JURGEN KLOPP has admitted Trent Alexander-Anrold has defensive flaws in his game.
The Liverpool boss has managed to get the best out of the England right-back going forward since the 23-year-old broke into the Liverpool first team.
His attacking exploits have seen him become one of the best-attacking full-backs anywhere in the world and they have also seen him become the creative crux of Liverpool’s game.
However, the defender has failed to shake off criticism over his apparent defensive flaws.
This has left him to the wayside in terms of being picked over compatriots Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier for England, leaving his World Cup spot in the balance.
And Klopp, when asked about his defending, admitted there was some truth behind it, but prefaced it by imploring people to give him time as he is still young.
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He said: “We are fine here because it’s completely different because I see him differently. It’s obvious.
“There are stories out there all the time that talk about him and say he’s not a good defender, but that’s not true.
“He is a good defender, he doesn’t always defend good, that is true as well, but that is what we’re working on, he is a young player, he is 23.
“There is space for improvement, definitely, but we only discuss it on the level we discuss it because his offensive impact is so extreme for us, it could be for each team in the world.
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“My point of view, it’s an easy pick. Whichever team I would coach in the moment, I would sign him because he is exceptional. Is he always exceptional? No.
“The rest now is that it is Gareth’s job to find a team, and England is obviously blessed with a lot of really talented players in a similar position and it’s difficult to line them all up together.”
It comes just months after Klopp declared he would “knock down” anyone who told him Alexander-Arnold could not defend.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
