While England progressed to the World Cup semi-finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Trent Alexander-Arnold was getting ready for a new season and a new coach at Real Madrid in Jose Mourinho.The 27-year-old was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the tournament after a mixed first season at the Bernabeu. While that decision will have understandably stung, it has allowed the former Liverpool right-back some much-needed time to recharge as Mourinho’s rebuild gets under way.So, how is Alexander-Arnold’s second season in the Spanish capital shaping up?How was Alexander-Arnold’s debut season?It was a challenging debut Madrid campaign for Alexander-Arnold — and that was reflected in his England omission.Two muscle injuries were a factor in Alexander-Arnold being restricted to 30 appearances in all competitions last term. But he put those behind him towards the end of the season and became former Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s first-choice, ahead of then captain Dani Carvajal.Club sources called for patience around the Englishman from the beginning, explaining that his six-year contract reflected Madrid’s confidence in him. Those same sources highlighted the emotional baggage involved in Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool, who he first joined as a six-year-old in 2004.He began to settle at Madrid after Xabi Alonso’s sacking in January. Under Arbeloa, Alexander-Arnold gradually found his place, starting all of their Champions League knockout ties against Benfica, Manchester City and Bayern Munich.Trent Alexander-Arnold established himself at Real Madrid towards the end of last season (Denis Doyle/Getty Images)But he still faced some criticism — such as for a defensive lapse that led to Celta Vigo’s equaliser in a 2-1 away win at the beginning of March.He was also dropped for the derby against Atletico Madrid later that month after arriving 20 minutes late for a training session. The apology he issued to staff and players and his acceptance of the punishment were praised behind the scenes.One coaching-staff figure described Alexander-Arnold as “absolutely brilliant” with “world-class ball control, passing and shooting and good acceleration” but noted that he could also switch off at times.