Curtis Jones was the player who offered a glowing early review of Arne Slot‘s style at Liverpool, but he found himself down the midfield pecking order with an undervalued job.
“It’s the happiest I’ve been in terms of a style of play,” Jones declared early in Liverpool’s first pre-season under new head coach Slot.
“I feel this is more me. I can get on the ball more, I can do me more so I’m excited,” he added.
Jones provided the most interesting early insight into what supporters could expect from the Dutchman’s Liverpool, but his opportunity to take a stranglehold on a midfield spot was scuppered by injury.
The Scouser was immediately put on the back foot by the pre-season issue, with his first start only arriving in Liverpool’s seventh game of the season – against West Ham in the League Cup.
From that point on he would be in and out of the team, with his longest run in the starting lineup never surpassing four matches.
CURTIS JONES, 2024/25
Started: 27 (All competitions)
On as a substitute: 19
Goals: 3
Assists: 6
Overall Season Rating: 7
‘The Scouser in our team’
For a club the size of Liverpool, getting any players through the academy setup and into the first team should be considered a major triumph.
Ultimately, footballers capable of competing at the very summit of the game make up a minuscule proportion of the world population, and so it is far from easy to find one on your doorstep.
Of course, this also means that not every player you bring through is going to be a Steven Gerrard or Trent Alexander-Arnold – that is, good enough to earn a move to Real Madrid (whether they choose to or not).
Thankfully, there is plenty of value in uncovering figures like Jones who, at the age of 24, is now 179 appearances and seven major honours deep at Anfield.
Thus far, it is a career trajectory reminiscent of – and this is meant to be a compliment – the likes of Nicky Butt and Phil Neville at Manchester United; never the star of the team but always capable of playing an underrated role in trophies being hoovered up.
As was the case with those players, Jones is probably the man to drop out when everyone is fit and firing in his position, with Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai ahead of him in the midfield pecking order.
But, because seasons are long and gruelling and injuries will always bite, he still managed an impressive 46 appearances in all competitions in 2024/25.
The undervalued job
In that context, a return of three goals and seven assists is hardly eye-catching, particularly for anyone who watched Jones sparkle in forward areas in youth football, often from the left wing.
Yet he has completely altered his game in the years since breaking through, becoming a reliable and steady presence in the Gini Wijnaldum mould instead, and excelling in that regard.
Jones won 63% of his tackles in the Premier League this season and is a consistent duel winner, something which Arne Slot values highly.
He combined that with giving the ball away incredibly rarely, boasting the fourth-best pass completion rate in the division (93.1%) in 2024/25.
Most interestingly, the three players who outstrip him by that measure all play in defence, where more time to play passes is granted.
This approach to the game rarely lends itself to highlight reels, with Jones’ winner against Chelsea and crucial contribution off the bench in the November win over Brighton some rare standout moments.
But he has otherwise spent his time doing the undervalued job of simply helping the Liverpool machine tick along – all the way to Premier League success.
Value lower in the pecking order
The key question now is just how much of that Slot will need as he looks to rebuild Liverpool’s squad in his image in the coming transfer window.
With Florian Wirtz added to the midfield rotation as an out-and-out No. 10, there is no doubting it hurts Jones’ prospects.
However, it is also hard to imagine Slot so quickly discarding a player who has been so crucial to helping achieve the team’s aims this season.
Midfielders who win the ball and never give it away will always form a useful part of any squad that wants to win silverware, and it can never be a bad thing to have a homegrown hero chipping in.
Best moment: Sticking up for the Liverpool fans after Abdoulaye Doucoure goaded them at Goodison Park. True Scouser!
Worst moment: Penalty miss vs. PSG
Role next season: Squad player
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