Don’t let Alexander-Arnold slip away: Neil Humphreys
Southgate must break England's habit of playing safe
England managers do not take risks. Their caution seems ingrained in their collective DNA; a point reinforced through the cycle of tournament failure.
The Three Lions play safe in their team selections. They get knocked out early. So they play safe in future team selections and they still get knocked out early.
Repeat ad nauseam.
Gareth Southgate can either make history or repeat it with his final decision on Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Should the England manager turn his back on one of the most gifted footballers of his generation, he'll be following a longstanding tradition. His predecessors rarely gambled the house on one number, one footballer, one protege, no matter how accomplished at club level.
Sir Alf Ramsey was arguably the first and most successful advocate of the safety-first template, opting to stick with the industrious Geoff Hurst in the 1966 World Cup final, rather than pick the superior, but rusty Jimmy Greaves.
Hurst's historic hat-trick vindicated Ramsey's decision, but the stereotype took hold. The workhorse was picked more often than the wizard. Successive England managers played the odds, rather than the mavericks.
In 1998, Paul Gascoigne destroyed a hotel room instead of World Cup opposition after discovering that manager Glenn Hoddle was erring on the side of caution and leaving his most talented - but mercurial - player at home.
Throughout the 2000s, Europe's elite amused themselves watching England squads fail to accommodate the unique skills of Paul Scholes, a midfielder revered in high places, but shoved out to the wing by Three Lions managers.
Spain bent their tactical shape to the creative will of Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva, but England rarely removed the 4-4-2 straitjacket to accommodate Scholes, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
History isn't merely repeating itself with Alexander-Arnold. It is a continuation of England's norm, a careful selection policy that begins with Ramsey and may be reinforced by Alexander-Arnold's absence.
Frankly, it's absurd to ponder an England XI without the Liverpool fullback, let alone an international squad that needs strength in depth after a debilitating season like no other.
Anyone with a soft spot for a clever, graceful footballer must want Alexander-Arnold involved.
And still, Southgate procrastinates. He hedges his bets. He picks a tentative 33-man squad, pointing out that he needs to assess injuries after the European finals before whittling the names down to 26.
Or he's saving face by slipping Alexander-Arnold into the bloated squad, after previously dropping the defender, now claiming that he can include four right-backs in Kyle Walker, Reece James, Kieran Trippier and the Liverpool star.
All four are reliable in defence, but only the 22-year-old has chipped in with 32 assists across three league seasons.
Of those four names, which one would an opponent least like to see on the ball, around the halfway line, eyeing a pass? Alexander-Arnold has delivered the obvious answer, 32 times across three seasons.
But his attacking qualities leave gaps. And Liverpool's injury crisis at centre-back exposed those gaps. Southgate worries about the space left behind, a legitimate concern whenever Alexander-Arnold ventures forward.
And therein lies the philosophical dilemma that pops up within the England camp before every tournament. Are the most talented footballers picked for what they produce or what they prevent?
Southgate has hinted at the former at times, picking a back three and pushing his wing-backs further forward. But recently, he's gone with a regimented back four, so often the default position for England managers once a tournament rolls around.
Alexander-Arnold does make mistakes, but he's also capable of conjuring a pass beyond the imagination of many of his England colleagues.
History will remind Southgate that the safety-first approach hasn't worked for England since 1966 and the football was often unremarkable.
The Three Lions could conceivably progress at Euro 2020 without Alexander-Arnold, but they'll almost certainly be less fun to watch.
Liverpool set to sign Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate: Reports
Liverpool are closing in on their first summer signing, RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate, reported various media outlets yesterday.
Sky Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted that the Reds will trigger Konate's 35 million-euro ($56.8m) release clause "in a few hours".
ESPN reported that Konate, who passed his medical a few weeks ago, will join Juergen Klopp's side on a five-year deal.
The French defender, who turned 22 on Tuesday, will complete his move to Anfield after the European Under-21 Championship this summer.
Romano added that there is "no chance" for the Reds' Turkish defender Ozan Kabak, who joined on loan from Schalke 04 in January, to stay at the club.
Kabak, 20, might be heading to Leipzig, who will be losing another centre-back, Dayot Upamecano, to Bayern Munich.
The Reds will be well-stocked in the centre-back department next term, with the expected return of senior centre-backs Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, who missed large parts of the season due to injuries.
Their absence coincided with a dip in form for the Reds, who eventually recovered to finish third and secure a Champions League spot.
Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams forged a decent partnership at the heart of Liverpool's backline towards the end of the season, but might find themselves surplus to requirements.
Citing sources, ESPN said the Reds could listen to offers for Phillips, 24, and allow Williams, 20, to leave on loan.
Also heading for the Anfield exit is midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, who is set to join Barcelona as a free agent, along with Manchester City's Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia.
The 30-year-old, who will captain Holland at the European Championship in the absence of van Dijk, will reportedly join the Catalan side on a three-year contract after his five-year Liverpool stint ends next month.
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