Trent Alexander-Arnold is not good enough to play at right back for England, says former Three Lion Paul Parker
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ByEurosport
Updated 08/09/2021 at 09:39 GMT
Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker does not believe Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold is good enough to play at right-back for England. Parker, who represented England at full-back, adds that the experiment of playing him in midfield failed, and that his performance there against Andorra lacked "any zest."
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If ever there was a time to experiment with selection and formations, it was at home to Andorra.
England boss Gareth Southgate took the decision to test Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield, albeit for 45 minutes before he was moved back into defence. The Liverpool man is a problem for the Three Lions.
At this moment in time he's not good enough to play right-back for England. If you are going to play him anywhere on the right you're going to have to change the system and play three at the back which could be deemed a weakness.
You're hoping he gets in forward areas to try and deliver crosses, but you can't play him in a back four because he's just not a good enough defender.
He doesn't work hard enough at defending. He was very lethargic against Andorra in the way he was playing, and didn't play at all with any zest. Put simply, Alexander-Arnold is not a midfield player at international level. He was struggling to play there, and he's not a midfield player.
Last season, even when Liverpool had injuries in midfield they did not put him in there.
Liverpool fans are content with him and want him playing as many games as possible for his club and are not worried about him representing his country. If the manager is not interested in him at right-back then everyone should put it to bed. There seems to be an agenda to fit him in at any cost and I really don't understand it.
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Jude Bellingham can play both ways and he's receiving a great education at Borussia Dortmund. I don't think there's a better club in the world that gets the best out of their players and sells them on at big profits. They're going to do that again with him.
From the start of next season we're going to have Liverpool and Manchester United looking at him.
You look at him playing in central midfield for England, maybe with Declan Rice. Then you have someone who can create from deeper areas and can create in the attacking third. He's a good athlete. I hope he doesn't get put in a certain position where he can't go out there and flourish. He's an all-round midfield player who needs to be able to go backwards and forwards.
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