If you hate Curtis Jones, you probably don’t understand what he does.
So many midfielders under Jürgen Klopp are misunderstood. In fact, it wouldn’t be Liverpool’s midfield without at least one player who divides opinion. For a while it was Gini Wijnaldum and then Naby Keita fell into that category, with some even questioning Thiago. Now the focus is on Curtis Jones. The 22-year-old had a difficult 2022/23 season due to injury, but he broke into the starting line-up after Klopp changed the system towards the end of the campaign. Liverpool’s number 17 has been a regular starter during their 17-match unbeaten run, but some are unsure if he has a future in the team. For some, he doesn’t score or give enough help. On paper, four goals in his last 14 starts isn’t great, but it’s not as bad as some might think. If he played all 38 Premier League games, his current average would be 11 goals. That’s not a bad return for a player who isn’t on the team to score or assist.
The idea that he should do more in the final third comes from the fact that he started life as a forward. It should be expected that he will achieve similar numbers to, for example, Martin Odegaard. But that’s just not possible in the role he’s using. Jones, as Wijnaldum was, is a facilitator. He is a counterweight in the team. A key cog in the midfield machine. He is often accused of holding the ball too long, but what if it is by design?
Liverpool will need a solid base in midfield if Trent Alexander-Arnold is to make anything happen when in possession. He needs the ball in good spots, and Jones has a role to play in keeping the ball in those spots. Also, with Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Andrew Robertson and Alexis Mac Allister all getting the chance to play killer attacks, you need to make sure you have someone to supply them with ammunition.
Strikers aren’t the only ratepayers who need a reliable power line. Authors need it too. In the current lineup, it’s Jones. He regularly rates above a 90 percent pass rate, for example. In fact, he has completed at least 93% of his passes in three games since returning to the starting lineup this season from injury.
Compared to the opening two games of the season when Cody Gakpo was at left guard. The versatile Dutchman completed just 78% of his passes over two games, and his assist volume was nowhere near Jones’. He didn’t see the ball much and when he did, he gave it away. This meant that Liverpool found it difficult to control games. They only got Bournemouth after abandoning the 3-2-2-3 and moving Alexander-Arnold back into a more traditional right-back role. Granted, Gakpo isn’t a midfielder by trade, but neither is Jones. It could be argued that neither was Szoboszlaika, but he adapted perfectly. You either have a profile for it or you don’t. Josh Williams was on Redmen TV earlier this week and the Deep Dive show focused on Jones. He produced a graphic showing the most important passes by Liverpool players this season, and only Salah managed more than Robertson.
Why am I reporting this? Because Jones is the main reason the Scotland captain is able to post such numbers. While last season the number 26 was part of the back three in formation, now he has been offered much more freedom to attack thanks to Jones’ positions. In the picture above, you can see Jones playing as a left center back and Robertson (highlighted) as part of the front five. Jones is comfortable in those wide areas when he turns into a winger. Good under pressure and confident in possession, he is a secure base for the Reds.
It happened countless times against West Ham when Jones dropped behind three to open up a passing opportunity. This allows Robertson to get forward and create chances. However, Jones has the flexibility to fill in elsewhere, and that’s what makes him such a valuable asset to this team. Early on, he runs at Kurt Zouma from midfield. This meant that the back four in West Ham’s defense were essentially in one-on-one situations. It also meant that the former Chelsea defender would not be able to operate behind Vladimir Coufal if Diaz beats him. In the following example, Jones maintains the width and this allows Diaz to occupy most of the middle areas. In this case, the Colombian’s position forces Edson Alvarez to leave his midfield position and follow his run when Zouma and Nayef Aguerd try to double Darwin. However, this gives Liverpool more time and space in the central third when working inside the ball, and Mac Allister and Szoboszlai are in pretty good form.
West Ham have all their outfield players in a defensive position in the screenshot. So when the ball is played to Liverpool’s number 10 or 8, they are not immediately under pressure and can take the pass. Not everything happens because of Jones, but it wouldn’t be possible without him. Liverpool can be so flexible because the number 17 is versatile. This gives them different ways to attack. As a result, the Reds have scored nine goals and conceded just two in three starts this season. The background numbers are also good, with Klopp’s team creating a total of 7.84 expected goals, but allowing just 2.49 to the opposition.
Jones also does the dirty work and against West Ham he had the second highest number of saves (4), with only Alvarez (5) able to beat his tally. The 22-year-old just makes it easy for others