With Liverpool in transition, Curtis Jones knows there’s an opportunity to claim a spot in Arne Slot’s starting XI. Whereas in previous years it felt as though the England international was simply filling in and keeping the seat warm for someone, the no. 17 is now playing like someone who knows there’s a midfield berth with his name on it.
The fact the Reds are in transition has no doubt aided his cause but it appears to be the perfect storm for him right now.
He impressed earlier on in the season as a controller alongside Dominik Szoboszlai in a double pivot. Jones completed 122 passes against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, the highest number on record for a Liverpool player in Europe according to Opta. The academy graduate was also looking good for the Reds away to Brentford before he was replaced with an injury. During his 70 minutes on the pitch, he completed 97% of his 75 attempted passes and completed the most dibbles (three) of any player on either team.
His next start was at home to Nottingham Forest, but it was in an unfamiliar role of right-back. He started there against PSV too in the Champions League with Liverpool losing both matches. Jones found himself on the bench for the next two matches, away to West Ham and at home to Sunderland, as Slot looked to batten down the hatches with Joe Gomez coming in at right-back and Szoboszlai replacing Mohamed Salah on the right-wing. The Liverpool boss paired Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch in midfield.
The Argentine World Cup winner dropped out for the trip to Elland Road and Jones replaced him in midfield. Now, the Reds surrendered a 2-0 lead initially and then a 3-2 lead late on, but Jones did give the away side an element of control that had previously been missing.
He completed the most passes (66) and had a pass success rate of 89%. He completed all of his dribbles, 75% of his attempted long passes and won 80% of his duels.
The six-cap England international retained his place in the team for the trip to the San Siro. Slot deployed a diamond midfield with Jones on the left, Gravenberch at the base, Szoboszlai on the right and Mac Allister at the tip. Again, Jones completed the most passes (67) and had the highest pass success rate of any player to rack up over 45 minutes, finding a teammate with 96% of his attempts.
He also covered almost 12km, a total that only Mac Allister and Nicolo Barella could better, all while winning five of his eight duels on the night. The No17 didn’t look out of place in a big European game. His inclusion benefitted others and restored balance to a Liverpool team that has been severely lacking.
Slot, again, named Jones in his starting XI for the game against Brighton. Jones, again, bossed it as the Reds recorded a 2-0 win to make it five unbeaten.
Against the Seagulls, Jones made his 200th appearance for his boyhood club. He’s the youngest midfielder since Steven Gerrard to reach that milestone for the Reds. He attempted 78 passes, completing 72 to give him a pass success rate of 92%. He was also successful with four of his five dribbles and won eight of his 12 duels.
After the game, praise went the way of a lot of other players, but Jones was, not for the first time in his Liverpool career, the facilitator.
It happened a couple of seasons ago too when Jurgen Klopp decided to invert Trent Alexander-Arnold from full-back. To accommodate that, he deployed Jones on the left-side of a midfield three to help retain balance. The former no.66 was able to express himself as freely as he did purely because the fellow Liverpudlian ensured the ball wasn’t wasted in the middle third.
This time around, he’s going a bit of everything. He’s retaining possession. He’s progressing the ball. He’s putting in the hard yards and easing the pressure on Gravenberch. Jones is the counterweight in midfield.
It no longer feels as though the No17 is simply doing a job until someone else is back fit. He’s no longer just a short-term fix. With 200 appearances on the board for the Reds, he’s slowly but surely turning into a bit of a leader within the squad.
During a bad patch recently, he was front and centre after the game.
“As of now we’re in the s*** and it needs to change.”
“We still have that badge on our chest. Until that badge goes, we’re gonna fight and try to get this team back to where it needs to be and show why Liverpool are the best team in the world.”
He said the team needed to fight and when given the opportunity to do it for the team, he did. Jones stepped up and delivered. With just 18 months left on his deal, he’s playing for his future at the club. If these recent performances are the new norm, Liverpool will want to get a new deal tied up quickly. He’s standing out alongside some big names on the teamsheet right now.
