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Though Arne Slot insists Trent Alexander-Arnold has “been a good defender all his life,” he has detailed meetings that have improved Liverpool’s No. 66 further.
Alexander-Arnold has been one of Liverpool’s standout performers so far in their first season under Slot, and the right-back has already built up a strong relationship with his new head coach.
Though there remains a cloud over his future with less than 10 months remaining on his contract, he has made it clear that he enjoys working with Slot.
“It is really refreshing to have a manager who will help and guide and teach me how to be better,” the 25-year-old explained at the weekend.
And speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup clash with West Ham, Slot accepted Alexander-Arnold’s praise, though he stressed that their relationship was not unique within the squad.
“It’s nice to hear it and to read it, because I think we all remember the day Jurgen left, what that meant to him,” the Dutchman said, with Alexander-Arnold having been in tears during Jurgen Klopp‘s farewell.
“You can assume then how good a relationship the two had, and to hear him saying this after two months about his new manager is always nice.
“It’s always good that they had such a strong relationship, and a lot of them, maybe all of them, had that with Jurgen.
“It’s not always easy to come in and to replace a manager like this, and that he feels like this is a positive thing, I think.
“But it’s the same with him as with all the others, they all get a lot of individual attention, to try to make them better, because if they will get better the team will get better as well.”
During his interview in the mixed zone at Anfield, Alexander-Arnold described the perception that he is a defensive liability as “harsh,” with Slot in agreement.
The head coach has been working with his vice-captain on improving that area of his game regardless, with one-on-one meetings focused on his concentration.
“It’s difficult for me to judge how it has been in the years before,” Slot said of Alexander-Arnold’s reputation as a defender.
“The only thing I know is that we are talking here about a player that won the Champions League and won the league title, and he mentioned himself, Trent, that winning a league is about defending.
“So it’s clear to me then that he’s been a good defender all his life.
“But because he’s so, so special with the ball, the main emphasis goes to him doing special things with the ball.
“I think with him it’s not about if he’s capable of doing things, it’s more his concentration rate, constantly being at 100 percent focus, it’s more about [that] with him.
“This is what we talk about a lot, that he has to stay active in every situation of the game, even if the ball is further away from him.
“But it’s not that we or I taught him to defend in the last three months. He’s won the league, he’s won the Champions League!
“So it’s just getting him to understand all that’s necessary to play the best possible game. That’s what we talk about with all the individuals, but also with him.”
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