Curtis Jones is ready to form a very nice partnership with Roberto Firmino. The two could complement one another wonderfully.
Liverpool battered Wolves on Sunday to keep up with Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League. The Reds were back to their best, really, as they took advantage of a rare rest.
One advantage of that rest was a look at Curtis Jones in a fresh Liverpool team and the Scouser looks ready to form a strong partnership.
Jones, after all, came into the first XI because so many others were out injured. He hasn’t really had a run in a fully-functional first-team.
But after this game, we think there’s real potential between Roberto Firmino and the 19-year-old.
Coming and going
Firmino is a unique centre-forward, which creates all kinds of opportunities with just about every player on the pitch.
His movement allows Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to threaten inside. The way he presses sets up defensive systems with everyone. And Firmino’s link-up play means Liverpool can play a very functional midfield.
The latter has been key for Liverpool. They haven’t needed a centre-midfielder who specialises in linking the attack as Firmino does it so well on his own. Thus they’ve had a very energetic, work-rate focused midfield instead.
But what if they used a midfield link-man, too?
Jones fits that profile. He’s happy to do the work-rate midfield stuff, of course, but he thrives in breaking forward with the ball and getting into the pockets without it.
And there’s real potential with Firmino there. For one, it means there are two players moving quickly in between the opposition lines – a nightmare to defend.
You can easily envisage one-twos that get the Reds forward and move defences about.
More than that, when Firmino drops deep, there’s a natural midfield runner who can get beyond him. That, in theory, means Liverpool aren’t limited to runs from wide filling that space.
And Jones could make those forward runs while knowing that Firmino is there to link with the midfield. That’s a real luxury for an attacking-midfielder – they typically have that role to themselves.
Jones has an ability to play the midfield role Liverpool like while also holding his own as an attacking midfielder.
That unique place in the squad will open the door to interesting partnerships – perhaps none more so than with Firmino.
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