On international duty, a forgotten Liverpool star was deployed in a new role, giving Jürgen Klopp a glimpse of a potential wildcard Roberto Firmino option
Curtis Jones has had an interesting Liverpool career thus far. When the Scouse starlet first emerged as a big prospect from the club’s illustrious academy, he portrayed himself as a physical and dynamic midfielder, best suited to playing as a number eight.
He made his Premier League debut for the Reds at the age of 18, and his early performances showed great promise. Around four years have passed since his first appearance in England’s top flight, and it is reasonable to conclude that not much has changed in his game.
Even though he’s been a first-team player for quite some time, Jones is still thought to offer more promise than anything else. In terms of position, he is most comfortable as a number eight, but Jürgen Klopp has also used him as a number 10 and as a wide forward at times, with England conducting the latest tactical experiment this week.
On Tuesday night, England’s U21 team played Croatia in a friendly match, and because Lee Carsley had few options up front, Jones was surprisingly deployed as a false nine, almost in the mold of Roberto Firmino, who has played a similar role for Klopp on Merseyside.
Overall, the Scouse midfielder performed well, allowing players like Jacob Ramsey to run past him from central midfield, while Chelsea’s Noni Madueke and Manchester City’s Cole Palmer attempted to do the same from their starting wide positions.
According to the ECHO, Carsley said about Jones last year: “It’s critical to me that Curtis doesn’t limit himself. Every day, every game, he must be the best player. I believe he has the ability to score and assist more points. He has that quality when he is in front of goal. He must demonstrate it on a regular and consistent basis.”
It was only a one-time change for a friendly match, but it could be interesting for Liverpool given that its original false nine is leaving the club this summer. Firmino has been at Liverpool since 2015, but after eight years of flawless service in a red shirt, he will seek a new challenge at the end of the season.
Cody Gakpo appears to be the heir to his throne, but Jones could be an option if he gains more experience in the role. The Dutchman was signed from PSV Eindhoven in the January transfer window as a wide forward but has since attempted to replicate Firmino’s game by operating as Liverpool’s false nine.
Darwin Nez is another star who could play through the middle as a striker at Anfield, which may explain why Jones is better off staying in midfield rather than venturing higher up the field as he did for England, but therein lies a problem for him.
The 22-year-old has undeniable talent and is a local graduate, which is always a plus, but he still does not have a permanent place at Liverpool. Despite the fact that the Reds’ talent is physical, technical, attack-minded, homegrown, and stands the same height as skipper Jordan Henderson, he is still comfortably regarded as a second string name, despite having been on the scene for some time.
Harvey Elliott, who is three years younger, appears to be far ahead of him in the pecking order as a result of recent developments. Jones signed a new contract extension until 2027 in November, demonstrating Klopp’s faith in him, but Liverpool can only afford to wait so long for him to make the necessary transition from prodigy to proven.
The Englishman still has time to make a real impact and establish himself as a regular starter at his boyhood club — and it’s worth noting that he’s been hampered by injuries — but there’s no time like the present. It remains to be seen whether he will play in midfield, on the wing, or even in the Firmino role, but he must.
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