When Liverpool’s Premier League season kicked off on August 17, there was a new look to the Reds midfield. Gone was Jurgen Klopp’s aggressive workmanlike midfield that included a holding player and two box-to-box midfielders. New manager Arne Slot lined up with a double-pivot system that moved Dominik Szoboszlai closer to the striker and trusted Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch to protect a defence that looked very vulnerable at times last season. Last Word on Football looks at how the Dutchman has reinvented himself and what it means for the future of Liverpool’s midfield.
How Ryan Gravenberch Transformation Can Save Liverpool’s Midfield
Difficult Debut Season on Merseyside
Gravenberch arrived at Anfield looking to regain momentum following a frustrating season for Bayern Munich spent mostly on the Allianz Arena bench. However, he struggled to outshine other summer recruitments Endo, Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai, and slowly fell down Klopp’s pecking order.
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The Dutchman managed just 12 Premier League starts, only three of which came after February. The 22-year-old struggled to offer Liverpool’s back four any security. He won just 47% of his duels and made 0.5 interceptions per game.
Gravenberch’s struggles meant there was a mystery surrounding him going into Slot’s first season at the club. However, a new style seems to have reinvented the former Ajax wonderkid.
The Ryan Gravenberch Transformation
After a Euro 2024 where he failed to play a minute for the Netherlands, Gravenberch returned to Liverpool short of confidence. The trust shown in him by Slot in preseason would’ve gone a long way to getting the 22-year-old’s belief back.
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The Dutchman started preseason wins against Manchester United and Arsenal as the Reds deepest midfielder. Despite some teething issues, Gravenberch impressed his new manager enough to earn a start in Liverpool’s preseason opener against Ipswich Town.
Against the Tractor Boys, Gravenberch gave fans an encouraging glimpse of what he can offer in his new position. Starting in a double pivot, instead of as a box-to-box midfielder, gave the Dutchman an extra player to pass to in front of him. The 22-year-old took full advantage of this as he completed 86% of his passes.
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In Slot’s Anfield debut, Gravenberch further backed up his new manager’s faith. The Dutchman completed 93% of his passes and proved his worth defensively with six tackles and interceptions. These games were only a teaser of the true impact the 22-year-old could have.
Blowing Away Liverpool’s Rivals
Based on 2023/24’s performances, Liverpool lacked any sort of ball-winning ability in their engine room. Wataru Endo had failed to impress in the new style during preseason and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi rejected a move in favour of staying with his boyhood club. Three games in and the mood surrounding the Reds midfield couldn’t be better. They outclassed Manchester United in a convincing 3-0 win at Old Trafford and no player shone more than Gravenberch.
A game at Old Trafford is always a true test of a Liverpool team’s aspirations. In 2021 their all-conquering side beat a faltering Manchester United team 5-0. In comparison, last season the Reds lost 4-3 and drew 2-2 to Erik ten Hag’s side in games that contributed to their eventual title race collapse.
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Gravenberch’s reinvention will likely only face two stronger tests this season, the away fixtures against title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City. Yet the 22-year-old was a contender for Man of the Match as Liverpool brushed their fierce rivals aside. The Dutchman was a calming presence in a game that usually boils over. However, he was still aggressive enough to intercept Casemiro’s sloppy pass and start the move that ended in the Reds’ opening goal.
That key interception was one of four for Gravenberch at Old Trafford. His average of 2.3 per game so far this season ranks him fifth in the Premier League. The Dutchman has gone from a player who showed little effort when Liverpool didn’t have the ball last season to one of their key defensive contributors under Slot.
Ryan Gravenberch Transformation Changes Liverpool Dynamic
Liverpool are thriving without a previously recognised defensive midfielder. This changes the dynamic of their midfield and the profile of any future additions to their engine room. If Zubimendi had decided to join, Gravenberch would have probably started the season on the bench.
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The Dutchman’s “transformed” start to the season has demonstrated the type of player that will thrive in Slot’s new-look midfield. Any recruit needs to be quick with their feet, able to play out of tight spaces, and comfortable with their back-to-goal. The gritty ball winners that thrived under Klopp are no longer required in the former Feyenoord manager’s patient possession style.
Curtis Jones possesses many of the same traits as the Dutchman and, when back to full fitness, will provide another interesting option alongside Mac Allister in the double pivot. Other midfielders Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton are yet to be tested in Slot’s new system but impressed during preseason.
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Gravenberch’s success may spell the end of Endo’s short Liverpool career. The Japanese international became a key member of Klopp’s midfield last season but has barely featured so far. Perhaps Liverpool are regretting turning down a bid from Marseille for the 31-year-old this summer.
The midfielder is a symbol of the mark Slot has had on Liverpool so far and, if he continues his start to the season, the £34.6 million the Reds paid to Bayern Munich in 2023 will start to look like a bargain.
