Alexander-Arnold was supposed to hit Madrid like a thunderclap—an English maestro in white, carving defenses with his trademark diagonals. Instead, he’s three months into life at Real Madrid and déjà vu has already set in. Is he a right back? A midfielder? A tactical unicorn? Even Thomas Tuchel, England’s coach, has benched him in qualifiers, politely calling it a “settling-in period.” Translation: we still don’t know where to put you, lad.
Alexander-Arnold and the England Jigsaw
In the case of England, the choice is more acute. Tuchel is the apostle of clean sheets, and the defensive lapses of Alexander-Arnold–supposedly haunted behind by Vinicius Jr. in Paris–do not fade away. With Reece James, Tino Livramento, and even Ben White sniffing around, Trent risks becoming the spare part nobody dares throw out but nobody knows how to use either. If England were a kitchen drawer, he’d be that oddly shaped gadget you bought from IKEA and never figured out.
Alexander-Arnold in Madrid: Competition with Carvajal
At the Bernabéu, things aren’t smoother. Dani Carvajal, the club captain, isn’t exactly handing over his locker. Early Spanish reviews painted Alexander-Arnold as “timid” and “conservative,” which is like telling a chef he oversalted the soup and undercooked the steak. Yet he still flashes brilliance: that Mbappe goal chalked off by VAR? A reminder that when Trent is on song, he’s a one-man orchestra.
Author’s Take: The Only Way Forward
Here’s the thing—Alexander-Arnold will never win this eternal debate until he plugs the obvious hole: his defense. The vision, the passing range, the audacity? Those are already Ballon d’Or-caliber. But until he learns to treat tracking runners as seriously as Hollywood passes, both Tuchel and Alonso will hedge their bets. My bet? Once he commits himself to defense with the same appetite with which he attacks, he will cease being a what-if and begin to be indispensable.
Final Wave: Alexander-Arnold does not have to be reinvented, he has to be polished. Until he answers the one question which truly matters–can he defend when it counts–Madrid and England will continue to ask the same questions.
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