Alexander-Arnold on His New Hybrid Role

The Liverpool vice captain’s role is evolving this season, and Trent Alexander-Arnold has been analyzing video of other players as he adjusts.

Included in his analysis are two players Liverpool will soon face: Manchester City’s John Stones and Rodri.

Manchester City will have long been a scouting focus for the young Scouse defender, who was detailed in his compliments of his opponents when speaking to Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo:

“I think as someone who plays the inverted, hybrid role - I don’t know what people call it these days - then it is obviously John Stones. He is someone who, for long time, I have admired. He is exceptional, so I watch him a lot.

“In clips or even when I am just watching City’s games, I will sit and focus on him. And I admire the way Rodri plays. He is pivotal in that team and someone who is massively underrated, but like we have seen recently, when he is out of the team, they are not the same. That just shows how important he is.

“I would say it is those kinds of players I watch, but there are a lot. I will watch players from the past as well - [Sergio] Busquets, [Xavi] Alonso, Pirlo, Stevie G [Steve Gerrard], those players I have always enjoyed watching.”

The range here shows also how varied Alexander-Arnold’s role truly is — though his centrality as a playmaker for Liverpool has long been clear.

Speaking on his new role, the Liverpool vice captain emphasized freedom, space, and the demands of the team:

“It is a completely different role, a completely different system. There are added demands for what I need to do, but a lot of it is the same. For me, it has always been about playing with freedom to get on the ball and try to create and make things happen, and progress us up the pitch.

“But it is now about playing those passes from more of a central area and a more set-in-stone midfield area. It gives me opportunities to create for the team and make things happen and win us games essentially, and that is all I am trying to do out there.”