Former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong has claimed Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold would be ‘perfect’ for the Netherlands national team.
Speaking live on ITV during coverage of the World Cup, the Dutchman hailed praise on the 24-year-old Anfield star, suggesting he would fit really well into Louis van Gaal’s starting XI.
“In the system we play in right now, of course, yes,” he said.
“We play in the 3-5-2 and in that system as a wing-back, we have Denzel Dumfries right now in that position; he would fit in quite well in that position.
“He knows going forward is my priority not going backwards.
“With three centre-backs behind him, they can cover for him.
“I think the system the Dutch have is perfect for him.”
De Jong full of praise for Trent
De Jong is correct in his assessment here. Opening this up to an England perspective, the opinion would remain valid.
The Liverpool full-back is known for his incredible attacking abilities. Not only has he revolutionised the position in terms of going forward, but Alexander-Arnold also plays as a creative playmaker from the back.
His success at hitting cross-field passes shows resemblance to Steven Gerrard, and his knack for assists has earned comparisons to Kevin de Bruyne.
Therefore, playing as a wing-back would suit the 24-year-old down to the ground. He would be relieved of the stress of severe defensive duties, giving him the freedom to focus his energy on attacking.
Prior to Qatar, Gareth Southgate regularly employed a 3-5-2 system which utilised wing-backs. However, Alexander-Arnold often failed to make his XI.
As de Jong says, the Scouser would be absolutely perfect for this.
Therefore, if Southgate does end up using this formation at the World Cup, there should be no question as to who should start at right wing-back – as there couldn’t be a better fit than Alexander-Arnold.
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