Liverpool have enjoyed a fine start to the season. The Reds currently sit second in the league and will be looking to continue this run of form after the November international break. We caught up with former Liverpool winger John Barnes to discuss the returning midfielder Curtis Jones and Dutch attacker Cody Gakpo.
In this article:
- Jones can be a top Premier League player
- Curtis Jones and Mason Mount similarities
- Liverpool fluidity impresses Barnes
- Gakpo could be used in a midfield role suggests Barnes
Jones Can Be A Top Premier League Player
Curtis Jones has been a prominent name in the football world for quite some time. After progressing through the Liverpool academy system to the first team, his talent is undeniable. However, his journey has been marked by fluctuating form, injuries, and the typical challenges of a young footballer, leading to both highs and lows.
Lee Carsley recently asserted that Curtis Jones possesses all the necessary qualities to become a leading Premier League midfielder. This is a statement that Barnes agrees with but Barnes does question whether Jones can be one of the first names on the team sheet.
“Of course Curtis Jones has everything to be a top Premier League player. As to whether he is going to be a top Premier League player at Liverpool, in terms of what we already have or where Liverpool want to go to be the best team in Europe, and if he’ll be one of the first names on the team sheet, probably not.”
“But that doesn’t mean he cannot play a big part for Liverpool and play particularly well.
“We’ll see what he can do. Obviously he had a bit of an injury and then got sent off but in terms of what he has to offer to the team, he’s got lots, to any team in the Premier League.“
Curtis Jones And Mason Mount Similarities
Barnes is particularly appreciative of Jones’ technical ability and draws an interesting comparison between Jones and Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount. Since joining the Reds in the summer, Mount has struggled to make a significant impact, whereas Jones enjoyed a strong finish to the last season with Liverpool and subsequently starred in England’s U21 Euro Championship triumph.
“He understands his role. He can play as a No. 6 or a No. 8. He’s got good technique. Very comfortable on the ball. He can ride tackles and works hard. He’s a little bit like Mason Mount but of course, playing in a better team with more confidence. His touch of the ball is very good.”
Liverpool’s Fluidity Impresses Barnes
It’s been a great start to the season for Liverpool who currently sit second in the league. The variety of options available to Klopp this season has been heightened by the way Klopp has been able to stabilise the midfield this summer. Barnes has been impressed with the fluidity of the side no matter who ends up on the pitch.
“Liverpool are a 4-3-3 team. A striker drops into midfield to play the No. 8 role. It can be Szoboszlai or Gakpo. It is not a front four that they play.
“The interpretation of that fourth striker dropping into midfield is obviously different if it was Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones but nevertheless, that is still the way Liverpool play.”
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Barnes Makes Cody Gakpo Claim
Since signing a five-and-a-half-year contract with Liverpool for a transfer fee of £35.4 to £44.3 million, Gakpo has been utilised in an intriguing way by Jurgen Klopp. Known for his role as a left-sided forward at PSV in the Eredivisie, Klopp has given Gakpo a false nine role, similar to that of Roberto Firmino. This positioning offers Liverpool tactical flexibility, which could be crucial depending on the game. Barnes takes this idea a step further, suggesting that Gakpo could also be effective as a number 8 or 10.
“I think it depends on who Liverpool are playing against. If you play against Man City or Arsenal, you don’t necessarily play Cody Gakpo as an advanced midfielder, because those teams will have a lot of possession and you’ll probably need an out and out midfielder.
“But I think at the right time, as Liverpool have shown, you can play him there because he works hard for the team and when Liverpool are dominating possession, he doesn’t come under too much pressure.
“So I think under the right circumstances you can definitely play Gakpo in that role.”
