I agree. Everyone is piling in on him for the goal but nobody seems to care about how the situation arose. It all started with van Dijk coming high and left with Tsimikas and Fabinho. As the ball moves back the Ajax back like and across the pitch they are slowly moving back into position where Trent picks up the right space. Close enough to Matip. Then the ball gets to Blind. Mo goes to him but doesn’t get there in time. Elliott does go with the man or to cut out the pass. Tent is then the one exposed. Followed by good movement which send van Dijk off course and an excellent finish.
To look at it another way, had Robbo made that pass to Diaz who got by a right back, we’d be creaming ourselves over the play.
I agree that Trent had a decent game - he curbed his forward runs, won important tackles and still managed to threaten in attack.
However - the goal was on him - it was his won mistake and it cost us.
Salah & Harvey are pressing the player with the ball and Trent moves to put pressure on him - if he does that he needs to move fast, be decisive, go all in and win the ball - for me he’s too far away and shouldn’t be doing it, instead leaving it to Salah & Harvey.
He doesn’t track the run - he sees it, but moves on to the front foot - if he’d tracked it, there’s a high chance the move comes to nothing.
Having not tracked the run, the minute the ball m’s played through, Natio has to move over to cover - which means Van Dijk is exposed in the centre and Ajax have the space to create a clear chance and score.
Having not tracked the run, seen the ball go out right and Matip have to move out to the right, I would have thought Trent should have busted a gut to get into the centre to help cover the space left by Matip - but the damage is done by then.
Split second decision that he got wrong - and we’re punished - but these are the fine margins at the top.
