'axed Alexander-arnold Faces Fight For Club & Country'

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been near facing an uphill conflict connected 2 fronts aft he was dropped by England coach Thomas Tuchel for nan World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

The 26-year-old's dream move from Liverpool to Real Madrid suffered an undistinguished commencement erstwhile he was relegated to nan substitutes' chair for nan triumph against Oviedo aft being taken disconnected 68 minutes into his La Liga debut against Osasuna.

And now, pinch his removal from nan latest England squad, it is clear Alexander-Arnold has a conflict to fig successful adjacent summer's World Cup aft Tuchel's latest objection that he is acold from convinced by nan full-back.

The German made each nan correct noises, but has antecedently hardly disguised his reservations astir Alexander-Arnold defensively, moreover to nan grade of picking his erstwhile Liverpool team-mate Curtis Jones, an established midfielder, up of him for nan World Cup qualifier against Andorra successful June.

Alexander-Arnold only played 26 minutes arsenic a substitute successful that game, past did not fig astatine each successful nan consequent friends conclusion to Senegal astatine nan City Ground successful Nottingham.

And if he did not cognize already that he has activity to do to fresh into Tuchel's plans starring up to nan World Cup, he surely knows now.

When asked astir leaving retired Alexander-Arnold and Jack Grealish, who has made a good commencement connected indebtedness astatine Everton, Tuchel said: "We decided for a tighter, much competitory squad. We didn't usage each 23 players. There is nary uncertainty I americium a large instrumentality of Trent and Jack Grealish.

"Big players and large personalities, ever successful nan mix. I cognize some are hopeless but successful this campy we decided for Reece James and [Tino] Livramento successful Trent's position, and successful Jack's position Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze."

The England leader sounded nan siren bells for Alexander-Arnold earlier those games successful June erstwhile he openly questioned his protect ability, saying he must return that facet of his crippled "very, very seriously".

"I tin spot that sometimes he relies heavy connected his violative contributions and gives not truthful overmuch accent connected nan protect subject and effort," added Tuchel.

"This awesome effect that he had for Liverpool complete truthful galore years… if he wants to person this effect successful nan English nationalist squad past he has to return nan protect portion very, very seriously.

"Because erstwhile we are talking, particularly astir qualifying football, and past tourney football, nan 1 protect error, nan 1 infinitesimal wherever you are not 100% awake, tin beryllium decisive. It tin beryllium nan infinitesimal wherever you battalion your suitcases and spell home."

It was a sadistic study of Alexander-Arnold's game. Now Tuchel has gone a measurement further by dropping him completely, piling much misery connected a chastening play for nan defender, who near Liverpool for nan Bernabeu connected a free transfer.

Tuchel intelligibly feels he has capable astatine his disposal astatine right-back pinch nan inclusion of Chelsea skipper James, and Tottenham's Djed Spence and Newcastle's Livramento, who tin play connected some flanks.

It each adds up to an inauspicious fewer days for Alexander-Arnold, who has made an uncertain commencement astatine Real Madrid and finds nine fable Dani Carvajal fresh again and successful nary temper to manus complete nan right-back berth he has made his ain while helping nan broadside triumph six Champions Leagues and 4 La Liga titles.

Spain world Carvajal has made a quicker than expected return to fittingness aft suffering a superior knee ligament wounded successful October - and nan timing could not beryllium worse for Alexander-Arnold.

The 33-year-old Carvajal, who holds iconic position astatine Real, is nan eventual competitor and would respect nan Englishman's presence arsenic a situation he is much than happy to judge - and 1 he intends to win.

Spanish shot master Guillem Balague told nan BBC Radio 5 Live Euro Leagues podcast that questions are already being raised astir Alexander-Arnold successful Spain.

He said: "The Spanish media person a communicative already connected Trent. He's excessively shy, he doesn't fresh in, Carvajal will surpass him. I dream he (Trent) hears this, and nan Spanish he speaks, that he tin publication nan Spanish media.

"He has a large challenge. We cognize he tin spell up and down, but to accommodate to a Xabi Alonso squad and do it consistently...

"Carvajal has an advantage arsenic he tin do it consecutive distant and understand it, and knows what Xabi wants. Trent has an acquisition that he needs to do. Carvajal, moreover though he is 33, he will beryllium location and it will beryllium difficult to return him retired of nan line-up."

Alexander-Arnold made a soft entranceway astatine Real Madrid, impressing nan locals by speaking successful fluent Spanish astatine his unveiling, but location person been bumps successful nan roadworthy since, pinch Tuchel's determination to driblet him different assemblage rustle for nan Merseysider.

The situation now confronting Alexander-Arnold is simply a daunting one. He whitethorn person expected to conflict for a spot pinch England, but surely not truthful soon astatine Real Madrid.

And if Tuchel had concerns erstwhile he was playing regularly astatine Liverpool, they are hardly apt to vanish if he is connected nan margins pinch Los Blancos.

England's elder squad has been an unfulfilling situation for Alexander-Arnold successful caller years, pinch Tuchel's predecessor Sir Gareth Southgate besides having concerns astir his protect frailties.

This led to nan ill-fated "experiment" - Southgate's explanation - of playing him successful midfield astatine Euro 2024 successful Germany, a strategy predictably abandoned erstwhile he was substituted 9 minutes aft half-time successful England's 2nd game, a 1-1 tie against Denmark.

Alexander-Arnold did person nan little infinitesimal of joyousness erstwhile he scored nan winning punishment successful nan quarter-final shootout occurrence complete Switzerland, but this latest determination now casts superior uncertainty complete his world future, a setback for a subordinate who will person had nan World Cup firmly successful his sights.

What should person been shaping up arsenic perchance nan astir sparkling play of his profession is abruptly over-loaded pinch obstacles astatine some England and Real Madrid.