Ryan Gravenberch: Do Liverpool have Europe’s most in-form DM? | OneFootball

Liverpool fans were understandably anxious after Jurgen Klopp’s departure this summer, but under successor Arne Slot’s leadership, it feels like business as usual, with Ryan Gravenberch enjoying a breakout season.

Limited transfer activity and no major departures, except for Thiago Alcântara, has seen the starting lineup remain mostly unchanged, with one significant exception. When healthy, the back-five defenders are the same. Mohamed Salah continues to be a threat from the right flank, while Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai control the middle of the field, albeit Gravenberch has replaced Wataru Endo, who was rumoured to be leaving.

He’s certainly made the most of an opportunity. Gravenberch, a talented graduate of Ajax’s prestigious youth program, was expected to fill the shoes of Frenkie de Jong, after making over 100 appearances, he moved to Bayern Munich where he struggled to get playing time.

Last summer, Liverpool offered an escape route but didn’t feature much in Klopp’s plans, only playing 38 times effectively as a squad player. Now 22, it seemed like he was being slowly integrated, but that’s no longer the case and in doing so the Dutchman has gone through a positional change to much acclaim.

Under the guidance of Klopp, Liverpool’s midfield featured a lone pivot (Endo) supporting two dynamic number 8s, predominantly Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, but that’s slightly changed with Gravenberch now fielded alongside Mac Allister in a double pivot, while Szoboszlai assumes a more advanced number 10 role, aligning with Slot’s preference for a 4-2-3-1 setup.

In this system, Gravenberch operates in a deep-lying role, with specific instructions to maintain a sitting position. He is often referred to as a “number six” or controller, a role he’s been familiar with since his early football days. This position demands a delicate balance between energy and discipline, with Gravenberch primarily involved in the initial build-up of attacks and tasked with retaining and recycling possession.

Positioned just in front of the mobile central defenders, he sometimes takes on the role of a “third centre-back” or, as Dutch journalist Henk Spaan once wrote, a “point guard.”

“I had a little chat with him [Slot] and he said I have to focus on the No.6 and No.8 positions,” he said in an interview with the club’s official website.

“Now I play at No.6. In the past I played it as well so I know what I have to do. I’ve enjoyed playing there. It’s a little bit of a different system than we played last season, but I think everyone has adapted to it. Now we have to build it further and further. I think at the end we can be a really dominant team.”

Gravenberch has played in all of Liverpool’s first seven Premier League matches and two Champions League games, completing the full 90 minutes each time. As a result, the Reds have conceded 24 shots on target so far in the Premier League this season, with only defending champions Manchester City (22) and Tottenham (23) performing better in this aspect.

He’s also been part of a team that has conceded just 0.29 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League and has kept five clean sheets. From an individual perspective, Gravenberch has won 1.72 tackles per 90 and boasts a retention rate of 88.42%. His open-play passing accuracy is an impressive 89.34%.

As touched upon, Gravenberch has a natural talent for maintaining possession and recycling the ball. He ranks in the top 80-95 percentile for central midfielders in terms of interceptions (1.72 per 90 minutes) and accurate forward passes (13.74 per 90 minutes).

It has subsequently given him a current Squawka Score rating of 76% based on the statistical leaders for metrics relevant to their positions. Gravenberch is currently the best ‘number six’ in Europe’s top five leagues. If he continues on this path, he will soon be celebrated for more than just his form but will be considered the undisputed elite number six in Europe, fulfilling the promise that many saw in him.