Ryan Gravenberch didn’t have a happy time at Liverpool FC last year, but since the arrival of Arne Slot, everything has changed. The Dutchman is now indispensable in the starting lineup.
Gravenberch on Slot: ‘After the Euros, he called me and said he wanted to give me a chance’
“I think under Klopp we played more directly and did a lot of counter-pressing,” Gravenberch tells The Guardian. “I think we did very well, but with this manager, it’s more about good positioning, being able to kill opponents with passes, and building up from the back.”
At Liverpool, Gravenberch plays as a ‘6’. “It feels good, but honestly, I still need to adapt more because I’m not a natural defensive number 6. Early in my career, I was more of an attacking midfielder. I think the first few games were really good, but I need to keep improving. We have a lot of possession and I have a lot of possession, and that’s what I wanted, so it feels good, it feels comfortable.”
He received tips from his teammates. “I spoke with Macca (Alexis Mac Allister, ed.) because he played there a lot last season, and also with Wataru Endo. How they did it, anticipating where the ball might come, it was just some small conversations.” In the summer, Gravenberch had an extensive conversation with Slot. “After the Euros, he called me and said he wanted to give me a chance. Then he said: I want you to focus on the number 8 position, but I also want to see you as a number 6. My initial reaction was very positive because as a player, it doesn’t matter much where you play, as long as you can play. When I was at Ajax, I filled that role too, although not much, so I knew a bit about what I needed to do.”