in a higher position doing the best things going forward."
Throughout his professional career, Alexander-Arnold has a remarkable 102 goal contributions in 317 appearances for Liverpool - as a right-back. An incredible 83 of those have been assists, and there's every reason to believe he could reach 100 by the end of this season, having already grabbed two in seven games.
But whether it's been at right-back or in midfield, the Scouser has always displayed his remarkable range of passing, set-piece delivery, and eye for goal since making his breakthrough in 2016. Alexander-Arnold is also more than capable of taking free-kicks, further adding to his threat in front of goal.
While the defender isn't blessed with quite as much pace as what Bale had during his playing days, Earnshaw makes valid points over his ability to play further forward, and why Slot should seriously consider switching things up if he wants to get the absolute best out of his player.
However, it appears unlikely, and would have been done by now if it was that glaringly obvious he should be playing higher up the pitch than in defense, especially in an attacking sense.