I read a lot of daft shit about Trent. Today is such a day with me being told Trent lacks the basics of defending.
He was an ever-present in a side that conceded just 22 goals in a season despite not knowing the basics of defending. A side that also conceded the fewest goals last season. A guy that put in a man of the match performance in the Champions League at the Etihad when he was still a teenager playing against peak Leroy Sane who scared every player he faced shitless. A guy that put in man of the match up against Neymar. Sure, these are one-off games but it is important to understand that if you lack the basics of defending, that is a problem EVERY game. A top winger like Sane or Neymar will make you look like a muppet for a full 90 minutes because you lack the tools to prevent them from doing so.
"but but but Trent can't defend"
People are going to tell me the guy who succeeds in 1v1s more than the other top RBs is poor in 1v1s is likely down to him not understanding the basics of defending. Get the fuck outta here with that.
Open your eyes, kids
Tackle success:
Trent 57.9%
Walker 54.3%
Trippier 43.9%
James 38.8%
Dribbled past per 90:
Trent 0.71
Walker 0.74
James 1.14
Trippier 1.16
Ball recoveries per 90:
Trent 9.97
Trippier 8.87
Walker 8.66
James 8.18
Sure, you can handpick a number of games where Trent hasn't been great, but this notion that he's somehow a significantly inferior defender to the other English right-backs just isn't true.
For some reason, Walker/Trippier/James don't receive anywhere near the same scrutiny.
The idea that you wouldn't select a right-back who has been a driving force in a Champions League and Premier League winning side on the basis of some vague, unsubstantiated theory that he's an inadequate defender, is a nonsense. Trent has been absolutely exceptional over these past few months after a difficult first half of the season (following two-and-a-half phenomenal campaigns).
Should be one of the first names on the team sheet, and would be for virtually any national team.
This nonsense that Trent is a 'systems player' is daft for that reason, his job is actually FAR harder for Liverpool because the demands on their full-backs are much higher than most other teams. They are part of the counter-press rather than staying behind the ball.
I Thank You and hereith endith the lessonith.