It was a moment that perfectly encapsulated the transformation of Ryan Gravenberch.
When Alisson rolled the ball out to him late in the first half, the Dutch midfielder was under immediate pressure as two Bologna players closed him down.
Sizing up his options, Gravenberch calmly flicked it between them into space, dropped his shoulder and glided across the turf to collect it. Suddenly, he was bursting across halfway and picking out Luis Diaz wide on the left. A capacity Anfield crowd purred in appreciation.
So composed, so elegant, so confident, so effective.
The early months of Arne Slot’s reign have been packed with success stories, but none come close to rivalling the upturn in the output of Gravenberch.
On a night when Mohamed Salah created the opener for Alexis Mac Allister and scored the second with a stunning finish, the former Ajax youngster was once again Liverpool’s most eye-catching performer in the 2-0 win over Bologna. It is becoming a habit.
Gravenberch completed 41 of his 45 passes (91 per cent), including 14 out of 18 (78 per cent) in the final third and created two chances against the Serie A outfit. He won possession on nine occasions — more than anyone else on the pitch.
The improvement since he was repurposed by the new head coach at the base of Liverpool’s midfield has been vast. His ability to operate in tight areas was crucial to ensuring Slot’s side were not stifled by Bologna’s man-marking system. He kept driving the hosts forward.
“There are a few ways to overload or outplay them and one of them is definitely a player who can drive with the ball, dribble with the ball and outplay someone because if you outplay someone you immediately have an overload and that is what happened,” Slot said.
“Ryan was outstanding again with his dribbling ability and that was important against this team. But if we only focus on the dribbles he had then we forget maybe how important he is without the ball, where he does a lot of work and wins a lot of second balls as well.”
Gravenberch’s first season at Liverpool following his £34million ($45m) move from Bayern Munich on deadline day in September 2023 was uninspiring. After becoming the final piece in the midfield rebuild, he made 38 appearances in all competitions but 17 of them were off the bench as he remained on the fringes.
With Jurgen Klopp favouring Mac Allister or Wataru Endo as the No 6, Gravenberch was competing with the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott for a start in a more advanced role.
He showed flashes of quality but it was never sustained. Stamina was a major issue as he only completed 90 minutes for Liverpool twice throughout 2023-24.
In contrast, the 22-year-old has played the full 90 in all eight Premier League and Champions League matches this season. He looks physically stronger, using his body intelligently to keep opponents at bay, as well as being more composed in possession and increasingly tactically astute.
It is ironic that Liverpool’s standout performer this season has been occupying the position that many feared would be an area of vulnerability after the failed attempt to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in August.
Liverpool were ready and waiting to pay his €60m buyout clause when the Spain international, who had indicated he wanted the move to happen, back-tracked under pressure from his boyhood club.
If Zubimendi had arrived at Anfield then it is highly likely Gravenberch would have been on the bench regularly. Fate played a part in the Dutchman being thrust into the spotlight, but he has grasped the opportunity given to him.
Zubimendi, who won the Euros with Spain, eventually turned down a move to Anfield (Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Liverpool did not pursue a Plan B after missing out on Zubimendi because they felt there was not a suitable alternative with a similar profile on the market. It was a bold call in the circumstances given the clamour for transfers, but it was fuelled by Slot’s belief that the best option at that stage was Gravenberch.
The former Feyenoord coach had watched him shine in a deep midfield role for Ajax as a teenager and was confident that with the right support and guidance he could deliver. It helped that Slot wanted a ball-playing No 6 rather than a destroyer-type like Fabinho, as that fitted Gravenberch’s skillset.
In the space of a few months, he has gone from the periphery to being at the heart of a new era. He is growing in stature with each display. Potential is being fulfilled and the balance of the midfield is working well, with the reassuring presence of Mac Allister alongside him, while Szoboszlai, who was much improved against Bologna, is given licence to push on.
Gravenberch’s name is being chanted louder by the Kop each week to the tune that once belonged to fellow Dutchman Georginio Wijnaldum. He is similarly industrious but boasts an added dose of flair.
The caveat is that tougher tests lie ahead, with games against Chelsea and Arsenal to come this month. Gravenberch has come up with the answers to everything that has been thrown his way. On form, you would not swap him for anyone.
(Top photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
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