Curtis Jones

[S-RED]

I like him, but just not at the level we neeed to compete at the top.

[Mr Pink]

I wonder if he wasn’t home grown if things would be different?

100%

Not sure whether that is a factor within the club, but it certainly is a factor with the section of fans who give him a pass. He’s not a youngster anymore. A young player sure, but he’s been on the professional scene a few years now- I don’t think he’s gonna develop any more than he has, especially given that he’s not really noticeably better now, at nearly 22 than he was at 18/19 when he made his debut. If he didn’t push on in those 3 years, do we really think he’s gonna make it as a player who’s good enough to be in our first 11?

[frank the tank]

100%

Not sure whether that is a factor within the club, but it certainly is a factor with the section of fans who give him a pass. He’s not a youngster anymore. A young player sure, but he’s been on the professional scene a few years now- I don’t think he’s gonna develop any more than he has, especially given that he’s not really noticeably better now, at nearly 22 than he was at 18/19 when he made his debut. If he didn’t push on in those 3 years, do we really think he’s gonna make it as a player who’s good enough to be in our first 11?

And i am not too sure that he played well last night either. If that was "done well" then our standards are ****e. We were way better when nunez replaced him. I actually think had nunez started, we may have won the group

[danperkins]

100%

Not sure whether that is a factor within the club, but it certainly is a factor with the section of fans who give him a pass. He’s not a youngster anymore. A young player sure, but he’s been on the professional scene a few years now- I don’t think he’s gonna develop any more than he has, especially given that he’s not really noticeably better now, at nearly 22 than he was at 18/19 when he made his debut. If he didn’t push on in those 3 years, do we really think he’s gonna make it as a player who’s good enough to be in our first 11?

[Exiled_red]

100%

Not sure whether that is a factor within the club, but it certainly is a factor with the section of fans who give him a pass. He’s not a youngster anymore. A young player sure, but he’s been on the professional scene a few years now- I don’t think he’s gonna develop any more than he has, especially given that he’s not really noticeably better now, at nearly 22 than he was at 18/19 when he made his debut. If he didn’t push on in those 3 years, do we really think he’s gonna make it as a player who’s good enough to be in our first 11?

Playing devils advocate, does he have to be good enough for our first 11? It's a squad game we don't have the resources of City etc we can't have a squad of 25 world class players. If the academy can produce players who aren't first choice but can come in and do a job, that is still an important role within the squad and allows us to focus spending on top quality players rather than spending £20-30m on a squad player.

The problem with our squad at the moment is the players who should be first choice are too injury prone and the players who should be just squad players are starting too many games as a result.

[Pablo]

I think he lacks vision. For me that is his biggest weakness. Most of his passes seem to be sideways or backwards. He is not progressive enough with the ball.

I actually think the lack of vision is also the root cause of him holding onto the ball too long, or giving the ball away, he simply can't see the better options that someone like Thiago and Harvey Elliot can.

I saw a few signs of this last night when he got caught on the ball. I think when he can lift his head up he's capable of picking out some nice passes like the through ball to Mo.

He was played out of position last night and I thought he did a good job. He could have scored and he created a couple of chances. He worked tirelessly and pressed well.

[RedReet]

100%

Not sure whether that is a factor within the club, but it certainly is a factor with the section of fans who give him a pass. He’s not a youngster anymore. A young player sure, but he’s been on the professional scene a few years now- I don’t think he’s gonna develop any more than he has, especially given that he’s not really noticeably better now, at nearly 22 than he was at 18/19 when he made his debut. If he didn’t push on in those 3 years, do we really think he’s gonna make it as a player who’s good enough to be in our first 11?

Where are these fans posting out of curiosity? Genuine question, as all I've seen is relentless abuse this year.

[The_weatherman]

He's definitely improving, IF he can stay fit he might still come goodish.

[dizzycat]

I have always found him hard to judge and tbh I still don't really know what his game is or his best position. He obviously has skill, but the eye for goal, quick link play and directness that we used to see early days has yet to reappear. I am reserving judgement at the moment and he is a definite keeper as a squaddie who may come good.

[Scratch]

Always the way with Curtis, he needs a run of games to get that match sharpness...these last two matches are essentially his pre-season football after a lengthy lay-off. Every game he plays will hopefully see an improvement in his decision making and general all round game.

[BigChief]

I thought his younger legs and coverage around the pitch was refreshing considering what we've seen so far this season. In a team fighting for 4th he's a good fit. If our aspirations are higher then he's not.

[Rich]

He just needs to get his head up quicker and release the ball earlier.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I thought his younger legs and coverage around the pitch was refreshing considering what we've seen so far this season. In a team fighting for 4th he's a good fit. If our aspirations are higher then he's not.

Think he is a good fit as cover even if we were flying.

He is good enough to be dropped into an in form version of our team with the other two CM spots being filled with two starters.

What is interesting about some of what he tries to do, albeit nowhere near being at the same level, is that a lot of how he receives a ball under pressure and how he tries little turns seems to be copying how Thiago does it.

He very much seems to be getting trained how to be press resistant because guys like Henderson and Milner, even when they were a few years younger, do not try anything similar but Thiago and Keita do it, and then to a lesser degree Jones and Elliot seem to be trying to do what Thiago and Keita do when being pressed.

Think it would be very interesting to see how our youngers guys continue to develop if we brought in more players around them who also play with that press restistant style on the ball.

Some of the guys we have looked at have that in their game too so it might not be unreasonable to suggest that we have that in mind when we refresh the midfield with younger players.

Tchouameni is very good when being pressed as well as being a bit of a beast when he does not have the ball. Laimer is dogged when pressing but good when being pressed. Barella who I shall keep dropping in is excellent when pressed and excels at receiving a ball under pressure.

Saw us linked with Tonali this morning and he is another who is mobile, physical, technical but very good when pressed.

Bellingham is one who I am still unsure of in terms of his press resistant he is. He can be a monster when doing the pressing and his size/strength helps a lot under pressure but not sure yet if he would handle a full and prolonged press like what Napoli did to us last night and especially how they did it in the first game against us. Then again if he is going to potentially cost €150m we are never going to see him in our red to fnd out

[Harv]

He just needs to get his head up quicker and release the ball earlier.

We've been saying this since he first started getting games though. Its never going to happen.

[Harv]

Think he is a good fit as cover even if we were flying.

He is good enough to be dropped into an in form version of our team with the other two CM spots being filled with two starters.

What is interesting about some of what he tries to do, albeit nowhere near being at the same level, is that a lot of how he receives a ball under pressure and how he tries little turns seems to be copying how Thiago does it.

He very much seems to be getting trained how to be press resistant because guys like Henderson and Milner, even when they were a few years younger, do not try anything similar but Thiago and Keita do it, and then to a lesser degree Jones and Elliot seem to be trying to do what Thiago and Keita do when being pressed.

Think it would be very interesting to see how our youngers guys continue to develop if we brought in more players around them who also play with that press restistant style on the ball.

Some of the guys we have looked at have that in their game too so it might not be unreasonable to suggest that we have that in mind when we refresh the midfield with younger players.

Tchouameni is very good when being pressed as well as being a bit of a beast when he does not have the ball. Laimer is dogged when pressing but good when being pressed. Barella who I shall keep dropping in is excellent when pressed and excels at receiving a ball under pressure.

Saw us linked with Tonali this morning and he is another who is mobile, physical, technical but very good when pressed.

Bellingham is one who I am still unsure of in terms of his press resistant he is. He can be a monster when doing the pressing and his size/strength helps a lot under pressure but not sure yet if he would handle a full and prolonged press like what Napoli did to us last night and especially how they did it in the first game against us. Then again if he is going to potentially cost €150m we are never going to see him in our red to fnd out

Where?? He's a player i was shocked we didnt go in for when he moved from Empoli. Quality player