Expert Reveals What ‘Very Good’ Conor Bradley Must Improve to Replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool | OneFootball

Can Conor Bradley Replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool?

As Liverpool fans brace for the looming departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, the club faces one of its most pressing tactical questions: can Conor Bradley fill the enormous void left at right-back? In a detailed analysis on the Stat Me Up podcast by Anfield Index, Dave Davis and Dr Phil Barter unpacked the statistical and stylistic realities of that potential transition.

Why Trent Leaving is a Huge Blow

Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t just Liverpool’s right-back—he is a creative force unparalleled in English football. As Dr Phil Barter plainly stated, “Trent has an EPV (Expected Possession Value) of 10.54 for the season. Bradley has 1.4.” That disparity is stark. Trent isn’t just top at Liverpool. “He’s the top player in the goddamn league,” Bart emphasised. From a full-back.

To contextualise further, Trent’s progressive passes, key passes, assists, passes into the final third, and through balls are consistently in the 99th percentile. Barter laid it out clearly: “There are so many elements here where he’s in the 90th percentile… and this is the stuff we are going to miss.”

What Bradley Brings to the Table

While the stats are a sobering reality check, the pod doesn’t dismiss Bradley’s potential. “I like the player. I like what he brings,” said Dave Davis, adding, “He plays for the shirt.” Defensively, Bradley is solid—Dr Barter noted, “He’s 81st percentile for aerials… defensively, lots of green.”

But it’s his attacking output where the contrast becomes glaring. Trent has taken 50 shots this season. Bradley? Just nine. “He’s not that creative as a fullback at the moment,” Barter remarked. And when it comes to final-third productivity: “He’s not turning the opportunity to have threat into a goal-created action,” Barter explained. “He’s at 59% off of that, which is probably one of the lowest of all our fullbacks.”

Photo: IMAGO

Still, Bradley’s ball-carrying ability and directness are noteworthy. “Carries it progressively… 97th percentile. That’s very good,” Barter conceded. It’s clear that Bradley has some elite traits, but they’re in different categories than the ones that made Trent unique.

Where Bradley Must Improve

So what must Bradley do to even come close to replacing Trent’s output? “It’s output,” Barter said plainly. “He’s in the sixth percentile across the series.” That refers to metrics like assists, expected threat, and shot-creating actions—all areas where Liverpool’s system under Arne Slot will demand more.

Even when getting into good positions, Bradley often misses the final ball. “He needs to play a ball in behind or play it earlier to Mo… that’s the element to his game that he isn’t quite there at the moment,” said Barter. The issue, as Davis put it, is whether Bradley can “get shots off, get more assists—that’s what really needs to go up.”

There’s also a tactical concern. When pressed, his passing accuracy drops significantly. “Trent is down by five [percentage points], Connor by fourteen,” Bart noted. In high-intensity Premier League matches, this could become a glaring issue.

Photo: IMAGO

Looking Ahead Under Arne Slot

What does this mean for Arne Slot and Liverpool’s recruitment? If Bradley is to be the starter, the balance of the full-back pairing becomes crucial. “If you’re going to play Bradley, then you probably want your starting left-back to be Carreras, not Kerkez,” Bart suggested, hinting at how Liverpool may build their full-back structure post-Trent.

The consensus on the podcast is clear: Bradley has potential but isn’t there yet. As Bart concluded, “Comparing him to Trent… it’s a bit like comparing Konsa to Van Dijk.”

Liverpool fans must temper expectations. Conor Bradley may eventually grow into a formidable right-back, but Trent Alexander-Arnold’s creative void won’t be filled overnight—or perhaps at all.