Maybe it is best just to start again: Trent Alexander-Arnold meet England, England meet Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Sometimes it's better to draw a line under initial clumsy attempts to form a relationship and begin afresh.
It feels a little like that with Alexander-Arnold and the national team. Remember, this is a player who was widely recognised as the best right-back in the world in the season in which Liverpool won the Champions League, 2019.
Liverpool and England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled form and fitness
The cheeky, impulsive corner kick to Divock Origi, to crown the spectacular comeback against Barcelona in the semi-final, was a player at peak of his confidence and totally in command of his unique skills.
How is it, then, that some have him down as fourth-choice England right-back?
It is, of course, partly the fact that England have an embarrassment of riches in the position and two of them, Kyle Walker, 31, playing for the Premier League champions, and Kieran Trippier, 30, voted the best right-back in Spain, have been around longer. And that Reece James, a year younger at 21, is playing for the current European champions.
England manager Gareth Southgate says it's his fault, that as a coach he has failed to get the best out of Alexander-Arnold. But whatever the reason, a player who for some is the world's best full-back has made just 11 starts for England more than three years since making his debut.
'It's difficult to say really, isn't it?' says the man himself, attempting to explain the conundrum. 'Because you're playing a different system, with different players… it's no excuses but it's hard to find your feet, to find form. Everyone and anyone is going to have difficulties with that.
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is now recognised as England's first choice right-back
'To be fair, since I've come into the squad, I haven't really been the best version of myself, I haven't put in the performances I have regularly for my club. I expect more for myself when I play for England.
'That's what I try to do every time I get the opportunity and hopefully now over the next week I am given an opportunity to perform and am able to take it. I had a really good game a few years back in the Nations League third-place play-off against Switzerland [in 2019].
'I thought I played really well then but I just couldn't hit the ground running after that. Other than that they have been mediocre performances by my standard and that's what I need to improve. That's what I have been working on.
'Obviously with less games come less opportunities. There's massive competition for a place. It's probably one of the most over-populated positions, with amazing players so it's always going to be difficult to find yourself in a position where you are playing regularly. At my club I'm a regular who plays most of the games. I think it is just not finding form and finding the level I need and the level I demand on a daily basis. I have just not been able to reach that bar.'
Dropped from the England squad last March, there was so much consternation and speculation that Southgate singled him out for special treatment in May, calling him to tell him that he would definitely be in his final Euro 2020 squad.
Gareth Southgate called Alexander-Arnold to assure him that he would be picked for the Euros
'Because there was a lot of speculation going on — people saying I wasn't going to be in the squad, people saying I was — and a lot of people voicing their opinion, the manager wanted to set things clear with me and let me know I was going. So, I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on in the media at that point. I had the reassurance from the manager, then I had a
