To say it was a season of two halves for Curtis Jones would be an understatement, but looking back on his career, he could very well see the 2022-23 home stretch as a defining moment.
The campaign began with a groundbreaking do-or-die story and ended with the academy graduate becoming one of the first names on the team roster.
In July, Jones told LFCTV about his ambitions for the new season and his intention to reach “10 goals and 10 assists” for the Reds.
If you reviewed the progress in January, you’d be forgiven for asking which planet those goals were written on.
No Liverpool midfielder has scored in double figures since Philippe Coutinho in 2017-18 and he too spent part of that season as part of a front three. But over time Jones showed exactly what he was capable of and if he had been there from the start those numbers might not have been so outlandish.
There has never been much to discuss about Jones’ talent, but like many Liverpool midfielders this season, fitness has always been a stumbling block.
His unavailability caused many to lose patience, and in some circles he was dismissed as someone destined to run away in the summer.
A shin stress reaction sabotaged the youngster’s campaign before it even started, after a rare eye injury caused him to miss big chunks of the Reds’ four-time pursuit in 2021/22.
This inevitably raised the question of whether this player could really be counted on for the long term. In fact, those are the only two major fitness hurdles Jones has faced.
He has no history of muscle issues or issues and his best years are comfortably ahead of him.
The stress response was something the club’s medical staff had “never seen before”, but it was enough to keep Jones out of action in the early stages of the season – 11 of his first 13 games, to be exact.
When Jurgen Klopp gave the number 17 a sustained chance to pin a point on the touchline, he grabbed it with both hands and then some of his own.
Jones made just one start in the league before being called up for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in April, but he hasn’t looked back since.
He worked his way to the left of Liverpool’s third midfielder and made 11 consecutive Premier League starts by the end of the season.
Injuries, depth and lack of momentum in the Reds’ midfield opened the door for Jones, and with concerns lingering over the age of the current vintage, he became a welcome breath of fresh air.
It also came at a time when the team’s fortunes were starting to change, as Trent Alexander-Arnold received greater creative influence in the middle of the park as he took on a hybrid role.
Klopp had to change something and it worked. Jones was one of the biggest beneficiaries as he thrived in a revamped system that saw Liverpool record seven straight wins.
Still capable, but for the first time in his career the 22-year-old looked completely at home as he was an integral part of the Reds’ late rise. After such a promising run, attention naturally turns to what next season will look like for the midfielder
Talk of an inevitable midfield reshuffle this summer continues, but where is Scouser?
The ‘like a new signing’ cliché is an oft-misused phrase that gets many fans’ blood boiling, but if Jones had come in for £40m and delivered the performance he delivered at Leicester, we’d be right to say the enormous talent of praise in our hands.
From Liverpool’s perspective, however, nothing should have changed in the market.
There is still work to be done and the uninspiring performance at home to Aston Villa was in some ways a timely reminder of that.
But Jones’ sprint to the finish line put him in a position where, should Liverpool sign two or even three top midfielders, he would have every right to question any decision leading up to his exit.
His status as a local is invaluable given that he has now reached the age to be ‘registered’ in the team.
With the departure of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner, Jones is a ready replacement to fill one of those vacant, self-rolling positions and add valuable depth to midfield.
The discussions on an inevitable reorganization of the midfield this summer do not stop, but where is the Scouser?
The ‘like a new signing’ cliché is an oft-misused phrase that gets many fans’ blood boiling, but if Jones had come in for £40million and delivered the performance he delivered at Leicester, we’d be right to say the enormous talent of praise in our hands.
From Liverpool’s perspective, however, nothing should have changed in the market. There is still work to be done and the dull home game against Aston Villa reminded us of that in a way.
But Jones’ sprint to the finish line put him in a position where, should Liverpool sign two or even three top midfielders, he would have every right to question any decision leading up to his exit.
His status as a local is invaluable given that he has now reached the age to be ‘registered’ in the team.
With the departure of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner, Jones is a ready replacement to fill one of those vacant, self-rolling positions and add valuable depth to midfield.
It’s safe to say it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, something you couldn’t have said with such certainty six months ago.
He certainly doesn’t lack the confidence to mix him with potential wealthy recruits and he will almost certainly not be fazed by the new competition.
After tipping his hat with recent performances, 2023/24 could be his best season yet.
Highlight: A quick-fire shot at Leicester during a purple form.
Worst moment: A disappointing performance in a meager 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest.
Role next season:To ensure stiff competition from new signings for a starting position in midfield.
