The head coach of Madrid’s “Real” club, Álvaro Arbeloa, gave a detailed explanation of one of the team’s key decisions — why, at the right-back position, trust is being placed not in the experienced captain Daniel Carvajal, but in Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Earlier, Carvajal openly expressed his dissatisfaction, noting that due to a lack of playing time, his chances of being included in the Spain national team squad for the upcoming World Cup are under threat. This situation also sparked heated discussions among fans.
Arbeloa approached this issue with a firm and clear stance. According to him, a place in the starting lineup is determined not by name or experience, but by current form and effectiveness on the field.
— Trent is currently playing at a very high level and fully deserves to be in the starting lineup. His potential and performance are beyond doubt. For me, every match is of crucial importance — there is no room here for experiments or the concept of “giving someone minutes.” If I choose a player, it means I trust him and believe he will help the team achieve victory, — said the Spanish specialist.
Statistics also, to a certain extent, confirm that this decision is logical. In the current season, Trent Alexander-Arnold has played 25 matches for the “royal club,” providing 5 assists and making a noticeable contribution to the team’s attacking play. Carvajal, on the other hand, has participated in 20 matches, but his total playing time amounts to 885 minutes — which indicates that his place in the starting lineup is not stable.
One thing is clear — competition at “Real” is at the highest level. For Arbeloa, it is not the name but the form that is decisive. For Carvajal, the current situation is a signal: if he wants to return to the starting lineup, he must take his game to a new level.
In football, there is one rule: if you are in form — you play. Everything else is already history.
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