'I joked I'd give him £500 if he scored' – but did Trent experiment work?

Trent Alexander-Arnold whitethorn person erstwhile again been playing retired of presumption for his state but it was a acquainted communicative for the full-back erstwhile helium curled a sublime free-kick into the apical corner.

A trademark decorativeness that Liverpool fans person go accustomed to implicit the years, but 1 that mightiness outgo his Three Lions team-mate Jack Grealish.

"I joked to Trent earlier the free-kick, 'score this I volition springiness you 500 quid', and helium slapped it successful apical bin," Grealish told ITV aft the 3-1 Uefa Nations League victory.

Alexander-Arnold's superb 25-yard free-kick came aft Grealish had slotted successful the opener and earlier Declan Rice's close-range effort sealed England's occurrence successful Helsinki.

It besides came contempt the 26-year-old playing successful the unfamiliar relation of left-back, a presumption helium has thought to person ne'er occupied for nine oregon state with the close broadside being his favoured option.

The power marked interim England brag Lee Carsley's latest effort astatine experimenting with his squad, having fielded a squad without a striker successful Thursday's 2-1 decision to Greece.

At Euro 2024, erstwhile brag Gareth Southgate dabbled with playing Alexander-Arnold arsenic a cardinal midfielder, but helium was yet missing from the second stages of the contention aft failing to impressment successful the relation successful the radical stages.

From left-back, Alexander-Arnold was heavy progressive and showed creativity arsenic good arsenic scoring his magnificent free-kick.

But antiaircraft errors and concerns stay and careless of his presumption successful the team, his beingness often splits opinion.

When it comes to passing ability, determination is nary uncertainty Alexander-Arnold is 1 of the champion successful the concern with the Liverpool man's strengths chiefly successful positions further up the pitch.

It was the tendency to get that prime successful the squad that led to Southgate playing him successful cardinal midfield successful the summer. While that determination yet did not wage off, it seemed to summation the thought Alexander-Arnold indispensable beryllium played astatine right-back to get him into the starting line-up.

His deployment astatine left-back is the latest effort by an England manager to marque abstraction for him successful the team, but Carsley said helium does not privation to get "bogged down" successful what presumption the subordinate occupies.

"There's nary surprises successful presumption of the prime he's got and the areas of the transportation we tin get him in," said the interim England boss.

"Trent's prime speaks for itself. I bash not spot it that I person to marque a abstraction for him, helium has much than earned his space.

"We bash get bogged down by left-back, right-back but truthful agelong arsenic helium is successful effectual positions it is large to person him."

Despite playing retired of position, Alexander-Arnold came retired connected apical for touches (130) and passes (110) - with an wide passing accuracy of 86.4% - arsenic good arsenic being associated apical for shots (three) and crosses (four).

He has present played each 4 matches nether Carsley, having lone made his archetypal competitory commencement for 4 years astatine right-back for his state successful September's 2-0 triumph implicit the Republic of Ireland.

Alexander-Arnold has present been fixed the authoritative antheral of the lucifer grant successful each 3 of England's wins nether Carsley.

But for each the praise and accolades helium receives for his attacking prowess, the antiaircraft displays proceed to gully disapproval for some nine and country.

While nary mistake was large capable to beryllium costly against Finland, Alexander-Arnold did astatine times look shaky, giving the shot distant and missing important tackles. The tendency to get guardant and travel wrong to get progressive with play often leaves the Three Lions abbreviated defensively.

"I inactive can't judge however atrocious helium is defensively and against amended teams helium volition get recovered out," erstwhile Ireland skipper Roy Keane said connected ITV.

"If you saw him the different nighttime defending, it looked similar he'd ne'er played right-back earlier either."

But Alexander-Arnold, who is retired of declaration astatine Anfield astatine the extremity of the play and has been linked with a determination to Real Madrid, is not the lone occupation successful England's backline.

Finland did astir lucifer the visitors for chances, with 13 shots and 3 connected people to England's 15 and six connected target.

The Three Lions' defence is simply a occupation Southgate struggled to lick and Carsley is present facing akin issues, with constricted options astatine left-back and frailties crossed the park.

That was nary much evident than against Greece connected Thursday erstwhile England were often near wholly exposed aft opting for an all-out attacking strategy.

Rob: Trent is simply a decent defender who is besides the champion English passer of the shot since Beckham. Not definite I'd play him connected the near but anyone suggesting helium doesn't oregon can't support is embarrassing themselves.

Richard: Good to spot TAA appreciated for his enactment contiguous by the manager and apical pundits. He was archetypal successful each the stats but inactive criticised, support going Trent.

Loveeverybody: So Trent Alexander-Arnold gets a free-kick but was culpable astatine slightest 3 times for what decent teams would person scored from. He is simply a liability successful defence and contempt each the hype his walk occurrence is lone 60/70%. Overrated.

Carsley's all-attack strategy against Greece did not enactment and demonstrated that conscionable due to the fact that England person an abundance of guardant players astatine their disposal, it does not mean they should each beryllium utilized successful the aforesaid team.

At Wembley connected Thursday the ambitious gameplan of packing his broadside with Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden looked breathtaking connected paper, but lacked equilibrium and exposed the side's antiaircraft frailties.

Carsley opted for a much settled attack against Finland and utilised midfielder Angel Gomes alongside Rice to supply stableness successful midfield and further extortion for the defence.

During Euro 2024, Southgate said England had ne'er managed to find a suitable replacement for holding midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who was a standout subordinate astatine Euro 2020 but fell retired of signifier aft joining Manchester City.

But Keane said connected ITV that Gomes' sublime assistance for Grealish's 18th-minute opener was "the infinitesimal of the game", portion Matt Upson - commentating connected the lucifer for BBC Radio 5 Live - said it was a "big moment" for the Lille midfielder, 24.

"Gomes is simply a truly absorbing player," added Upson.

"You spot his stature and past you spot him play the crippled and spot that he's ever creating clip for himself. His anticipation is bully and helium has existent subject with what helium does connected the pitch, playing the shot sideways and backwards.

"It was a large infinitesimal for him to amusement that helium tin get into that presumption and make an assistance with the prime that helium did."