Didac Aguirre The report that's keeping Xabi Alonso up at night has to do with Trent Alexander-Arnold
The statistic that puts Trent Alexander-Arnold in a bad light and Xabi Alonso seeks to correct
One of Real Madrid's major signings this summer was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who arrived as a free agent. Despite the excitement surrounding his arrival, Xabi Alonso has shown concern about an important issue. According to what we know at Defensa Central, the right-back was dribbled past more than any other player last season in the top 5 leagues.
The English right-back was dribbled past no fewer than 56 times throughout last season. This is a rather worrying number given the plan Xabi has for next season. After the defeat against PSG in the Club World Cup, the coach realized the significant work he needed to do on defense.
This is a task that could become complicated given Alexander-Arnold's statistics. Despite being an excellent attacking player, Xabi wants Trent to improve his defense. This is an issue that, without a doubt, he will work on in upcoming training sessions.
The alarm with Alexander-Arnold
At 26 years old, Trent Alexander-Arnold finally made the decision to leave Liverpool to join Real Madrid. This signing came with a lot of controversy due to the player's refusals to renew his contract with the English club. After being an icon for the "red" fans, Arnold is now heavily criticized by the same supporters.
This, however, didn't affect his importance at Liverpool during last season. The more than 3,000 minutes (3,000) he played show how important Arnold was until the end. Still, the 56 times he was dribbled past highlight his clear defensive shortcomings.
Even though Arnold is one of the best right-backs in the world, Xabi knows there's still a lot to improve. Having to compete for the position against Dani Carvajal, Trent will have to work hard to surpass a player who always stands out in defense.
The work Xabi Alonso has to do
For now, Real Madrid's squad is enjoying a well-deserved vacation. Xabi Alonso, meanwhile, is already preparing for next season as best as he can. Although the World Cup left some good impressions, Xabi is aware that there's a wide margin for improvement.
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