[ad_1]
Some youngsters who achieve advancement from academy to first team in Premier League clubs are almost immediately bent on greatness, with expectations that they will naturally continue to fulfill their seemingly vast and exciting potential.
The reality is that most of them do not end up reaching those assumed (and often unrealistic) heights, but a relatively small proportion quickly establish themselves at the upper flight level. As of late, the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mason Greenwood, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka are notable cases, all of whom are already becoming prominent figures, albeit to varying degrees, in their respective clubs.
There are others, however, that could be described as slow-burning; Players emerging outside of the senior category settle around 17 or 18, but need another year or two to take the next step to be considered genuine first-team options. Arguably Curtis Jones fits into that particular group.
Jones, who had been the cornerstone of Steven Gerrard’s U-18 squad, began training regularly at Melwood in the second half of the 2017/18 season, making a lone appearance on the bench in Merseyside’s goalless derby against him. Everton at Goodison Park in April 2018. So it was an integral part of the first team’s preseason schedule that summer, but while there were promising flashes of quality, it wasn’t immediately obvious what his future trajectory would look like, or how far he was from playing games. competitive seniors for Liverpool.
Unlike Alexander-Arnold, who looked like a long-term Liverpool player from a very early stage, it was not so easy to determine Jones’ future prospects. Though slightly younger, he was not particularly distinguished from other aspiring academy products at the time, such as Harry Wilson, Sheyi Ojo, Ryan Kent, and Ben Woodburn. Rather than go on loan, Jones stayed at Liverpool and continued his development in the Under-23s, only playing 70 minutes for the senior team in the FA Cup third-round loss to the Wolves in Molineux.
Even last summer, there weren’t exactly high expectations around Jones, while Rhian Brewster was singled out by many as Liverpool’s most likely star for the 2019/20 season. Despite Jones’ continued excellence for the under-23s, and looking increasingly too good for youth soccer, it wasn’t like he was about to make his way to the senior team, given the heavy weight of the numbers ahead. of him in the center of the field. order.
Then three things happened that really accelerated Jones’s progress. First, coming off the bench to score an assist and score the winning penalty in the 5-5 League Cup thriller against Arsenal at Anfield. The latter didn’t actually involve him playing, but the fact that Jürgen Klopp had him included in the Club World Cup squad rather than leaving him behind to play the League Cup tie against Aston Villa was revealing. . Jones did not appear in Qatar, but Klopp clearly wanted him (and several other young people) to feel part of the company.
Then came the real game changer in the form of an FA Cup third round tie against Everton at Anfield, in which Jones catapulted himself into the limelight in the most spectacular way imaginable. If Jones now continues to build a long and successful career at Liverpool, as all signs suggest he is capable of, the Merseyside derby on January 5 will forever be regarded as the moment he was announced to the masses, including more than the penalty. against Arsenal.
(Image: Andrew Powell / Liverpool FC Photo via Getty Images)
Since then, he has made a further eight appearances (four as a starter), scored a couple more goals and was part of Liverpool’s Premier League match-day squad 12 times, and in July signed a long-term contract extension. fully justified. And while Jones is a player whose style is naturally pleasing to the eye, some of his underlying metrics from last season were exceptional as well, underscoring his growing influence.
Recorded the highest expected goals by 90 (0.5) of any Premier League midfielder and second in touches in the opponent’s area (3.78 to 90), as well as forward passes (22.03 to 90). He was also sixth of all Premier League midfielders in progressive runs (3.15 by 90, according to WyScout) and fifth in offensive duels (11.33 by 90), showing his contribution off of possession as well. Meanwhile, he was the highest ranked player in Liverpool’s squad as measured by xGChain by 90 (1.14), which quantifies a player’s role in possession sequences leading to shots on goal.
The data is impressive, but it comes with a big caveat that Jones only racked up 143 minutes of Premier League football last season. Had he played more games, those numbers would certainly have dropped over time (although it’s impossible to say at what level). Still, it gives an indication of the kind of impact he’s had on the field, taking advantage of virtually every opportunity that has come his way thus far.
All of which brings us to the here and now, with Jones set for the biggest season of his career to date. It has reached a point where very few people would have any qualms about him being the starter of Premier League and Champions League matches with Liverpool, rather than making an occasional cameo from the bench and appearing predominantly in national cups. .
Play with that distinctive arrogance, knowing full well that he belongs at this level, playing alongside some of the best on the planet. There’s still a lot of competition for midfield spots, of course, but based on evidence from the preseason (and the end of the 2019/20 season), it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones becomes one of Klopp’s changes in games. . where Liverpool need someone who is not afraid to take risks and force an opening, that is, if he is not yet in the starting lineup.
What’s tempting about Jones beyond his technical excellence and optimistic mindset is the tactical flexibility he can bring. It could, for example, be very effective attacking from the left side in a 4-2-3-1, or even as the number 10 that links midfield with attack. At 4-3-3, in theory he could play as one of the 8, or even substitute for Sadio Mané later on, given the lack of natural coverage in that part of the field. You might even be able to play deeper as part of a double pivot in midfield against certain types of opponents (as you did against Blackpool last weekend), although that would require you to develop your defensive positioning considerably.
It is primarily his ability to receive the ball anywhere on the field under pressure, glide smoothly into space, and carry the ball forward that makes him such a useful asset and what sets him apart from most other midfielders in the world. Liverpool team. His agility and subtlety of touch are reminiscent, in many ways, of pick Adam Lallana, but perhaps with even more mobility, a change of pace in the first few yards and an ability to reach goal positions in and around the area.
While it remains the case that Liverpool could use some fresh faces before the window closes to flesh out the team in various areas, Jones, along with Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino, can play a key role in the start of the next stage. in the ongoing evolution of this side. It’s been a long time coming, but with last season’s experience on the bench, there are many more gears for Jones to hit in 2020/21. It could be a game changer.
[ad_2]
