FeatureFive things we learned from Trent Alexander-Arnold on the 'We are Liverpool' podcast
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the first guest on season two of the 'We are Liverpool' podcast.
The vice-captain visited the studio at the AXA Training Centre for a wide-ranging chat with co-hosts Peter McDowall and former Reds midfielder Jan Molby.
Here's what we learned from Alexander-Arnold's appearance...
- The episode can be viewed for free here and is also available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts
Vision > technique
From one passing master to another, Jan starts off by asking Trent whether he takes most satisfaction in being able to spot a pass or having the technical ability to execute one.
The No.66 replies: "Both really. I think they both go hand in hand. But I've always said the most important thing is the vision because you need to see it to be able to do it.
"If you can't see it, you'll never do it. Whereas if you can see it, you've still got a chance of doing it.
"I think the foundation for any pass at all is the vision that goes into the decision. And then you pick your technique and try to execute."
How the boy became a man
Well before becoming vice-captain became a reality, Alexander-Arnold was already putting plans in place to take the next step in his development.
With the disappointment of 2022-23 serving as motivation, a 'new' Trent returned to pre-season training this summer.
He reveals: "I think in previous seasons, without throwing myself under the bus, I've seen off-season as 'off-season' and I do my runs and I do my programme but in my head I've got three, four weeks of pre-season to really get ready for the season. Before that, just get it ticking over a little bit and then head into pre-season.
"Whereas this pre-season, it was, 'I need to come back and I need to be in the shape that if the season was to start on the first day of pre-season then I'll be ready to start that game and play 90 minutes.' That was my mentality. I put that in in the summer.
"It felt different as well. Coming back in, I felt like a man."
When Klopp told him he was vice-captain
Remarkable camera footage showed the moment in July when Jürgen Klopp broke the news to Alexander-Arnold that he'd be succeeding James Milner as vice-captain.
During the podcast, Trent goes on to reveal the contents of that conversation, which occurred in Singapore partway through a training session.
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He recalls: "It's the day before the Leicester game and I'm thinking it's just going to be about the role that I'm playing again and how it's going to work and how to use it best against their set-up.
"He just goes on to say, 'Congratulations, you're the vice-captain of Liverpool Football Club.'
"Obviously at that point I want to come in and say, like, thank you and that. But he then carries on and says, 'We're going to have a leadership meeting with the rest of the lads.' He says, 'Nobody knows, don't tell too many people, but I'll tell the leadership group tonight. Obviously Virgil is going to be captain. But well done.'
"If you watch the clip back, you see a lot of the time I'm just like, 'Yeah, yeah.' I'm just looking at him like, 'Yeah, yeah' because at that point he's telling me just don't tell too many people, nobody knows, we'll do an announcement tomorrow, all this, that and the other.
"It was a surreal moment, a proud moment."
How he deals with challenging periods
Of course, Alexander-Arnold's career has not all been assists, records and trophy lifts.
He's honest and frank with his response when asked about handling adversity and criticism, offering: "I think I've always known times like that were going to come.
"And maybe from the first three, four years of when I was playing, maybe I've set a level of expectation of myself. I think I've felt that last season there were times that I would play decent but no matter what it wasn't to the level that I had been previously, so it was never spoken about positively.
"But I think the mentality I've got is no matter what I've always got that self-belief and just a normal realisation that I won't wake up tomorrow and not have the talent I've got today. That's impossible.
"I've always got that talent, I've always been the footballer that can play football. In the good moments, in the bad moments, that is the foundation that I know I've got. I've got footballing talent, no matter what. It's just how can you keep consistently showing it and making it work."
The one moment he wants to relive
The 25-year-old already has enough career honours and highlights to last a lifetime.
But which moment does he wish he could experience all over again? Being part of the squad that finally lifted the Premier League title? The trophy parades? His debut? His first goal? 'Corner taken quickly'?
- For more information on how to watch or listen to the We are Liverpool podcast, visit liverpoolfc.com/info/podcasts.
"Part of me thinks obviously the corner and that night," he says. "But for me, by far really, the best moment I've ever felt on a pitch was Divock's goal in Madrid.
"When it goes in, just that feeling of knowing you've won. We're 1-0 up the whole game and we're fighting, digging in and we're closer and closer and closer and it gets to 85, whatever, onwards.
"And it goes in… at that point you know, unless they come up with an absolute miracle, it was just that feeling of, 'We've won it.'
"Never forget that feeling. By far the best feeling I've ever felt on the pitch."
Not a bad choice at all.
