View: 86% Ryan Gravenberch could be answer to Liverpool midfield problem
Liverpool have had a stellar pre-season campaign so far with the club winning their last two games against Premier League opposition.
Their most recent clash was against rivals Manchester United, who they managed to triumph over 3-0.
One area of the squad that seemed to need improvement last term was that of midfield. After the exit of Fabinho, Alexis Mac Allister was forced into the unnatural role of defensive midfield.
Whilst the World Cup winner managed to put in a stellar performance across the campaign, there’s no doubt that he is better in a more attacking role.
This is where Ryan Gravenberch comes in. The Dutchman was in the centre of the midfield three for the Reds and often dropped back into the defence if and when needed.
His performance during the 66 minutes he was on the pitch was strong and, in reality, he put in a solid shift.
Ryan Gravenberch impresses for Liverpool vs Manchester United
Liverpool managed to triumph 3-0 over Erik ten Hag’s men on 4 August and showed that they mean business this term.
As per Sofascore, Gravenberch had a good game. Throughout the tie, he managed to touch the ball a total of 46 times and found a team-mate from 86 per cent of the passes he attempted.
Although zero ended up being key passes that had a lasting impact on the game, it shows that he managed to control the centre of the park for Arne Slot’s men.
Gravenberch made one attempt at a long ball and unfortunately failed to get this on target.
As his role was quite defensive, the attacker didn’t have a part to play in any of the Reds’ three goals or even a shot of his own.
However, it’s his defensive work where his talent shone. Much like Stefan Bajcetic did back in the 2022/23 season, this could be the time for Gravenberch to show his worth.
In terms of tackles made, the Dutchman made two and also managed to intercept the ball three times.
Gravenberch did, however, manage to lose possession of the ball a total of eight times.
Whilst there’s still evidently some work to do, this game shows that the 22-year-old has the talent to become something special.
Liverpool need to coach Ryan Gravenberch to play number-six role
Last season was fairly rough for Jurgen Klopp’s men. They did manage to finish in third place but there were times when many thought that the Reds would get their second Premier League title with the German.
Unfortunately, this didn’t happen and Manchester City managed to grasp the title once again.
But, if the Reds’ pre-season is anything to go by, that could be changing, especially if Slot can train Gravenberch to become the club’s defensive midfielder.
His range of passing is second to none and there’s no denying his defensive capabilities.
Whilst he may see himself as more of an attacking midfielder, with the likes of Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai within the club’s ranks, his future would be far more secure as a number six.
The fact that the former Bayern Munich man is still in his early-20s only further outlines why this could be the best way for Gravenberch to forge his future at Liverpool.
With the recent rumours around Wataru Endo exiting the club [The Athletic, 30 July], his opportunity to impress could come sooner than he thinks.
In other Liverpool news, Curtis Jones has been one of the big winners of Slot’s arrival at Anfield.
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