Curtis Jones: Does his versatility make him the new James Milner?

It has been more than four years since Jones made his debut. In that time, he’s had more than his fair share of memorable moments – not least of all a winning penalty during a shootout against Arsenal following a nail-biting 5-5 draw that sent the Reds onto the League Cup quarter-finals, or helping the team steal a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth during his Premier League debut, or that 70th minute game-winning goal against Everton that sent the team through to the FA Cup 4th round.

Jones’s Liverpool career has been defined by these moments, which precipitate a reputation of could-be. He’s a homegrown talent. There’s a natural endearment to the Liverpool faithful. But these could-be moments have to translate to something real on the pitch. In the final 10 games of the 2022/23 season, Klopp and Jones seemed to strike gold; together, they found that tangible success when Jones was deployed as a drifting left attacking midfielder. He could take up dangerous positions from which he could both attack the box and link up with players to break down opponents.

That has been replicated this season, despite the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, which further shook-up the sportsbook for 32 red football. However, Jones has also found himself playing as a ‘6’ and as an inverted right-back. His skills make him a ball-dominant creator – the player the team looks to to retain the ball and progress the ball. Klopp sees the left-sided central midfield position, the ‘6’ position, and the inverted right-back position as places Jones can still heavily influence proceedings. So, is Jones ultimately a versatile player – someone who can pick up the James Milner mantle – or a player that is benefiting from a flexible possession-based system?

The Box Midfield

Liverpool’s turn to the box midfield was a response to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dip in form. He’d been blunted by the opposition when taking up his preferred positions on the pitch – on the wide right and in the right half-space. However, the box midfield allowed Alexander-Arnold to occupy more central spaces, dictating Liverpool’s attacking phases with his world-class passing ability.

A by-product is that it required a different midfield profile to fulfil a different midfield role on the left-side of Liverpool’s central midfielder. Thiago and Gini Wijnaldum had been the go-to for that position in the previous iteration of Liverpool’s midfield dynamics, but, as Klopp works to rebuild the midfield, a mobile midfielder was needed who would be comfortable being direct and supportive from wider areas, allowing for Andrew Robertson to form a back-3 in deep build up and the left winger – usually Luis Diaz – to operate in a more central position, closer to the central striker. This new role has allowed Jones to shine.

He overcame his injury issues that had been casting doubt over his ability to perform. However, a controversial red card during the September Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur put yet another bump in the road as Jones settles into his new role this 23/24 season.

Could Jones Go On to Play for England?

The season’s first international break is now upon us, and a total of six Liverpool players have received call-ups. Jones enjoyed a successful streak at the U21s club, playing a significant role in England’s first European Championships win in almost forty years. Now, however, Jones is in limbo – too old to rejoin the U21s, and not yet receiving the attention from senior coaching staff that many believe he deserves.

But there is plenty of time left for Jones to shake-off accusations of holding the ball for too long and slowing down play and, instead, make his mark as a transformative player for Liverpool’s new midfield dynamics. When the international break is over and Jones serves his 3-match ban, fans will be eager to see more of what he can do for the club.