View: 94% Liverpool gem benefits most from Arne Slot system, proof already there
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones scored the opener in the 3-0 win against Manchester United in another hugely encouraging sign.
Arne Slot ended the pre-season tour of the USA undefeated as Fabio Carvalho scored again alongside Jones and Kostas Tsimikas to record a comfortable win over their Premier League rivals on Sunday (4 August).
Jones has become a prominent figure throughout pre-season under Slot and is now expected to play an important role for the Reds this season.
Curtis Jones set to thrive for Liverpool under Arne Slot
Liverpool fans can be forgiven for their excitement ahead of the new Premier League season. The players have taken well to Slot’s tactics and have recorded wins over Arsenal and Manchester United in the USA.
The players and their roles under Slot have been examined throughout the tour, with a particular focus on the midfielders as the number six position remains a topic of interest amongst supporters.
Slot wants his defensive midfielders to be agile, able to find a pass, progress the ball up the pitch and help attack the opposition in numbers rather than their main priority to protect the defence.
Jones has been utilised in a double-pivot to perform the role and has flourished in the position during pre-season.
Against Manchester United, he finished the match with 94 per cent pass accuracy, won 66 per cent of his duels and had one shot on target leading to the goal (Sofascore).
The 23-year-old failed to make a consistent impact under Jurgen Klopp, excluding a few purple patches, and has reached an age now where he has to start performing regularly for the Reds.
He managed one goal and one assist in 23 Premier League appearances last term but has the potential to transform his Liverpool career in a new role.
Jones recorded a 91 per cent pass accuracy in the league and averaged 1.2 tackles and 3.1 ball recoveries per match.
In comparison with his peers, he was in the top 93 percentile for successful take-ons, 96 percentile for touches in the opposition box, 87 percentile for progressive carries, and 95 percentile for progressive passes received (FBref).
Arne Slot has plenty of attacking options
His creativity and ability to find space in attacking positions is perfect for the modern attacking defensive midfielder role that Slot wants to introduce to the Premier League.
It is not a role Jones would have envisioned playing when he made his debut in 2019, but the best players adapt and his numbers show that he doesn’t possess enough goal output to displace Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and even Harvey Elliott further up the pitch.
Jones will still have the freedom to make an impact in the number six role for Liverpool. After some work on the defensive aspect of the game, he could finally fulfil his potential under Slot’s guidance.
In other Liverpool news, Jarell Quansah shows why he has to start after his latest Liverpool display.
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