Curtis Jones has enjoyed life under Arne Slot so far this season, recording five goals and assists for the Reds.
But how has the ex-Feyenoord manager extracted the best out of Jones through the first 13 games of Liverpool’s season?
Since arriving at the club this summer, Slot has trialled the 23-year-old in multiple positions across the pitch with some suiting Jones more than others.
The Liverpool born midfielder has solidified himself as a 10, playing just ahead of the likes of Gravenberch and Mac Allister and pushing Dominik Szoboszlai to the bench.
Slot’s decision to move Jones further up the pitch has been rewarded by the midfielder’s hot start to the 2024/25 season.
Stats collected from transfermarkt
An increase of 0.2 goal involvements per game clearly shows that Slot has a lot of trust in Jones playing higher up the pitch, letting him carry the ball and therefore playing to his strengths as a player.
The dip in form last year was a concern for many Liverpool fans, with many struggling to see a future with the scouser continuing to be a part of the squad.
Credit therefore must be given to the job that Slot has done in such little time with the young midfielder.
Although having the freedom to play further forward this year, Jones is showing he can also be just as valuable on the other side of the ball.
Stats collected from transfermarkt
The new system brought in by Slot requires his midfielders to constantly work hard, winning the ball up the pitch and setting traps in order to press high.
By winning more ground duels and getting dribbled past less, Jones puts pressure off the defence and can reward his defensive work by launching transitional counter attacks, bringing players such as Salah and Nunez into the game.
Curtis Jones' first appearance for the national side could not have gone any better.
He became the first Liverpool player to score on his England debut in 42 years, putting in a fantastic performance against Greece.
His game by numbers:
96% pass accuracy (65/68)
7 duels won… pic.twitter.com/82Gncml2qA— Squawka (@Squawka) November 14, 2024
His impressive form with his club has recently correlated over to the England side, whereby he scored his first international goal in a player of the match performance against Finland in Athens.
Continuing to prove people wrong at both club and international level, it is starting to feel like this is the season where Curtis Jones really takes off and announces himself at the top level.
As the season progresses Slot will continue to work closely with Jones, focusing on getting the very best out of the exciting young talent. If the start of the season is anything to go by, Jones may keep on hogging the headlines.
