Gary Neville Blasts Gareth Southgate’s Shocking Decision to Bench Liverpool Star at Euro 2024!
At Euro 2024, England’s lacklustre performance has been the talk of the town, and former Manchester United star Gary Neville is not holding back on his thoughts about Gareth Southgate’s puzzling treatment of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The team’s dreary start has everyone buzzing, particularly about Southgate’s questionable lineup choices.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is hailed as one of the world’s top right-backs for his superb possession skills. He found himself unexpectedly benched against Slovenia.
In his place, Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher was chosen for the midfield. Gallagher’s disastrous performance saw him substituted at halftime in what turned out to be the tournament’s most boring and dullest match to date.
Speaking on ITV, the former Manchester United defender was left astounded by the way the Reds’ vice-captain was being utilized on international duty. Neville raged:
“I do want to mention Trent Alexander-Arnold.
I know it’s a big boy’s game and you can be left out of a football match, but I do feel that this is the best right-back we’ve ever produced by a million miles in terms of in possession, and he’s now sat on the bench wondering ‘What the hell’s going on?’.
He’ll probably be devastated.”
Alexander-Arnold Benched! Southgate’s Decisions under Fire
Statistics support Neville’s frustration. At 25, Alexander-Arnold was among the few players who provided a spark of creativity in their matches against Serbia and Denmark.
Nevertheless, he was unfairly scapegoated for England’s disappointing performance against Slovenia.
Southgate’s choice to replace Gallagher with Kobbie Mainoo at halftime, rather than Alexander-Arnold, left many baffled.
The Liverpool vice-captain only made a brief appearance towards the end of the match. Kyle Walker, the current first-choice right-back, had a mixed tournament.
The only highlight he has is a run that set up Harry Kane’s goal against Denmark. Despite this, Southgate’s conservative approach and loyalty to veteran players like Walker make it unlikely that he will turn to Alexander-Arnold in future matches.
Benching Alexander-Arnold has done a lot more than just raising eyebrows. It has spotlighted Southgate’s overly cautious tactics.
As England prepare for the next round, many, including Neville, think that Alexander-Arnold’s creativity might be the much-needed impetus for the team.
If England bow out early and Alexander-Arnold stays on the bench, Southgate’s choices will undoubtedly come under the microscope.
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