“He’s been the best in the world for the last few years” - Ex-Liverpool coach hits out at Ballon d’Or organizers for ‘disrespectful’ snub of Reds star
Former Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg has expressed his viewpoint on Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker being excluded from the Yashin Trophy nominations in recent years.
The Brazilian shot-stopper won the trophy in its inaugral year back in 2019, when he led the Reds to Champions League glory. However, Alisson has failed to find a spot in the shortlist (nominations which include 10 names) in the last two years (2022 and 2023).
Speaking to LFC Transfer Room (via This is Anfield), Al-Ettifaq coach Achterberg said:
“Ali (Alisson), you know, he has been the best in the world really for the last few years in my opinion. I can say that now because now I’m not his coach, but I look at it from the outside."
He continued:
“It’s probably a little bit disrespectful that the last two years he’s not really involved in the Yashin Trophy, and I know it might be done only on the Champions League, but in the first year, he was definitely I think, in the Champions League and he was not even in the top 10.”
The former Liverpool goalkeeping coach concluded:
“I’m not sure who is in charge there, but probably they don’t have a clue about goalkeeping too much because I think it’s really disrespectful that he’s not even in the top five, but you know, that’s for other people to decide.”
Alisson joined Liverpool from AS Roma for a reported fee of £66.8 million back in 2018. SInce then, he has kept 117 clean sheets in 268 games, conceding 238 goals in the process.
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold looking to improve his game under new boss Arne Slot
Trent Alexander-Arnold's position as a right-back has divided opinion in football circles over the years. While he is one of the better attacking full-backs in the modern game (83 assists and 19 goals in 316 games), the England right-back's defensive skills have been questioned.
He was even tried as a number 8 last season by previous head coach Jurgen Klopp. However, it seems Alexander-Arnold has been put back in his favored defensive position by the new coach. Here's what he had to say about his talks with Arne Slot.
"We kind of talked about targets and aims and I said to him that I would like to be the defender that no-one wants to come up against in Europe," said Alexander-Arnold (via Liverpool Echo).
"We agreed that he will be harsh on me. If any time an attacker gets by me and gets past me he will call it out in meetings and individual meetings and say this cannot happen," he added.
Alexander-Arnold continued:
"We go through every game together and he highlights where he wants me to improve. Even in the Milan game (which Liverpool won 3-1 on September 17) we had about 20 clips going through what I could have done better and the good parts as well."
The Liverpool academy product concluded:
"It is really refreshing to have a manager who will help and guide and teach me how to be better as a player. I am someone who wants to learn, someone who wants to be the best and someone who strives to be the best ever."
The Reds have kept four clean sheets in five Premier League games this season, conceding only one goal so far.