Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp explains why Curtis Jones was played out of position vs Leicester City
Jurgen Klopp’s tactical decisions in the Reds’ recent Carabao Cup victory against Leicester City have been the talk of the town, and one choice that raised eyebrows was the deployment of Curtis Jones as a right-back. The Liverpool academy graduate also led the team in the absence of first-choice captain Virgil van Dijk and vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Klopp‘s post-match comments shed light on his rationale for this intriguing tactical choice. The German manager hinted that Joe Gomez, who has performed admirably as a full-back in Alexander-Arnold’s absence, was not available due to precautionary reasons. Klopp assured that Gomez would come back fit for the upcoming weekend’s fixtures, but his absence from the Leicester clash was a prudent move, and understandable at that given the lack of depth in our squad in certain positions. Here is what the gaffer had to say via ECHO:
“Joey (Gomez) will be OK for the weekend but was not OK for today. For Trent (Alexander-Arnold) it is too early. So I needed to find solutions and Curtis was always in my mind as a potential solution there.”
Trent’s hamstring injury also played a pivotal role in Klopp’s decision-making process. The manager deemed it too early for Alexander-Arnold to make his return, which created a void at the right-back position. And for most of us, it was surely a huge surprise to see Curtis feature as a right-back and an excellent one at that. A 7.3 rating on FotMob is a fair reflection of his performance against The Foxes.
While it was a one-off and hopefully not a long-term plan for a midfielder of such a high ceiling to play as a right-back, his versatility to play anywhere across the midfield lines and also, this time, playing as per the team’s requirements surely reflects his commitment to the badge and ability to step up in times when the situation demands him to do so.
Captain Curtis!
The choice to deploy Jones at right-back was a calculated gamble by Klopp, one that ultimately paid off as Liverpool secured a decent victory over Enzo Maresca’s men. It’s a testament to the manager’s tactical acumen and the trust he places in his players to execute his game plan.
As far as Gomez and Trent are concerned, both players have been great for the Reds this season. Hopefully, they are back sooner than later from their respective injury layoffs and Liverpool can take the rest of the season on with a full-strength squad.
As Liverpool heads into a demanding season with multiple competitions, Klopp’s tactical acumen and the versatility of players will certainly be crucial moving forward. The ability to find solutions in challenging situations is a hallmark of championship-winning teams, and Liverpool continue to prove their mettle in this regard.
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While the right-back situation may return to normal when Alexander-Arnold is fully fit, Curtis Jones’s performance in this role serves as a testament to the talent and adaptability of our players. Hopefully, the next transfer window helps us secure extra depth across all positions as Jones as a right-back week in and week out is not a good reflection.
