Trent Alexander-Arnold Leaves Creative Gap Liverpool May Struggle to Fill | OneFootball

Trent’s Departure Will Leave a Void Liverpool Cannot Ignore

Creative Output That Defines a System

As Liverpool prepare for life after Trent Alexander-Arnold, the numbers behind his influence offer little comfort. On Stat Me Up, Dave Davis and Phil Barter (Barts) delivered a clear warning: the club is about to lose its most impactful creator. Not just from the right-back position—but in the entire league.

“Trent has an EPV of 10.54 for the season,” Barter revealed. “Bradley has 1.4…Trent is not only the top player for Liverpool, he’s also the top player in the goddamn league.”

To stress the point further, Barter listed those ranked below: “Trent is above De Bruyne, above your Madisons, above Fernandes… and that’s our right-back.”

Not Just a Full-Back

Alexander-Arnold’s role in Liverpool’s system has always blurred lines. He operates as a hybrid midfielder and playmaker from deep, and the data reflects that. His progressive passing numbers are elite. “Progressive passes—nearly eight and a half per game. 99th percentile,” said Barter.

The impact isn’t just in accumulation. It’s in quality and regularity. “He produces a shot-creating action nearly four times a game—that’s outstanding,” Barter noted. “Key passing—95th percentile. Assists—95th. Final third passes—99th. Passes into the penalty area—99th.”

This creative weight is not matched elsewhere in the squad. “We don’t have anybody else in the team that does this either,” Barter added. “When people talk about ‘we’re okay, we’ve got Conor,’ Connor doesn’t give you this—and not many full-backs do.”

Replacing the Irreplaceable?

Conor Bradley’s emergence has been one of the season’s positives, but the podcast made clear that comparisons with Trent are misguided. “Connor’s a different full-back,” said Barter. “He’s got 37 penalty box touches versus Trent’s 49. Trent’s got 50 shots this season. Connor’s got nine.”

Beyond the volume is the threat. “Bradley’s XT is 0.1. Trent’s is 0.3. That’s the same XT as Mo used to have. That’s how much he influences this team.”

Barter even likened the comparison to one between vastly different tiers of player: “It’s like comparing Quansah to Van Dijk… Van Dijk’s the best centre-half in the world. Quansah is scrabbling around trying to be Liverpool’s fourth choice.”

The Defensive Reality

Trent’s defensive work often comes under scrutiny, but even here, the analysis was less critical than expected. “He’s quite happy to take on a challenge,” said Barter. “Tackles, interceptions—banging the green. He’s not going to win aerials—first percentile—but his challenges won are up.”

Barter emphasised that even as a defender, Trent isn’t a liability: “He’s happy to take challenges defensively. Interceptions are high. Touches all over the thirds. Carries—he’s 97th percentile.”

What Comes Next?

The looming question is how Liverpool replace that output. Trent’s metrics are not just good—they’re unique. “There’s just so many elements here where he’s in the 90th percentile,” said Barter, laying bare the difficulty of finding a like-for-like successor.

And yet, the club appears set on transition. “He’s made his call,” Barter concluded. “And sometimes, you’ve got to wish him well.”

But Davis wasn’t having that. “I don’t know about that last line,” he said, bluntly. “That will not be a popular line for the chat panel either.”

As the curtain edges down on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool chapter, it’s clear his departure won’t just be about losing a player. It’s about losing an entire way of playing.