Jones explains technology role
Brad Jones has explained why the increasing role of technology in football is helping goalkeepers prepare better than ever before to face the opposition.
Like his teammates, the Australian makes use of footage supplied by Liverpool's analysis team to help ensure he's fully clued up on who and what he's likely to encounter in his next match.
Jones explained to Liverpoolfc.com: "As a team we watch videos and clips on how the opposition play and certain things they tend to do during a game.
"As a goalkeeper, you want to see the strikers, midfielders, free-kick deliveries, corners and shot techniques. It's something that as I've got older I've maybe taken more notice of. When you're young you can be naive, go out there and play and think that everything is going to just happen.
"We do watch a lot and you've got to try and take any advantage you can on an opponent's strengths and weaknesses.
"If you're seeing what the opposition do a high percentage of the time, you do have it in your head that it might happen. It just gets you prepared for what might come."
Having studied the opposition in meticulous detail, match-specific training routines are drawn up at Melwood to help ready the players.
It's the same for the goalkeepers.
"Training sometimes differs," explained Jones. "If you're playing against a team that throws the ball in the box a lot, you might do more crossing. If you're playing against a team that might cut the ball back more than cross, we might work on that.
"In terms of video and clips, it's basically the same on whoever we're playing. The coaches work with the analysts to get those clips together. There are quite a few people behind the scenes working on things."
Liverpool's stoppers are helped in their preparations by goalkeeping coach John Achterberg.
Jones admits he enjoys a good relationship with the Dutchman and believes he's had an influence on his form over the course of his 15 first-team games this season.
He said: "John's good. He's enthusiastic, he likes to try and change things up and make sure all the categories are covered on what we work on. He's a hard worker and loves looking into the game, making sure we know what is coming.
"He's someone that I have got a decent relationship with - you can talk to him, talk about things that have happened, other games you've seen and something happened."
He continued: "I think a lot of goalkeeping isn't about the physical side - it's about the mental side, too, and being prepared for the unexpected.
"You can play against players who'll do something you've never seen before and you've got to be ready. We're fortunate here that we've got those types of players, so maybe we don't have to worry about them as much! He has been a big help for me this year and I've really enjoyed it."