You may forgive Liverpool supporters for having been involved that Jurgen Klopp’s departure in the summertime of 2024 would result in a interval of decline at Anfield.
The German led the membership again to glory throughout his spell that lasted greater than 9 years, successful the Premier League and the Champions League throughout his tenure.
You solely have to take a look at Arsenal and Manchester United for the reason that departures of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson to see how an exit like that may be robust to recuperate from, as neither of these golf equipment have received a Premier League title with out Wenger or Ferguson.
Nonetheless, Arne Slot arrived from Feyenoord to interchange Klopp within the dugout and hit the bottom operating by successful the league title in his first 12 months at Anfield.
The Dutch head coach was a breath of recent air within the Premier League final season together with his facet’s gung-ho method to matches. They had been extremely enjoyable to observe.
One of many gamers who has benefitted probably the most from the managerial change from Klopp to Slot is defensive midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who has been remodeled over the previous 18 months or so.
How Arne Slot saved Ryan Gravenberch’s Liverpool profession
Liverpool signed the Netherlands worldwide from Bayern Munich in the summertime of 2023 to bolster their choices in the midst of the park, however he endured a irritating first season at Anfield.
Gravenberch solely began 12 of his 26 appearances within the Premier League underneath Klopp and primarily performed because the left-sided central midfielder, tasked with getting ahead to assist the assault.
It was a task that didn’t go well with the Dutch midfielder and his performances in that place led to his future at Anfield being thrown into doubt. Turkish giants Galatasaray had been even linked with a transfer for his companies in April 2024.
Nonetheless, Slot’s arrival on the membership later that summer season saved Gravenberch’s profession on the membership, as a result of the pinnacle coach accurately profiled the place he can be greatest, on the base of the midfield as a quantity six.
Ryan Gravenberch (Premier League) | 23/24 | 24/25 |
|---|---|---|
Appearances (begins) | 26 (12) | 37 (37) |
Move accuracy | 83% | 89% |
Assists | 0 | 4 |
Tackles + interceptions per sport | 1.5 | 3.4 |
Clearances per sport | 0.4 | 1.5 |
Floor duel success fee | 47% | 56% |
Aerial duel success fee | 42% | 65% |
Stats by way of Sofascore | ||
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, the Dutchman began all 37 of his appearances within the Premier League after being moved to a defensive midfield position, and his statistics present that it was a tactical transfer that paid off in a giant manner.
Gravenberch began all 49 of his appearances within the 2024/25 marketing campaign for the Reds and earned a spot within the PFA Staff of the 12 months for his performances as a quantity six.
The 23-year-old star seems to be set to be a key participant for Slot and Liverpool for a lot of extra years to come back, after a robust begin to the 2025/26 marketing campaign with two targets and two assists to date, per Sofascore.
In addition to having the person himself, Liverpool even have a formidable teenage central midfielder who has the potential to be a homegrown model of Gravenberch sooner or later.
Trey Nyoni began in the midst of the park for the Reds towards Championship facet Southampton on Tuesday night time and the distinction in his efficiency within the first half to the second half was akin to Gravenberch’s growth all through his profession at Anfield.
Why Trey Nyoni could also be Liverpool’s subsequent quantity eight
As an academy graduate who performs in central midfield, the 18-year-old star might have his eyes set on grabbing the quantity eight shirt from Dominik Szoboszlai sooner or later.
The Hungary worldwide is the star who presently wears it, however it was academy graduate Steven Gerrard who actually gave it which means together with his 186 targets in 710 matches for the membership in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
Nyoni has primarily donned the quantity eight shirt at youth degree for Liverpool, which suggests that he’s a fan of the quantity, and as a homegrown expertise from the academy, he might wish to emulate even a small share of what Gerrard achieved with the quantity eight shirt at Anfield.
Regardless of this, it’s the quantity six place the place Nyoni’s future might lie after what he confirmed on the pitch towards Southampton within the League Cup on Tuesday night time.
The England U19 worldwide began the sport as a quantity ten behind Alexander Isak, however didn’t look suited to taking part in that place. Nonetheless, when Curtis Jones got here off for Conor Bradley after 57 minutes, Nyoni dropped deeper and took management of the sport.
Vs Southampton | Trey Nyoni |
|---|---|
Minutes | 90 |
Move accuracy | 96% |
Passes accomplished | 43/45 |
Key passes | 0 |
Duels received | 2/4 |
Clearances | 3 |
Blocks | 1 |
Tackles + interceptions | 3 |
Dribbled previous per sport | 0x |
Stats by way of Sofascore | |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, his statistics seemed way more like what you’d count on from a defensive midfielder than a quantity ten, playmaker, sort.
Nyoni didn’t register any pictures on the right track or create any probabilities for his staff while taking part in as a quantity ten, however his defensive contributions and reliability as a passer when dropped right into a deep-lying position proved that he has a future as a quantity six.
As Liverpool-focused author Lewis Bower famous after the match, the 18-year-old expertise seemed way more “influential” when he dropped right into a deeper midfield place, somewhat than as an attacking midfielder.
His metronomic passing in the midst of the park coupled together with his defensive power means that he might have the potential to turn into the subsequent Gravenberch sooner or later, as he’s 5 years youthful than the Dutchman.
Gravenberch’s Liverpool profession took lift-off after being moved from an attacking or central midfield place to being a quantity six. Nyoni’s attributes counsel {that a} comparable positional change might forge a future for him within the first-team at Anfield.
That might, due to this fact, set him on his path to earn the quantity eight shirt at Liverpool, as he seems to be to observe in Gerrard’s footsteps from the academy to first-team fame.
