Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled to cement his place in England's starting XI so far in his career and new boss Thomas Tuchel has told him a regular spot in his lineup is not a given
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22:30, 23 May 2025
England manager Thomas Tuchel during a press conference at Wembley Stadium
Thomas Tuchel has told Trent Alexander-Arnold to improve his defensive game
(Image: PA)
Thomas Tuchel has warned Trent Alexander-Arnold must improve his defending - or he could cost England the World Cup.
Tuchel says one lapse in concentration could see England have to “pack their suitcases and go home” in a clear message that Alexander-Arnold must take his defending “very, very seriously.” England boss Tuchel was backing up what Arne Slot said after the Liverpool manager revealed he told Alexander-Arnold in pre-season that he was not strong enough defensively and needed to work harder on the training ground.
Tuchel said: “Yeah, I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions, and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort. This major impact that he had for Liverpool over so many years, if he wants to have this impact in the English national team, then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.
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“Because when we are talking, especially about qualifying football, and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 per cent awake, can be decisive, can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home.
“We will put this all into consideration, but now is the moment to get to know him. I know him. I played against him. I had phone calls with him. But now is the moment to feel him for nine or 10 days, feel him around the squad, see what he can do, what he can bring, and then from there we go.”
Slot was also brutally honest about his heart-to-heart conversations with Alexander-Arnold in pre-season when he told the England defender he must raise his game. Slot added: “I wasn't completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. In my opinion in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly.
“I said to him 'You are a much better defender than everyone tells you, unfortunately you don't show it all the time', and that is why people sometimes tell you it is a part of a game you need to improve.”
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