Arne Slot reveals what he's said to Trent Alexander-Arnold to make him better

Arne Slot’s relationship with Trent Alexander-Arnold has been a highlight in an outstanding start to the season for Liverpool.

Amid transfer speculation, criticism of his defending and over-analysis of every answer given to the media, actually watching the link between the head coach and the player gives a really refreshing perspective on the situation.

Alexander-Arnold recently came under fire for his comments that he is working with the new manager to improve defensively, asking the Dutchman to point out in meetings every mistake he makes defensively.

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How Trent can improve

When asked in the pre-League Cup Third Round match press conference about these comments, new manager Arne Slot said: “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. So you can assume them how good of a relationship the two have and to hear him say this after two or three months about his new manager is always nice.

“It’s always good that if there’s such a strong relationship and a lot of them - maybe all of them - had that with Jurgen.” Slot continued. “It’s not always easy to come in and to replace a manager like this and that [Trent] feels like this a positive thing I think.”

When pressed on what work the two are actually doing to improve Trent’s performances, Slot defended the level that Alexander-Arnold was already at: ‘It’s difficult for me to judge how it has been in the years before [Slot became manager]. The only thing I know is that we are talking here about a player that won the Champions League and league title.” 

“[Alexander-Arnold] mentioned himself that winning a league is about defending, so it’s clear to me then that he’s been a good defender all his life” Slot argued, “but because he’s so, so special with the ball the main emphasis goes to him doing special things with the ball…"

On what the two have done together, Slot said, “I think with [Alexander-Arnold] it’s not about if he’s capable of doing things, it’s more his concentration rate. Constantly be 100% focused - it’s [what] it’s more about with him. This is where we talk about a lot where he has to stay active in every situation of the game, even if the ball is further away from him.”

“But it’s not as if we or I [taught] him to defend in the last three months, he’s won the league and Champions League…”

Such a strong defence will be music to the ears of the player and fans alike. The relationship between the two of them is clearly flourishing and such an ardent public defence will only endear the right-back to his new manager even more. We can only hope it will be enough to get a new contract signed.