Ryan Gravenberch has recalled the moment that Arne Slot first told him he’d be playing in a defensive midfield role for Liverpool this season.
Having struggled to hold down a starting berth in his first year with the Reds, the 22-year-old has been redeployed as a number 6 by the new head coach, with immediate results.
The ex-Bayern Munich youngster has been one of the standout players at Anfield since the start of the campaign, and in an interview with the official LFC website, he revealed his enthusiasm for the game-changing tactical tweak by his fellow Dutchman.
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Gravenberch said: “It came quite naturally. When I first spoke with the coach he said to me, ‘I see you as a No.8 like last season, but I want to try you as a No.6 as well.’ So, I was like, ‘OK, yeah, we can do it!’ I said to him, ‘Of course, we can do it!’ and the rest is history.
“Now he sees me as a No.6! It goes really well. We’ll have to see. Hopefully my aim is to be consistent every game.”
Although Gravenberch had been no stranger to playing as a number 6 – Erik ten Hag frequently used him in that role at Ajax in the past – the maturity and competency that he’s shown this season illustrates that he’s reached another level to his game.
His effectiveness as a midfield anchor is reflected in him having the second-highest averages at Liverpool for tackles (2.5) and interceptions (1.7) per match in the campaign so far, while only two teammates have completed more dribbles than him and no Reds player has been fouled more often (WhoScored).
Those statistics suggest that the 22-year-old is excelling as a ball-winner and then making very good use of it once he gains possession, galloping through the opposition at will and keeping the play ticking over expertly.
It speaks to Gravenberch’s tremendous attitude that he reacted so enthusiastically to Slot informing him that he’d be playing in a deeper role this season; and while some pundits are still withholding judgement until he comes up against the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid, nobody can deny that he’s been revitalised by the tactical tweak from his new boss.
On the evidence of recent weeks, the Dutchman must be relishing the prospect of pitting himself against the best that the Premier League and Champions League has to offer. In turn, they won’t be overly enthused at the thought of having to stifle his ever-increasing influence.