Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s effectivity went beneath the microscope as England kicked off Euro 2024 with a 1-0 win over Serbia, with the jury seemingly nonetheless out.
Alexander-Arnold made his first essential match start for England since 2018 when he joined Declan Rice in a two-man midfield for Sunday’s Group A opener.
He produced a mixed present in an adjusted operate, performing as an out-and-out midfielder considerably than transferring into the engine room from right-back as he has at Liverpool.
It received right here with its critics, the truth is – and Jude Bellingham rubbished claims his team-mate is a defensive obligation – with Alexander-Arnold given an undue stage of scrutiny.
Proper right here’s how the English press observed his first large night as an England midfielder.
The Guardian‘s Jacob Steinberg handed Alexander-Arnold a 6 out of 10, writing:
“Pressed properly in first half nonetheless lucky Mitrovic didn’t punish a mistake. Lacked administration.”
Mike McGrath of the Telegraph was additional measured, awarding a 7 out of 10 rating:
“The odd mistake is properly definitely worth the risk as he brings so much to the game collectively along with his switches of play and range of passes that others can’t see.”
The underside rating received right here from the Mail‘s Craig Hope, who believes Gareth Southgate’s “midfield experiment didn’t work” due to a 5 out of 10 present from Alexander-Arnold:
“Some good, some harmful. Additional so of the latter, sadly.
“His mistake nearly led to a Serbia goal inside the first half and his passing surrendered possession on a couple of occasions.
“There have been a couple of fairly balls to spring the likes of Saka clear, nonetheless on your complete this midfield experiment didn’t work.”
That contrasted the view of Sky Sports activities‘ Sam Blitz, who rated Alexander-Arnold an 8 out of 10 after a “very encouraging present”:
“A livewire. Had a great deal of photos from midfield and took up good areas – whereas his wise interception created the Walker chance inside the first half.
“He was taken off as England needed additional vitality in midfield, nonetheless the Liverpool participant confirmed he can do the working side of the game as properly.
“He made that mistake for Aleksandr Mitrovic’s first-half chance nevertheless it certainly was a small dot on a extremely encouraging present.”
GOAL‘s Richard Martin was amongst these nonplussed by a “hit and miss” exhibiting, seeing the positives and the negatives as a 6 out of 10:
“Hit and miss, shedding the ball in a dangerous house and being let off the hook by Mitrovic, however moreover organize a sweeping assault with a clever transfer to Saka.”
Harry Latham-Coyle of the Unbiased moreover gave Alexander-Arnold a 6 out of 10:
“Just a few unfastened early moments nonetheless presents intriguing dimension in midfield. An excellent start in a job he’ll hope to refine over subsequent few weeks.”
As did his colleague Mark Douglas, giving him a 6 out of 10 in his rankings for The i:
“Collaborating in him inside the midfield is Southgate doing what was requested and taking the handbrake off.
“I’m however to be happy he doesn’t give the ball away too merely to be the reply all by the match.”
Additional forgiving nonetheless agreed in a 6 out of 10 rating was Dan Kilpatrick, writing for the Night Normal:
“The jury stays out on Southgate’s large experiment.
“The Liverpool man’s range of passing caught the eye and he stung the goalkeeper’s palms with a long-range effort.
“Nevertheless it isn’t clear if he has the positional self-discipline for a midfield operate and Serbia’s biggest chance of the first half – a shot flashed huge by Aleksandar Mitrovic – received right here from his unfastened contact.”
Ben Fleming, writing for the Metro, supplied an an identical stage of analysis and the an identical 6 out of 10 rating:
“Was launched in to supply additional creativity in central midfield and undoubtedly did that at components with pinpoint switches of play.
“Nearly punished by Mitrovic after making a gift the ball cheaply inside the first half and sacrificed inside the second half when England wished additional chunk in the midst of the park.
Jury nonetheless out.”
Lastly, Conor O’Neill of soccer.london joined with one different 6 out of 10, writing that the tweak in operate “nonetheless needs time to repay”:
“Gareth Southgate’s biggest gamble collectively along with his group selection and the experiment of shifting the Liverpool right-back into midfield nonetheless needs time to repay no matter some good passing.”
England are subsequent in movement on Thursday night time, as soon as they face Denmark in a 5pm kickoff – and it stays to be seen whether or not or not Alexander-Arnold will keep his place.
