Thread: TAA explained, using Rugby as an Analogy

A lot of people wonder why Trent Alexander Arnold gets so much praise as a player even though he can't defend.

Modern football has often proved that success is archived by understanding and factoring trade-offs.

Tent Alexander Arnold (moreso at Liverpool) is proof of this.

Not many people can seem to understand or explain what his best position is but can see quite clearly, what both his strengths and weaknesses are.

To use the sport of Rugby, I will explain what Trent Alexander is, on the field, at literally any given time.

*Cut to stock dubstep introduction music here* ✊💦

Tent Alexander Arnold is a Fly-half (a number 10) by trade. You could put him in 90% of the worlds best 100 teams and he'll likely be the most proficient kicker of the ball.

His weakness is that he lacks positional awareness, isn't interested in taking up good positions, isn't press-resistant, has no defensive awareness and although his vision is likely A-tier, he seems to have a tendency to always think and look way ahead of himself, almost as if his vision starts ahead of a 20-yard-radius away from himself.

Tent Alexander Arnold was a midfielder growing up and maybe if he was born 30 earlier, he'd be playing as a number 7, on the right side of midfield in a typical 4-4-2.

That's not to say, that position suits him better but he's most effective delivery comes within a heat-map that suggests he plays in that position.

Football is an ever-evolving sport and it could be argued that a player with Trent's range of passing could have played as a sweeper, 40-60 years ago.

As I said previously, most successful managers mitigate weakness via calculated trade-offs, to get the most out of their players abilities.

Think Carlo Ancelotti, playing Jude Bellingham up-front, (Jude imo is in the same mold as Frank Lampard and maybe David Platt before him, as a Centre Midfielder who flourishes and thrives, the closer he gets to the opposition goal) to negate the loss of Karim Benzema.

At some point, whilst Trent Alexander Arnold was coming up though Liverpool's academy, the coaches/ management decided to take a chance in moving Tent from Centre Midfield in to the Right Back position - which in Rugby, would be the equivalent of moving a no.10 (Fly Half) into the no.15 (Fullback) position.

As mentioned before, the Fly Half is usually the best kicker in the team and most importantly a prominent distributor of the ball.

In attack, a Fullback (no 15) will often be the deputy-kicker and a proficient distributor (they are often "failed" fly halfs and/ or even wingers) when needed and can sometimes be used as a kind of ruse/ rogue to deviate away from the expected patterns of play.

Tent Alexander Arnold has spent the majority of his Liverpool career, being used in the same way; a Fly-half/ playmaker being disguised as a fullback.

Oddly enough, 30 years ago, footballers playing at fullback were expected to "sweep up" in the age directly after the Sweeper role died out. Fullbacks in Rugby, line up much like a Sweeper would, in football.

For England, Harry Kane is probably England's best playmaker/ no.10/ fly-half and Trent is their Deputy, Deep-lying Playmaker/ Full-back/ no.15.

Whenever Tent is allowed to play and flourish in this role, his numbers speak for themselves. Once you understand that he doesn't play at full-back to defend, but to enable himself to be at the right range, in relation to the rest of the game, to make deadly, mind-bending passes, and to really stretch teams and to wingers/ enable runners in behind, then you'll understand what kind of generational talent Tent Alexander Arnold really is.

TLDR; he's a failed Fly-Half (no. 10) better utilised by playing at Fullback (no 15).

Apologies for the word salad, apologies if you don't understand Rugby.

Also fuck off if you thought this was a study of anal orgies 😁

Trent is a quality attacking player and when he can be put on the pitch at the right time he can be dangerous.

When he can't he can be a liability.

I do not understand rugby.

Originally Posted by Jimanuel Boogustus

A lot of people wonder why Trent Alexander Arnold gets so much praise as a player even though he can't defend.

Modern football has often proved that success is archived by understanding and factoring trade-offs.

Tent Alexander Arnold (moreso at Liverpool) is proof of this.

Not many people can seem to understand or explain what his best position is but can see quite clearly, what both his strengths and weaknesses are.

To use the sport of Rugby, I will explain what Trent Alexander is, on the field, at literally any given time.

*Cut to stock dubstep introduction music here* ✊💦

Tent Alexander Arnold is a Fly-half (a number 10) by trade. You could put him in 90% of the worlds best 100 teams and he'll likely be the most proficient kicker of the ball.

His weakness is that he lacks positional awareness, isn't interested in taking up good positions, isn't press-resistant, has no defensive awareness and although his vision is likely A-tier, he seems to have a tendency to always think and look way ahead of himself, almost as if his vision starts ahead of a 20-yard-radius away from himself.

Tent Alexander Arnold was a midfielder growing up and maybe if he was born 30 earlier, he'd be playing as a number 7, on the right side of midfield in a typical 4-4-2.

That's not to say, that position suits him better but he's most effective delivery comes within a heat-map that suggests he plays in that position.

Football is an ever-evolving sport and it could be argued that a player with Trent's range of passing could have played as a sweeper, 40-60 years ago.

As I said previously, most successful managers mitigate weakness via calculated trade-offs, to get the most out of their players abilities.

Think Carlo Ancelotti, playing Jude Bellingham up-front, (Jude imo is in the same mold as Frank Lampard and maybe David Platt before him, as a Centre Midfielder who flourishes and thrives, the closer he gets to the opposition goal) to negate the loss of Karim Benzema.

At some point, whilst Trent Alexander Arnold was coming up though Liverpool's academy, the coaches/ management decided to take a chance in moving Tent from Centre Midfield in to the Right Back position - which in Rugby, would be the equivalent of moving a no.10 (Fly Half) into the no.15 (Fullback) position.

As mentioned before, the Fly Half is usually the best kicker in the team and most importantly a prominent distributor of the ball.

In attack, a Fullback (no 15) will often be the deputy-kicker and a proficient distributor (they are often "failed" fly halfs and/ or even wingers) when needed and can sometimes be used as a kind of ruse/ rogue to deviate away from the expected patterns of play.

Tent Alexander Arnold has spent the majority of his Liverpool career, being used in the same way; a Fly-half/ playmaker being disguised as a fullback.

Oddly enough, 30 years ago, footballers playing at fullback were expected to "sweep up" in the age directly after the Sweeper role died out. Fullbacks in Rugby, line up much like a Sweeper would, in football.

For England, Harry Kane is probably England's best playmaker/ no.10/ fly-half and Trent is their Deputy, Deep-lying Playmaker/ Full-back/ no.15.

Whenever Tent is allowed to play and flourish in this role, his numbers speak for themselves. Once you understand that he doesn't play at full-back to defend, but to enable himself to be at the right range, in relation to the rest of the game, to make deadly, mind-bending passes, and to really stretch teams and to wingers/ enable runners in behind, then you'll understand what kind of generational talent Tent Alexander Arnold really is.

TLDR; he's a failed Fly-Half (no. 10) better utilised by playing at Fullback (no 15).

Apologies for the word salad, apologies if you don't understand Rugby.

Also fuck off if you thought this was a study of anal orgies 😁

I get your Analogy and I’m a big follower of Rugby, but there are some very important points which correlate not just to Rugby but any sport.
Yes a Fly Half is the playmaker , best kicker of the ball…….but a GOOD OR TOP DRAWER Fly Half can also do the other things well. Pass, distribute , organise and DEFEND.
Example, Johnny Wilkinson v Danny Cipriani . Cipriani was very much a “Trent” . Playmaker, great attacker, good skill set. BUT he was a luxury. Couldn’t defend or tackle to save his life and that’s why he had relatively few caps and didn’t “fulfill his potential”.
Whereas Johnny or Dan Carter or Sexton or N’tamack could and can do it all. You don’t have to hide them in defence, they chip in where and when it counts.
Maybe they’re not as “Flash or Mercurial” , but I know who I would rather have as my Fly Half.
The upshot of it is, that TAA can play, but he’s a liability in defence. And even playing in midfield or playmaking, you still have defensive duties.
Pirlo used to chip in with tackling and winning the ball back, and TAA isn’t fit enough to lace his boots.

Tbf I said he was a "failed" fly half, hence the whole "playing at fullback" comparison.

Plus I already said he has issues with defensive and/ or positively awareness.

I admit, there was a lot to read and it was mostly just blurb 😁

Thank you for pointing out the finer details of being a Fly-half. I'm very much a casual fan of the sport lol

Originally Posted by Jimanuel Boogustus

Tbf I said he was a "failed" fly half, hence the whole "playing at fullback" comparison.

Plus I already said he has issues with defensive and/ or positively awareness.

I admit, there was a lot to read and it was mostly just blurb 😁

Thank you for pointing out the finer details of being a Fly-half. I'm very much a casual fan of the sport lol

Failed fly half, move him to full back. Failed defender , move him to a “hybrid” role.
My main point is you can move him around, but if he lacks certain aspects, they will always come back to bite you in the ass.
Maybe he’s just not as good as people think. Just a thought.