‘Like a number nine’: Leon Osman claims one Liverpool defender thinks he’s a striker sometimes

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Leon Osman has claimed that Trent Alexander-Arnold plays like he’s a striker at times.

Speaking on Premier League Productions, Leon Osman has been discussing Trent Alexander-Arnold and his approach to attacking for Liverpool.

As we all know, Alexander-Arnold can sometimes forget about his defensive duties in order to influence proceedings up the other end of the pitch, and Osman has now given his verdict on the defender’s mentality.

Osman actually went as far as to say that Alexander-Arnold thinks like a number nine at times, stating that the only thing on his mind sometimes is to attack.

Alexander-Arnold thinks he’s a striker

Osman discussed the full-back and how he approaches the game.

“That’s the argument, you expect a full-back to think defensively first, stop the opposition and if you can give the team something going forwards, great. He doesn’t do that. He thinks like a winger, he thinks like an old-school creative either a winger a number 10 or like a number nine, he thinks offensively first, is this something Liverpool to accept and find a different place for him? Or do they just have to get on with it and hope it works out?” Osman said.

Too attacking

Osman’s view on this situation isn’t wrong, Alexander-Arnold is far too attacking sometimes.

Of course, it’s all well and good for the winger to maraud forward in games Liverpool are dominating, but when their backs are against the wall, he needs to be a bit more aware.

The prime example is the game against Brighton earlier this season. Alexander-Arnold treated that game as if he’d have plenty of time and space to attack, but the absolute opposite was true and he was caught out time and time again.

Alexander-Arnold’s talent isn’t an issue, but his tactical awareness is.