In a surprising twist, Arne Slot has made the decision to deploy Curtis Jones in the position of right-back for the upcoming Merseyside derby. This comes after the choice was made to sideline Conor Bradley and relegate Jarell Quansah to the bench. The necessary adjustment has resulted from Slot’s decision in the wake of the Carabao Cup final, where Jones was brought into consideration as a potential fit for the right-back slot left vacant.
The decision to place Curtis Jones in the right-back role can be primarily attributed to the current fitness statuses of Bradley and of notable players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez. Bradley’s current condition does not permit aggressive play, while Alexander-Arnold and Gomez are nursing injuries. This has led Slot to consider creative solutions, one of which is utilising Jones, an originally offensive midfielder, in a defensive role instead.
Slot disclosed his game strategy as he made the line-up selection: ‘In the Goodison derby, there were very few scoring opportunities from either team. We definitely need to improve our ball handling skills, and perform better when we have possession. One of the reasons behind selecting Curtis for the full-back role is this need for improvement.’
It’s of note that this isn’t the first time Jones has assumed the right-back role. In earlier instances, Jones played as right-back while leading his team to a 3-1 victory over Leicester during last season’s Carabao Cup. He’s even had brief spells in this position during matches against competitors such as Arsenal and Brighton back in 2020.
Reflecting on Jones’s performance in this ‘alien’ position, his coach remarked, ‘Curtis’s name has always been on my list of promising solutions because of his sharp football intelligence.’ He further added, ‘He loves being in possession of the ball, and playing deeper allows him more chances of ball contact. Despite being his maiden performance in a position unusual for him, Curtis’s performance was impressive.’
One crucial element of Slot’s starting lineup that stole the show was the choice to position Caoimhin Kelleher as the goalkeeper, leaving Alisson Becker on the bench. This seemed a precautionary measure, with Alisson not played in light of concerns arising from a recent concussion test conducted on Tuesday.
The team management, adhering to the safety protocol, clarified the scenario. Slot explained, ‘Our club follows all required protocols and Alisson needed to pass a series of checks. Unfortunately, he couldn’t satisfy all the requirements yesterday. We are fortunate to have Kelleher, who has proven his worth this season, perhaps even so much as to be too skillful to simply be Alisson’s understudy.’
The post Curtis Jones to Play Right-Back in Merseyside Derby appeared first on Real News Now.
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