ANY Dream Team gaffer worth their salt loves a shortcut.
There’s no better feeling than propelling yourself up your Mini League thanks to a lovely loophole.
This season, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m) could be that loophole.
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DREAM TEAMTwo players for the price of one[/caption]
Granted, Liverpool’s No66 is hardly an unknown gem who flies under the radar.
Still just 24 years old, Anfield’s homegrown hero has 54 Premier League assists to his name already – team-mate Andy Robertson (£4.5m) is the only defender with more to his name in the competition’s history and the Scotsman is five years his senior.
Although the lines are about to be blurred in that regard.
Alexander-Arnold has played the majority of his minutes in professional football at right-back but he flourished in a midfield role at the back end of last season – the old Joshua Kimmich switcheroo.
Ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, every indication suggests he will continue to get ample opportunities to flex his creative muscles in the middle of the park.
In the realm of Dream Team, however, he has been categorised as a defender once again.
Alexander-Arnold played as a midfielder as a youthPA
This is an important distinction because defenders earn five points for every clean sheet – as long as they play at least 60 minutes of the fixture – and midfielders do not.
If Alexander-Arnold is to play plenty of minutes in midfield while being categorised as a defender then he will benefit from Liverpool clean sheets while simultaneously helping himself to the points on offer to those in more advanced positions.
He’s essentially two players for the price of one – a cheat code.
This season, players will receive one point for every big chance created (as defined by OPTA), a metric the Reds’ new vice-captain ranks highly for year after year.
In fact, in 2022/23, Kevin De Bruyne (£7m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6.5m) were the only players to register more big chances created in the Premier League.
Surely his impressive playmaking stats will only get better if he’s converted to a genuine midfielder?
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Dream Team assets will also earn a point for every two successful tackles this coming season.
While many fans would associate tackles with defenders first and foremost, it’s a statistic historically dominated by combative midfielders.
Add in a point for every shot on target (more likely from midfield than right-back) and the stage is set for Alexander-Arnold to build upon his already majestic Dream Team legacy.
At £6m he’s comes at a cost, no defender will start Gameweek 1 at a higher price, but even so he may offer plenty of value for money.
PLAY DREAM TEAM 2023/24 NOW – MORE CASH WINNERS THAN EVER BEFORE!