‘In both directions’: Jurgen Klopp ‘really’ liked one thing about Liverpool player’s performance last night

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Curtis Jones particularly impressed Jurgen Klopp with one aspect of his game against Napoli as Liverpool won 2-0. The Scouser played from the left.

Jurgen Klopp picked Curtis Jones as a left-winger against Napoli as Liverpool returned to their 4-3-3 system. The player had a reasonably unusual role, then, as he’s typically a midfielder in the formation.

The Liverpool boss mentioned before the game that Jones must work particularly hard out there. Playing a more advanced position wouldn’t mean the 21-year-old could play with less responsibility – quite the opposite.

Klopp addressed Jones’s display after the game, then, and really liked what he saw.

“He did [work very hard],” Klopp told BT Sport. “He played a good game, a really good game.

“In both directions – I liked how he was involved in all of our defending. The wings are responsible for keeping it together, that’s how it is. If they’re too early out, then we’re exposed. You can’t do that, especially with the quality of the opponents we face constantly.

“So yeah, he did well.”

Curtis Jones against Napoli

Jones’s pressing really was brilliant at Anfield last night. He timed everything wonderfully, forced multiple turnovers and showed fantastic energy. There should be little doubt that defensively, he’s capable of playing there.

Offensively? There we have questions. Jones had some great moments on the ball, typically with little displays of skill to hold off players and move it to a teammate.

But some first-half moments show his major weakness there. Jones doesn’t have the instincts of a goalscorer and even though he came close to scoring, his first chance should have been better.

Mohamed Salah had the ball on the edge of the box and Jones had an ocean of space to move into. Salah waited for him to move, Jones didn’t, and so the pass ended up being too far in front of him.

The youngster did still get to the ball first and nearly beat the goalkeeper but an early run sees him with a much better chance. That lack of movement was a constant from Jones – he’s very stationary out on the wing.

It’s something we’ve said about him before. Jones doesn’t burst into goalscoring positions and prefers dropping between the lines. Unless he develops those instincts, we don’t see a future for him out on the wing. Even if his defending is fantastic.