The staggering Curtis Jones statistic that proves the Sky Sports pundit was right all along. Is the midfielder’s ‘extra touch’ now a liability for Arne Slot?
Alexis Mac Allister may have snatched the headlines with a late rescue act at the City Ground, but Liverpool’s narrow escape against Nottingham Forest couldn’t mask a glaring tactical deficiency.
While the Reds walked away with the three points, the performance raised serious questions about the depth of Arne Slot’s midfield specifically regarding Curtis Jones.
Following a late back injury to star signing Florian Wirtz, Slot was forced into a reshuffle he likely regretted within the opening twenty minutes. With Wirtz sidelined to avoid further risk with injury, Jones was handed the keys to the “number ten” role.
What followed was a performance so stagnant it drew the immediate ire of Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.
A club legend blasts Jones’ “entire career” flaw
The former Reds defender has never been one to mince words, but his assessment of the 25-year-old Scouser felt particularly pointed yesterday.
For the Champions League-winning centre-back, the frustration isn’t just about one bad day at the office; it’s about a recurring habit that has stifled Jones’ progression from a “prospect” to a “mainstay.”
“Curtis Jones is always taking too many touches; he needs to be sharper,” the prominent analyst remarked during the broadcast. “That’s been an issue for his entire Liverpool career. He’s always wanting too much time on the ball.”
The critique highlights a fundamental disconnect in Jones’ game. In a high-octane system that demands quick transitions, Jones appeared to be playing in slow motion. His hesitation in the final third turned potential “big chances” into dead ends, forcing Slot into a desperate mid-game tactical shift that saw Jones moved to right-back just to stabilise the side while Dominik Szoboszlai was pushed forward to do the heavy lifting.
The numbers don’t lie: a tale of two midfielders
The statistical contrast between Jones and Szoboszlai who eventually took over creative duties is nothing short of damning. While Jones boasted a tidy passing percentage, the underlying numbers suggest he was playing a “safe” game that actively hurt the team’s rhythm.
| Metric | Dominik Szoboszlai | Curtis Jones |
| Primary Position | Right-Back (Initial) | Attacking Midfield (Initial) |
| Chances Created | 5 | 0 |
| Times Dispossessed | 1 | 5 |
| Ground Duels Won | 4/7 (57%) | 3/10 (30%) |
| Pass Accuracy | 87% | 92% |
The irony of the 92% pass accuracy is that it serves as the ultimate proof of the pundit’s argument. Jones kept the ball because he refused to risk it. In a role designed for the “head of creativity,” he produced zero chances. Meanwhile, Szoboszlai, despite playing a more sacrificial role for much of the match, created five.
Furthermore, Jones was dispossessed five times frequently caught dwelling on the ball in dangerous areas compared to just once for the Hungarian.
If the media personality’s words were the indictment, the post-match data provided the conviction. Jones recorded three errors directly leading to an opposition shot against Forest.
This isn’t just a poor stat; it’s a season-high for any Premier League player in a single match this year. It paints a picture of a player who is caught in two minds: too afraid to make the “risky” pass that creates a goal, yet too slow on the ball to avoid being robbed by an energetic Forest press.
The Wirtz comparison
The shadow of Florian Wirtz looms large over this discussion. While Jones technically maintains a higher passing accuracy than the German international, the “utility” of those passes is worlds apart.
Wirtz operates on the edge of failure, constantly attempting the through-balls that break defensive lines. Jones, by contrast, seems content to keep his stats clean while the attack stalls.
For Arne Slot, the lesson from the City Ground is clear: when the pressure is on, Liverpool cannot afford a passenger in the final third who values ball retention over goal creation. If Jones wants to silence his hometown critics, he’ll need to start taking the very risks he currently seems desperate to avoid.
