LFC Daytrippers host Gav Doyle has been discussing the performance of Curtis Jones during Liverpool’s recent UEFA Champions League group game versus Ajax in Amsterdam.
The Reds came away from the Dutch capital on Wednesday night with all three points after an own goal from Nicolas Tagliafico proved to be the difference between the two sides (as per BBC Sport). Jones was named in Jurgen Klopp’s starting eleven as part of a midfield trio which also included Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner (via WhoScored).
The player’s performance on the night didn’t impress Doyle who discussed the 19-year-old’s showing during a recent edition of the podcast and here is what he had to say:
“Curtis Jones was awful and I don’t care what age he is. If you’re playing in the Champions League for Liverpool you need to put in a performance and he gave us nothing.
“The biggest thing for me [was], he seemed to be looking around him an awful lot, as if to see if he [was] in the right place.
“Most of their good play came down that channel, where Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold [were].
“He was hesitant, which was causing Trent [Alexander-Arnold] to be hesitant.
“He didn’t seem to fit into the system defensively.”
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TIF Thoughts on Gav Doyle’s comments regarding Curtis Jones…
According to WhoScored, his performance rating from the aforementioned fixture was 6.87/10 which may suggest he perhaps wasn’t as bad as the podcaster feels. When judging the youngster’s display, it is probably worth noting this was his first appearance in European football’s premier competition.
On 45 minutes, the midfielder was replaced by the far more experienced Jordan Henderson (as per BBC Sport) and no damage was done, seeing as the Reds took maximum points. Jones may not have been at his best on the night in everybody’s eyes but in our view, this experience may serve as a learning curve for the teenager as he looks to continue his development.