Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch switched from inside-half to the bottom of midfield when Arne Slot took over as head coach. Despite initial misgivings, he has responded to his appointment with top-level performances since the start of the Premier League season.
He has also continued his good form for the Dutch national team and is enjoying an awakening season.
It is still early days and he will need to maintain his current level of play throughout the season, but given his current continuity, you can’t help but feel he has the potential to be a key player in the team in the final stages of the season.
The 22-year-old defensive midfielder was also named Player of the Match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who spent time at Manchester United and Bayern Munich, has argued that a defensive midfield specialist is in need.
“He has done brilliantly well, but he is not a defensive midfield player, which is fine because when you are playing teams like this. He is 190cm. He is 22-years-old, he has got everything. But he is not a specialist defensive midfield player.”
“There is a difference. I think he is a brilliant midfield player, box to box depending on who you play, but I think in a big game, is a one-off game to go and win the Premier League or the Champions League, I think you need a specialist. Liverpool showed that with Fabinho and City showed that with Rodri.”
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Players who can single-handedly protect the bottom of midfield are not a priority, as head coach Slot demands different abilities from his defensive midfielders compared to the role required of former Brazilian midfielder Fabinho at Anfield and Spanish midfielder Rhodri at Manchester City.
Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo has not played many games for the same reason, as evidenced by the fact that he pursued Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi this summer.
If Hargreaves’ claims are to be taken on board, the formation and style of play also needs to change when playing against clubs of a higher or similar level, but as long as the combination with Alexis Mac Allister is working, it has to be said that it is a poorly founded opinion.