Liverpool's Curtis Jones gave an emotional interview after the humiliating PSV Eindhoven loss and his role in one of the goals confirmed his demand that every player is falling physically short
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones gives an interview
Curtis Jones has been brutally honest in his assessment of Liverpool's situation
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For colourfully articulating what every football follower knows - his team are indeed “in the s***” - Curtis Jones’ interview with CBS on Tuesday night has made many headlines. But the entire four minutes of Jones’s eloquent insight should be required listening for every Liverpool fan.
Amongst many telling, brutally honest points made by Jones was this observation. “Off the ball stuff? I think that is the stuff that has to change. We have to run more, we have to compete, we have to be dogs out there.”
Apparently, the interview had not been required listening for Slot but he clearly knew the gist and, when asked about Jones’s comments, replied: “He said we need to be dogs? Good to bring it to games.”
Slot went on to suggest a lot of players had personal bests for the season when it came to running stats against PSV Eindhoven but perhaps he also had one or two of the visitors’ goals in the back of his mind. The running stats might have been impressive but, at crucial times, it did not look that way.
As well as listening to Jones’s interview in full, re-watch goals two and three for PSV. In the build-up to the first of those, Mauro Junior saunters past Mohamed Salah, who does not bother to track back. For the second of those, the obvious, initial error is from Ibrahima Konate, for which he has been heavily criticised.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool pointing
Pundits such as Jamie Carragher have pointed the finger at Mohamed Salah's performances this season
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But the eventual scorer, substitute Couhaib Driouech, runs past Jones, in the right-back position, from ten yards away and the Liverpool man simply stands and watches as the Moroccan gallops another 20 yards before tucking home a rebound. Now, Jones’ inertia might have come from a combination of things.
He might have thought there were enough Liverpool defenders in position to deal with the situation, so thought it best to wait for a counter-attack of his own, for example. And it would be grossly unfair to single out Jones’ performance on Tuesday night for special attention because, almost to a man, Liverpool players were not of the required standard.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot speaking on Thursday
Arne Slot remains confident that he has the full support of the Liverpool board
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But one thing is for sure, it was a symbol of one big thing that is wrong with this Liverpool side. They simply do not look as strong, as quick, as durable, as physically relentless, or as able to cover for each other’s errors as they were last season.
In his interview, Jones admits that and most certainly does not exempt himself from any blame. Good on him.
Injuries have not helped Arne Slot and it has most definitely been the case that Florian Wirtz - who should soon return to training - has found the pace and physicality of the Premier League, in particular, tough to deal with. Alexander Isak, again for a combination of reasons, looks miles off it, physically.
Florian Wirtz during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium.
Florian Wirtz has struggled to cope with the physical demands of playing for Liverpool
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You could go on. Jamie Carragher suggests ‘Salah’s legs have gone’ and Alexis Mac Allister has not been the muscular force he was in the title-winning campaign.
In other words, reversing this desperate situation is not just about Slot motivating his squad, it is not just about systems, it is not just about the attitude of the men on the pitch. In very simple terms, this is a huge physical challenge for Liverpool’s players … and right now, they do not look up to it.
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