'Outstanding' and 'a revelation' - Gravenberch's Liverpool transformation

In only a fewer months, Ryan Gravenberch has transformed his Liverpool career.

From a squad subordinate past play nether Jurgen Klopp, he now looks a complete midfielder pinch Arne Slot successful charge.

The 22-year-old Netherlands world again impressed connected Wednesday pinch different all-action capacity arsenic nan Reds battled to a 2-0 triumph complete Bologna, acknowledgment to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah.

Gravenberch was superb erstwhile more, pinch his capacity including a match-high 18 passes successful nan last third, a passing accuracy of 91.1%, 3 successful dribbles and 4 duels won, while he besides gained possession 9 times.

"I was delighted pinch him," said leader Slot, who has now won 8 of his first 9 matches successful complaint - nan first Liverpool head to do so.

"Ryan was again outstanding. I don't opportunity that to players astatine half-time because location is still 45 minutes to spell but I said aft nan crippled 'again, large performance'."

Although Gravenberch operated mostly arsenic 1 of 2 protect midfielders, he was still a threat going forward. In nan opening 90 seconds he recovered himself connected nan correct wing, pinch neither Darwin Nunez nor Luis Diaz capable to person a vulnerable cross, and later created further chances for Nunez and Salah.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger told BBC Match of nan Day: The number six domiciled successful midfield is not easy but erstwhile you watch Ryan Gravenberch he makes it look easy.

"He is enjoying nan play truthful acold nether Arne Slot. Players are looking for him successful possession, he keeps looking for nan abstraction and pushing connected erstwhile he can. He doesn't conscionable spell backmost into his position, he goes connected nan overlap astatine times.

"That shows nan assurance he has connected nan transportation astatine nan moment. I respect nan thrust he has, nan dynamism he brings to nan game."

Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch added connected TNT Sports: "They tried Curtis Jones and Gravenberch was benignant of untested successful that number six role, but what a revelation he's been.

"He's been first class, he's made nan garment his own. What I for illustration astir him, we talk astir breaking nan lines each nan clip and astir of nan clip you break nan lines pinch a cardinal pass, pinch a guardant pass.

"He tin do it for illustration that but besides by moving he tin hit 2 aliases 3 group successful nan midfield, he's attacking nan defence done to nan centre-half and that creates abstraction for wide men for illustration Diaz and Salah, for him to beryllium capable to gaffe in.

"Also a number six has to do nan soiled activity for illustration that, get yourself successful and make tackles."

A £35m signing from Bayern Munich successful nan summertime of 2023, Gravenberch could person been forgiven for worrying astir his Liverpool future.

He started only 12 Premier League matches successful Klopp's past season, pinch nan Reds past adjacent to signing Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, only for nan subordinate to cull a move.

Gravenberch has surely taken his opportunity aft impressing successful a protect midfield domiciled connected a pre-season circuit of nan United States against Manchester United, and past against Sevilla backmost astatine Anfield.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live past month, said: "I was successful Philadelphia pinch nan team. I said to Gravenberch location connected nan training crushed and I told him this was going to beryllium his year.

"Arne Slot brings nan afloat imaginable retired of nan players - and particularly nan younger players. This is nan Gravenberch from Ajax - this is really he plays. He went to Bayern Munich and they didn't usage him, aliases didn't consciousness he was that bully - but we cognize really bully he is.

"Arne uses nan number six successful nan build-up and it suits him [Gravenberch] perfectly."

Gravenberch was man of nan lucifer successful nan 3-1 distant triumph complete AC Milan, earning a spot successful Uefa's squad of nan round, and was again nan prima performer successful nan 2-1 triumph astatine Wolves.

After that crippled connected Saturday, Gravenberch said: "This play I wanted to show myself again and I americium really happy.

"He [Slot] put maine successful nan starting 11 and that gave maine a batch of confidence."

After that win, Slot admitted to being impressed by nan protect strengths of his chap Dutchman and added: "To beryllium wholly honest, that amazed maine because I cognize him from nan Dutch league, but Bayern Munich and Jurgen [Klopp] did a existent bully occupation to make him besides amended without nan ball, and that's what we are taking nan benefits of correct now.

"He's conscionable very comfortable connected nan ball, and that helps nan squad if you want to person a possession-based style of play."

While nan goals of Diaz and Salah person grabbed nan headlines arsenic nan Reds person gone apical of nan Premier League, reached nan past 16 of nan Carabao Cup and made a cleanable commencement to their Champions League campaign, Gravenberch has been a cardinal portion of nan squad and made a lawsuit for being nan astir improved player.

"You'd beryllium hard-pressed to find different subordinate who's gone from making very small impact, to each of a abrupt looking for illustration he should perfectly clasp down a regular spot successful nan starting line-up," said BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Mike Hughes.

"In his first play pinch Liverpool, location were decent contributions successful immoderate matches but not capable of them to person Jurgen Klopp that he could nail down a spot successful his first 11.

"Arne Slot whitethorn only person been present for nan footballing balanced of 5 minutes, but already he's had a transformative effect connected his Anfield career."

Gravenberch has operated arsenic portion of a double pivot - thing that has fixed Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai much state to attack.

"The caller Reds head sees playing Ryan Gravenberch arsenic a deeper lying midfielder successful nan number six domiciled arsenic crucial. At 6ft 2in (1.87m) he's taller than a emblematic cardinal midfielder, but he sounds nan crippled good capable to spot nan imaginable for threat and covers nan crushed quickly.

"Those qualities enables him to intercept nan shot successful that cardinal cardinal area. His usage of nan shot has besides improved markedly. His passing has go overmuch much meticulous and truthful he's capable to get Liverpool backmost connected nan beforehand ft immediately."

Jordan Chamberlain, editor of Empire of nan Kop website, called Gravenberch "the champion midfielder successful nan state this season" and added: "Liverpool didn't bargain a caller number six this summer, overmuch to nan dismay of nan fanbase.

"But if we had done and they had performed arsenic good arsenic Gravenberch, we would beryllium losing nan plot. The Dutchman has been sensational."