Think it’s way too early and nearly impossible to predict who will play how much. The window is still open for a bit and it was always said that it would be more active near the end. No surprises. We’ll see how it pans out. So far, no panic for me.
1 Like
3 Likes
What a player! There’s a reason some players don’t go out on loans and watching him makes me understand what levels are expected from youngsters trying to break in. Just wow.
5 Likes
He seems to have watched more Stevie’s games than anyone else and has that air of arrogant kid around him but his ability isn’t too far off from matching his self-confidence. I hope Klopp and Lijnders can work with him for long time, there are a few rough edges to polish, as is expected from a teenager, but I hope to see him continue down this path. It’s always nice to have a goalscoring midfielder but I’m actually more impressed by his composure and work rate when Klopp tells him to drop down to midfield, create more of a 4-2-3-1 and try to control the tempo, make himself available for passes etc.
6 Likes
What rough edges are these?
Defensive improvement, especially in pressing, not trying to do flashy things every time he has the ball and a defender ahead of him, releasing the ball quicker… But that’s just a consequence of his self-confidence, I honestly expect him to improve on that without it having an impact on his natural game.
3 Likes
None of those are rough edges. They are all things that improve with experience.
Rough edges are things that might prevent a player getting game time what he needs is more game time.
This is why I asked, there is nodebate over loose terms like rough edges yet many will follow suit using the generalisation against including a player in the 1st team. There just isn’t anything about Jones that should exclude him from the 1st team. He can imo only improve from being included when the opportunities come.
You’ve woken up in a particularly pedantic mood. “Rough edges” is a perfectly accurate way to describe areas of a player’s game that need refining.
3 Likes
But he is a first team player already, just not a first eleven one. Potentially, he can be a really good player, which is what I want him to be, and if coaching staff help him refine these aspects, I think he can be a mainstay in the first eleven for years to come.
2 Likes
Rough edges isn’t accurate at all hence the question.
As usual you haven’t understood anything!
I note that you don’t get the pedantic badge for the 1st team stuff. 
Then the potentially can be when he already is a really good player.
I won’t go over my point again i think it can be understood if you try.
He loves scoring good goals, eh? Wonderful first touch/turn on his second one, that created the space. Though the opponent was defensively poor (we were too at times, especially start of second half), so we should not get over excited about anything or anyone last night. Good that we’re trusting him to play in that double six structure, even if it’s small games like these. He’s got good size to go with his ability, too. Still has those childish moments in the middle of the park or when he loses the ball when he slows down, but that’s still natural as he’s only 19. Involved in about 6 goals in his first 16 appearances or so for us.
If you say that a person or piece of entertainment has rough edges you mean that they have some small faults although generally you approve of them.
1 Like
Right so if I say Wijnaldum has rough edges you know exactly what I mean, good. Wijnaldum has rough edges that need improvement.
He’s undeniably skillful and his goals were both brilliant. It’s the tricks and flicks that lead him to lose the ball sometimes that I don’t like. Middle of the pitch he needs to keep it simple and retain possession even against Lincoln and we’re 5 goals up. It’s this kind of detail that JK will be working on with him. Massive talent. Really hope he lives up to his potential because we’ll have a hell of a player if he does.
So the term @Nikola used, in his second language, was entirely appropriate after all.
Tiresome exchange with Flobs #2,036.
Every young player is going to have rough edges, because by definition they aren’t the finished product yet.
They’re parts of their game that get refined, hopefully, through coaching and playing experience, and for someone like Klopp it’s entirely natural to play youngsters knowing there are parts of their game they need to improve and it’s not a barrier to them getting time.
There comes a time, for footballers, where the chance of any rough edges being refined is considerably less, and so it would be better to call them something else. So for someone like Gini, approaching 30, any missing or unrefined parts of his game aren’t rough edges, they’re shortcomings.
9 Likes
Jones’ ability to beat a defender and get a shot off was always obvious in youth football but it’s translated directly into the first team stuff too. And when he does shoot, he can absolutely belt the ball with either foot.
He’s the best young player at the club (Trent excluded) and has been for some time. If he carries on progressing I don’t think it’s too outlandish to suggest he could score 15-20 goals a season from midfield in the near future.
4 Likes
I love his efficiency on the ball. Look at the three goals he’s involved in yesterday, how few touches he uses to get the ball where he wants it. Brilliant.
I watched some u18 games on Lfc tv a few years ago, and just about the only thing I remember is the one moment that made me think he could have something special about him; when he played a pass that sort of looks like a forehand spin in tennis, a type of pass Thiago also uses now and then. But to see the player he has become between then and now is incredible. Quickly becoming a favourite.
2 Likes
Hmm, so we are still cutting ourselves over the rough edges???
1 Like