Curtis Jones: from undesirable to undeniable

Curtis Jones has been a key player for Liverpool on his return to the side as the Reds make it five wins in a row.

Curtis Jones: from undesirable to undeniable
Curtis Jones celebrating the opener vs Tottenham Hotspur (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
sharin-mahra
By Sharin Mahra

Liverpool’s midfield has been the topic of debate all season long, with fans, pundits, and the media all in agreement that the Reds left themselves shortchanged in the summer.

The club only signed Arthur on a season-long loan to strengthen in that department.

The Brazillian, who joined from Juventus on deadline day, has only featured once for Liverpool, a substitute appearance vs. Napoli in the Champions League group stage, as Jurgen Klopp’s side were trounced in Naples.

However, in recent weeks, Curtis Jones has revived his Liverpool career. The midfielder has started seven league games in a row. In this time, his side has won five and drawn twice, without a doubt Liverpool's best run of the season.

Playing on the left side of a Jurgen Klopp midfield is by no means an easy job.
 

Gini Wijnaldum flourished in this role during his time at Liverpool, and he should be the benchmark for all players who play in this role.
 

Jones's performances have drawn some similarities to those of the Dutchman.

The young scouser has been very good at retaining possession for his side and making sure he provides calm energy in key moments, as well as being a successful passer, having amassed a pass completion rate of 91.04% across his last seven games.

A big criticism of his game has been the fact that he was too slow in progressing the ball, hampering the Reds in their build-up.

However, he has begun progressing the ball more while maintaining a high pass completion rate.
 

He has made 33 progressive passes along with eight key passes as Liverpool have slowly been returning to their free-scoring ways.

Defensively, he has also been a big player for Liverpool.
 

Over the last five years, Liverpool have been adored for their high pressing style, winning the ball high up and creating turnovers in possession.

Jones has understood the assignment from his manager and has won seven tackles in the final third since returning to the starting line-up.

<strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2023/05/02/liverpool-fc/1145629-jurgen-klopp-paul-tierney-does-not-have-an-agenda-against-us.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2023/05/02/liverpool-fc/1145629-jurgen-klopp-paul-tierney-does-not-have-an-agenda-against-us.html'>Jurgen Klopp</a></strong> and <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2023/04/07/liverpool-fc/1143051-jurgen-klopp-confirms-van-dijk-will-return-thiago-may-feature-against-arsenal.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2023/04/07/liverpool-fc/1143051-jurgen-klopp-confirms-van-dijk-will-return-thiago-may-feature-against-arsenal.html'>Curtis Jones</a></strong> shaking hands (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC)
Jurgen Klopp and Curtis Jones shaking hands (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC)

 

Liverpool are in a rebuilding period, and in recent weeks we have seen Klopp try new things to try and break the run of bad form for the Reds, much to the delight of the Anfield faithful.

  • A new role? 

Key to this has been Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role change, and Curtis Jones has been one of the main beneficiaries.

Alexander-Arnold's role change has created an overload in the middle for Liverpool and allowed Jones more freedom to express himself, creating smart forward runs and linking up with Andrew Robertson and Luis Diaz. It has also allowed Jones to play higher up, where he is more comfortable, as Alexander-Arnold offers that extra body in midfield.

Moving forward and looking ahead to next season, Liverpool need to recruit smartly in the transfer market if they are to compete again at the highest level, but Jones's recent performances will be one less headache for his manager as he has seemingly thrown his name into the hat for midfield options next season.

A player who has struggled with long injury layoffs over the last two seasons looked like he could be heading for the exit, but his recent revival has shown a side to his game that fans have been clamouring for.

  • What does the future hold? 

His highlights in a red shirt have been a strike against Everton in the FA Cup at Anfield and a goal against Ajax in the Champions League group stage.
 

His quality has always been displayed in flashes and glimpses, but we've never seen him put in performances on a consistent basis until now.

A young player who has an eye for goal, can pick out a pass, and has a high work rate is one the Kop have fallen behind time and time again, and no doubt they will continue to do so for one of their own in Jones.

With Liverpool looking like they will now have some form of European football next season, Jones will get more minutes and develop further as a Liverpool player as his young career finally seems to be taking the upward turn he has been dreaming of ever since he was a young boy playing football in Liverpool.

His talent and place in the squad are now very much undeniable, even by his biggest critics.