Liverpool fans will look on with intrigue as Arne Slot assesses how best to use the players at his disposal.
The Reds have been so used to having Jurgen Klopp in charge, that it has become second-nature knowing how Liverpool are going to set up.
With Slot now the man in the dugout though, things are about to change at Anfield.
Players who were previously seen as being untouchable in the Liverpool squad may no longer be viewed in the same way. Roles may be tweaked by the new head coach. Nothing is off the table.
The one player who perhaps possesses the most intrigue in this respect is Trent Alexander-Arnold. Just what is Slot going to do with a problem like Trent?
Graeme Souness discusses Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield
First things first, Slot simply has to sort out Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation. With Real Madrid supposedly circling Trent, that has to be boxed off.
That may not necessarily be within Slot’s remint. But what certainly will be is addressing the best position for the academy graduate to play.
As it has been at Liverpool for a while now, this has become a huge talking point for the rest of the country this summer. Alexander-Arnold has been told that he’s ‘looking lost‘ while playing in midfield for England.
With England generally toothless, it hasn’t been easy to assess Trent’s displays as a midfielder. But if there’s one man who’s qualified to do it, then it’s Graeme Souness.
As one of Liverpool’s biggest legends and a brilliant midfield player in his day, Souness is worth listening to on matters regarding the middle of the pitch.
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And speaking to TalkSPORT on Friday morning (21/06 10.12am), the pundit gave a mixed verdict on Alexander-Arnold’s suitability to the role.
“I have said this before. You would introduce Trent when you are chasing a game because of the qualities he has with the ball in terms of free kicks, getting into the last third,” says the former Liverpool captain.
“He can strike the ball like very few people can, he can deliver a pass, he can put it on a six pence. He has got great qualities.
“One of the qualities he doesn’t have is being able to play in midfield where at times it’s not about making cute and clever passes. It’s about making life difficult for the opposition. I don’t think he has that equipment.”
What next for Trent Alexander-Arnold?
After England put in such a turgid display on Thursday, it seems unlikely that Alexander-Arnold will get another chance as a starting midfielder.
What Gareth Southgate then decides to do with the 25-year-old is anyone’s guess. But we’d suggest that he’s likely to do what he often has when it comes to Alexander-Arnold: leave him on the bench.
From a Liverpool point of view, we don’t think all that much can be read into how the Scouser is doing for his country.
Southgate is an unbelievably cautious manager who has very much had Trent playing with the shackles on. If Slot is to select his No.66 in the middle of the pitch, we’d imagine there’d be a more coherent and exciting plan.
So, we’d rather wait to see what Slot is thinking before making a decision on where Alexander-Arnold’s future should lie. As long as it’s with Liverpool, we’re not really too fussed.