As the dust settles on the 2023/24 season, the performance of Liverpool’s players are being assessed.
The Reds had a good season overall. Granted, it could have been better, but a Carabao Cup and a third-placed finish was a big improvement on the year before.
The fact that they could not send Jurgen Klopp off with the Premier League title is a disappointment that will rankle. But, in truth, pre-season expectations didn’t have Liverpool anywhere near the title.
So, it’s fair to say that there were some excellent performers within the Liverpool squad. Virgil van Dijk was perhaps the best of the bunch, but others such as Alexis Mac Allister really stood up, too.
On the flipside of that, there were some at Anfield who didn’t quite live up to their billings.
Gabriel Agbonlahor criticises Curtis Jones
Heading into the season, Liverpool’s sole aim had really been to get back into the Champions League. With a handful of new signings, there had been firm hope that that goal would be achievable.
But it wasn’t just the new boys who were inspiring belief. There was also confidence that some of those already at the club could step up further. Curtis Jones was at the forefront of this thinking.
Jones had a really good end to 2022/23. Having established himself as part of Klopp’s best midfield, he looked primed to kick-on.
For a time, he did. Klopp was happy, labelling the midfielder’s displays as ‘special‘ in January. However, the 23-year-old soon succumbed to the familiar tale of injury. By the end of the term, Jones was back in and out of the side again.
READ MORE: Ranking every Liverpool player’s performance in 2023/24
Despite this, the academy graduate was called up to England’s training camp ahead of Euro 2024 on Tuesday. Just rewards for his progress over recent years. Not everyone was happy, though. Speaking on TalkSPORT, former England striker Gabriel Agbonlahor said Jones had been too inconsistent to warrant the call.
“He has not done enough,” Agbonlahor claims. “When I have watched Liverpool, he has been in and out of the side. He has one good game and three bad games. I don’t think Curtis Jones will be in the 26 [man final England squad].”
Curtis Jones still splitting opinion
Had this call-up for Jones come at the end of last season, then few could have argued. He was in a great run of form.
But despite returning to fitness in April, Jones could never get going until the end of the campaign.
In the end, it feels like another season of treading water for Curtis. Poised to really kick on 12 months ago, the same questions are still being asked of him now.
Perhaps the England call-up will help him in that regard, though. It does seem unlikely that Jones will escape the seven-man cull before the tournament starts.
But it should hopefully help him to feel that he is now a senior player with more responsibility on his shoulders. Once again, we’re left waiting to see if next year will be Curtis’ year once and for all.