Topic: Curtis Jones

[DTRed]

I heard on the news yesterday that Waistcoat is thinking of fast tracking Mainoo into the England set up to avoid him joining Ghana.

All this whilst ignoring performances by Curtis.

One of the best midfielders in the league currently.

[lobsterboy]

Good. The more of our players not involved with mingland and their substitute teacher the better really. Step backward for them everytime they get involved with that setup.

[Drinks Sangria]

I heard on the news yesterday that Waistcoat is thinking of fast tracking Mainoo into the England set up to avoid him joining Ghana.

All this whilst ignoring performances by Curtis.

One of the best midfielders in the league currently.

Which would show his ineptitude and lack of knowledge because Curtis is eligible for Nigeria.

[reddebs]

Curtis is one of those players whose skills aren't appreciated by knuckledraggers. 

Being neat and tidy with the ball isn't spectacular or eyecatching enough for their midfield visions or expectations.

He's the kind of player that opposition fans say "he's shit, what the fuck does he do, he's a nothing player"!

Southgate is just a carbon copy of those thought processes.

[Garlic Red]

Are AFCONs going back to summer tournaments from now on? I know the next couple are slated for the summer. I wouldn’t be bothered if Curtis chose Nigeria if AFCON tournaments were played during the summer, I’d be livid if they went back to Januarys and we’d lose him for 4-6 weeks every other year.

I’ve always felt like Southgate shows his limitations as a manager with how he struggles to get the best from Liverpool and Man City players. He’s never got anything from Foden yet and he’s never utilised Trent. He’d be blind not to pick Curtis whilst he still picks players like Phillips and Ward-Prowse, but I don’t believe he believes he knows how to utilise players that thrive playing such front-footed, dominant football. Maybe he doesn’t need to utilise them to win at that level, it really is a shite, limited standard of football, but you can’t help but feel if Curtis was just about any other nationality he’d be getting picked regularly.

[Draex]

Curtis is one of those players whose skills aren't appreciated by knuckledraggers. 

Being neat and tidy with the ball isn't spectacular or eyecatching enough for their midfield visions or expectations.

He's the kind of player that opposition fans say "he's shit, what the fuck does he do, he's a nothing player"!

Southgate is just a carbon copy of those thought processes.

Yep he is a Gini regen.

[Persephone]

Are AFCONs going back to summer tournaments from now on? I know the next couple are slated for the summer. I wouldn’t be bothered if Curtis chose Nigeria if AFCON tournaments were played during the summer, I’d be livid if they went back to Januarys and we’d lose him for 4-6 weeks every other year.

I’ve always felt like Southgate shows his limitations as a manager with how he struggles to get the best from Liverpool and Man City players. He’s never got anything from Foden yet and he’s never utilised Trent. He’d be blind not to pick Curtis whilst he still picks players like Phillips and Ward-Prowse, but I don’t believe he believes he knows how to utilise players that thrive playing such front-footed, dominant football. Maybe he doesn’t need to utilise them to win at that level, it really is a shite, limited standard of football, but you can’t help but feel if Curtis was just about any other nationality he’d be getting picked regularly.

Southgate couldn't even manage a Club at a low level, everything about him screams mediocrity. He is incapable of playing front foot football because all he knows is low block, get in their faces style football. He's a charlatan and England will never win anything with him in charge. You're right, he has generational talents like Foden, Kane,Trent and Bellingham but they still play shit on a stick football.

Curtis could bide his time, maybe Southgate gets fired after the Euros.

[rhysd]

Really hope he's ok.

At least he wasn't stretchered off I guess.

[Hestoic]

Anyone got a clip of that outrageous touch from the first half he plucked out of the sky and shifted on to the left wing? He does something similar at least once a game, it's a thing of beauty.

[RedG13]

Hope it nothing Serouis.

[Ginieus]

Anyone got a clip of that outrageous touch from the first half he plucked out of the sky and shifted on to the left wing? He does something similar at least once a game, it's a thing of beauty.

Did it twice I think in that half.

On the injury, not that I'm a professional, but I did my ankle same way he fell today. Mine did a pop sound and I couldn't stand but I think he's certainly made those ankle lignents sore.

[darknite]

Any news on his injury and when he's expected to be back?

[Knight]

There’s an article about selection choices for England this summer on the guardian site this am. Jones’ injury has come at a very bad time for them and for Jones in so far as he really wants to play international football. Jones is far and away the best option to partner Rice and it’s not even close. Southgate would probably fail to select him even if he were fit mind.

[DelTrotter]

Any news on his injury and when he's expected to be back?

It was said to be around the international break by Lijnders. So hopefully he's ready for Brighton.

He feels like the biggest loss for tomorrow.

[Chris~]

There’s an article about selection choices for England this summer on the guardian site this am. Jones’ injury has come at a very bad time for them and for Jones in so far as he really wants to play international football. Jones is far and away the best option to partner Rice and it’s not even close. Southgate would probably fail to select him even if he were fit mind.

I think he'd have been in if fit this break. He's been in the England youth set up at pretty much every level and that definitely seems to help getting in along with performing well. Phillips being awful has opened up a squad spot so when he gets back he might go. Guess it depends on how Gomes/Mainoo/whoever gets the call up instead does

[kop306]

curtis and grav will both be fit for the next game after international break

no concrete news on alison , trent , or jota yet

[darknite]

seems like he's not fit yet, not named on the bench

[newterp]

That sucks.

[Bread]

Klopp confirms that Jones is back in full training this week, and will be in contention to play against Sheffield United on Thursday.

Lovely stuff.

[duvva 💅]

Klopp confirms that Jones is back in full training this week, and will be in contention to play against Sheffield United on Thursday.

Lovely stuff.

Excellent news

[Knight]

Klopp confirms that Jones is back in full training this week, and will be in contention to play against Sheffield United on Thursday.

Lovely stuff.

Brilliant stuff. He’s fantastic. In my ‘first’ 11 all day.

[King_doggerel]

This is really good news as only him or Thiago are the closes that can give us cover for Mac Allister.

[smutchin]

Great news. He’s been such an important player this season, will be a massive boost to have him fit for the run in.

[Caps4444]

Brilliant stuff. He’s fantastic. In my ‘first’ 11 all day.

Who would be the 3 midfielders in your first 11.

[BigCDump]

Who would be the 3 midfielders in your first 11.

Mac Endo Jones. Every time.

[Wingman]

Good news on Curtis. The games are coming thick and fast and some rotation will be required. Him and Gravenberch back gives us options. Would be great to see Bajcetic soon too.

[TepidT2O]

Mac Endo Jones. Every time.

Best midfield has Szoboszlai in it.  Beciase, even when it’s not his day, his sheer work rate, determination and ability to cover two positions makes us a better team

[Knight]

Who would be the 3 midfielders in your first 11.

For me it’s fairly obviously Mac, Jones, Szoboslai. Mac does just as good a job at 6 as Endo does. Probably better but I’d understand disagreement on that. Then Jones is a brilliant controller - makes tackles and keeps the ball brilliantly as well as covering the right spaces. And Szoboslai for his athleticism and attacking abilities. Perhaps in some games it doesn’t offer enough in an attacking sense (because if you move Mac to 8 instead of Jones you get more penetrative passing up the pitch than Jones offers) but if I’m playing the top 6 home or away that’s the midfield im playing. I reckon it offers the most by way of ‘control’ out of any possible midfield combination. And it’s the most physical and athletic of the combinations too. I worry we lack a bit of height, speed and strength with any 2 of Mac, Endo and Elliott. Although that’s definitely open to question as well.

[Garlic Red]

Not sure anyone plays the left side as well as Jones so - if fit - I’d start him most games where possible because it feels like that entire side purrs when he’s keeping things ticking.

Mac Allister starts every game for me. I think Dom and Curtis’s athleticism combined with Mac’s IQ and distribution is the perfect balance. Endo is brilliant but I’d say he’s 4th choice if we’re talking our best XI. It really does depend on the opposition though. There are times where Endo’s defensive instincts offer the perfect balance but it is what it is, the others are just that bit better.

[Fromola]

Mac/Jones/Endo can't have played much as the midfield 3 to really judge it. Can't think of specific games.

Dom has been first choice when fit and has a specific role in terms of pressing, Elliott often comes on for him with the same remit. Mac is the first pick. It's a squad game anyway now but depending on the opponent as to whether you'd go Mac and Jones as the double pivot or Mac and Endo to give a bit more bite to the midfield. Endo important to have a natural holding player in there which then frees up Mac to do the kind of job he did yesterday.

Annoying thing with Jones injury was he was absolutely flying before that injury, he was running the game at Brentford along with Jota and they both get butchered.

[Coolie High]

Jones would always be in my ideal first XI, he does bits of what all our other midfielders do, and he is probably our most secure midfielder with the ball, Endo Jones Mac would be my go to three at the moment.

[Redman78]

Mac Allister starts every game for me. I think Dom and Curtis’s athleticism combined with Mac’s IQ and distribution is the perfect balance. Endo is brilliant but I’d say he’s 4th choice if we’re talking our best XI. It really does depend on the opposition though. There are times where Endo’s defensive instincts offer the perfect balance but it is what it is, the others are just that bit better.

Where are you playing Mac in that midfield?

[Fromola]

Where are you playing Mac in that midfield?

Mac will be the 6 there, but then you lose what he offers you in that game yesterday playing the holding role and it's not his natural position. I think you do need Endo there in that role more to balance it out and free Mac up to dictate the game.

[Schmidt]

It's a quandary for sure. Until recently I would have said Mac/Jones/Dom is comfortably first choice, but that puts Mac as the 6 and while he is good there, games like yesterday really highlight what he can do for our attack when he plays higher.

We have a lot of football coming up so we'll find games for all of them either way, but I couldn't call our first choice any more (and that's no bad thing).

[Wingman]

It's a quandary for sure. Until recently I would have said Mac/Jones/Dom is comfortably first choice, but that puts Mac as the 6 and while he is good there, games like yesterday really highlight what he can do for our attack when he plays higher.

We have a lot of football coming up so we'll find games for all of them either way, but I couldn't call our first choice any more (and that's no bad thing).

Yeah, only Mac is in my “first choice” midfield. The other two slots are form/fitness or opposition dependent. Right now it’s 2 of Endo, Dom, or Curtis - with Elliott and Grav as subs/rotation options

[Garlic Red]

Where are you playing Mac in that midfield?

Jones and Dom for me. Especially in games at Anfield where we can fully go for it. Think Endo might be a better fit when Trent’s in the side and inverting as he’ll need someone more defensively aware alongside him.

Sorry. I’d be playing Mac at the 6. First sub would probably be Endo for Curtis or Dom to push Mac allister forwards.

[DarkOfTheManatee]

It's going to be nice being able to discuss/argue about which midfielders should be starting, rather than it being pretty much a foregone conclusion due to injuries! For me, Mac Allister is the undroppable one at the moment, but there's no combination of Jones, Szobozslai and Endo alongside him that I would be concerned about.

Really looking forward to Jota being back too so that can also become a bone of contention.

[Big Dirk]

Jones and Dom for me. Especially in games at Anfield where we can fully go for it. Think Endo might be a better fit when Trent’s in the side and inverting as he’ll need someone more defensively aware alongside him.

Sorry. I’d be playing Mac at the 6. First sub would probably be Endo for Curtis or Dom to push Mac allister forwards.

Mac at 6?He is the most creative midfielder we have he needs to stay where he is…Curtis 4th choice at the minute for me.

[HeartAndSoul]

It’s great that he’s nearly back. Now we know we’ve got a decent pool to choose from in midfield with the 3 that started last game plus Elliott and jones in the mix. Hopefully Bajcetic isn’t that far away either but got a feeling we won’t really see much of him till next season. With such a brutal fixture list coming up, being able to rotate those 5 will be crucial and hopefully all will stay fit.

[vivabobbygraham]

Just glad he's back. He'll play a lot of games so don't be worrying where he'll play or who with. I think he starts at Old Trafford