Not many eyebrows were raised at the inclusion of Curtis Jones in England’s squad for the international break, but a few were when he was named in Thomas Tuchel’s starting lineup against Albania on Friday.
England is blessed with midfield quality: Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are among the best players in Europe in their respective positions, while Morgan Gibbs-White and Morgan Rogers have been two of the Premier League’s top performers this season.
Gibbs-White’s somewhat surprise exclusion from Tuchel’s initial squad meant he was never likely to play a significant role against Albania, but it was widely reported on the day of the game that Rogers was likely to start. He didn’t; Jones did.
Whether Tuchel made a late call to start Jones ahead of Rogers, or whether Jones was always going to start and Rogers was actually ousted on the left wing by Aston Villa teammate Marcus Rashford, is entirely academic; Jones repaid Tuchel’s faith and showed once more why every manager who has had the Liverpudlian at their disposal, has picked him.
The 24-year-old was among England’s best players in a 2-0 win that marked the dawn of a new era which has a singular goal: to win the 2026 World Cup. One of Jones’ biggest assets is his close ball control and he was impressive in tight spaces, and remained composed in possession as England had to bide its time against opposition that employed a low block.
A quick search for Jones’ name on X brought up plenty of praise, with the vast majority of users appreciating his polished performance, but as is always the case on social media, there was negativity too. One Liverpool fan account with over 50,000 followers wrote: “I’ve watched 15 minutes and Curtis Jones has been awful.”
There is little doubt that Jones receives more online criticism than most of his Liverpool teammates. Strangely, in many ways, Jones is the antithesis of the type of player that usually attracts criticism from their own fans: he is a flair player who is forward-thinking, expressive, and has individuality in abundance.
Jones is not the Reds’ most consistent player, which is a factor in the flak he comes in for, but he remains an important asset for club and country, and a player who Arne Slot, Jurgen Klopp and now Tuchel, have all deemed good enough to start for their teams.
Jones only turned 24 two months ago and in the years ahead he will be an important player for Liverpool and for England, despite what his critics might think of him.
