Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid and England player
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his first start under Thomas Tuchel for England count, producing a trademark assist as the Three Lions defeated the Czech Republic 2-0.
The Real Madrid defender returned to the international setup and showed exactly why his creative qualities remain such an important part of his game.
England were facing a difficult low block, but Alexander-Arnold provided the moment of quality that opened the game up.
His cross for Anthony Gordon early in the second half gave England the breakthrough and settled the nerves after a first half affected by Pavel Sulc’s debatable red card for the Czech Republic.
Alexander-Arnold produces classic moment for England
The goal came from a situation that required quick thinking rather than patience.
A broken passage of play left Alexander-Arnold in possession on the right after a loose Czech pass.
With the opposition defence temporarily out of shape, the Real Madrid full-back immediately recognised that England had an opportunity.
There was no reason to wait for support or recycle possession. Alexander-Arnold instead got the ball out of his feet and delivered a cross into the area for Gordon to attack.
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England needed someone to exploit the space before the Czech defence could reorganise, and Alexander-Arnold did exactly that.
The assist ultimately helped England find a way through a stubborn defensive setup and put them on course for their first win.
Trent Alexander-Arnold earns Tuchel’s trust
The performance was particularly significant because it was Alexander-Arnold’s first start under Tuchel.
The Real Madrid defender has continued to fight for his place in the England setup, and the opportunity to start gave him the chance to demonstrate what he can offer under the new manager.
His attacking contribution was the clearest evidence. Against a side determined to defend deep, his ability to deliver dangerous balls from advanced positions provided England with another route towards goal.
The performance also came after a difficult period in which Alexander-Arnold had been waiting for a sustained opportunity with the national team.
After the final whistle, he spoke about the significance of returning to the starting XI.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid and England player
Alexander-Arnold played his first game under Thomas Tuchel for England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“It’s always an honour and pleasure to represent your country. It’s been a long time, but I’ve always believed that I can play for England.
“That belief has always been there, it’s just about proving it at club level.
“The manager gave me the chance tonight to go out there and play, and I tried to follow what he asked of me to the best of my ability. Hopefully he is happy with how I played,” he said, as per Independent.
Real Madrid will welcome Alexander-Arnold’s confidence
For Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold’s performance is also encouraging.
The defender has been adapting to life at the Bernabeu while continuing to establish himself amid the competition from Denzel Dumfries.
Producing an assist on his return to the national team should give him additional confidence heading back to club football.
More importantly, his display showed that his greatest weapon remains intact: the ability to spot opportunities before defenders have time to react.
Luis Figo urges Mourinho to give Real Madrid summer signing a bigger role: ‘Has a lot of technical quality’
Luis Figo, Real Madrid Legend
Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images for Duracell
Real Madrid made several important signings in the summer, but some of them have had a mixed start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bernardo Silva arrived from Manchester City on a free transfer, and the Portuguese midfielder has not made a particularly strong start for Los Blancos.
Madrid icon Luis Figo believes Silva can provide Real Madrid with an important quality they have sometimes lacked in midfield this season.
Figo backs Bernardo to improve Madrid’s build-up
As quoted by Defensa Central, Figo believes Bernardo’s technical ability could help Madrid improve their build-up in possession.
“Bernardo Silva has a lot of technical quality,” Figo said.
“If Mourinho decides to give him more minutes, he will surely provide that quality in the construction of the game, which is one of his strengths.”
Mourinho’s side are six points behind Barcelona following their derby defeat to Atletico Madrid, with their midfield balance raising question marks.
Bernardo Silva of Real Madrid
Bernardo Silva has received fewer minutes than initially anticipated. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Bernardo has so far received fewer minutes than might have been expected when he arrived from Manchester City.
His profile is different from the other Los Blancos options. Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga offer enormous physical and defensive qualities, but Bernardo is the natural controller.
A solution Mourinho should explore
What Silva brings to the table is distinctive, and Mourinho needs to start giving him more minutes in the coming weeks.
He came off the bench against Atletico Madrid and, despite Madrid being down to 10 men, helped them enjoy their best spell of the game.
Bernardo may not have started brightly in the Spanish capital, but there is no doubting his quality or what he can add to this team.
Bernardo Silva of Real Madrid
Bernardo Silva is likely to find more prominence in the team after the break. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
With Fede Valverde out injured, there could be a window of opportunity for the Portuguese midfielder to impress immediately after the international break.
So far, Mourinho has preferred using Tchouameni and Valverde as his first-choice midfield pairing in important games.
However, the strengths of both players tend to overlap more than they complement each other, and Silva could help address this.
The next few weeks should provide more clarity on whether Silva’s prominence in the team improves, and it remains to be seen how the situation pans out.