Ryan Gravenberch

[Exiled_red]

I hope so because anyone who keeps a fully fit Thiago (I know I know) out of the team will have to be in exceptional form.


Though the thought of a fit Thiago in the same team with any two from Szobo, MacAllister, Jones and Gravenberch is mouth watering.

Or having Thiago to come on for the final 30 minutes of games.


Speaks volumes for our fit midfielders that we are not missing a player like Thiago and if we get a player that smothers play like Andre, it makes it even more difficult for Thiago to get back in.

I keep forgetting about Thiago

He's a top quality player, but at the moment it doesn't feel like we are missing him, I don't think he will be at the club beyond the summer so I'm not sure how much game time he will get or what his role will be when he is fit. If things are still working well then I am not sure we will want to disrupt a working team to accommodate a player who won't be here in a little over 6 months time, so I guess he will mostly be coming off the bench.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I keep forgetting about Thiago

He's a top quality player, but at the moment it doesn't feel like we are missing him, I don't think he will be at the club beyond the summer so I'm not sure how much game time he will get or what his role will be when he is fit. If things are still working well then I am not sure we will want to disrupt a working team to accommodate a player who won't be here in a little over 6 months time, so I guess he will mostly be coming off the bench.

Think his role, if he gets a run of being fit, is pretty much going to be the same as that of Matip.

Both capable of providing top quality cover until they leave on frees come the summer.

Would like for us to be getting in some new faces in January whilst we still have both though.

Can only be good for the guys we bought in the summer (and hopefully those that arrive in January) to have the players they are replacing still there to show them the ropes whilst they settle in.

[Exiled_red]

Think his role, if he gets a run of being fit, is pretty much going to be the same as that of Matip.

Both capable of providing top quality cover until they leave on frees come the summer.

Would like for us to be getting in some new faces in January whilst we still have both though.

Can only be good for the guys we bought in the summer (and hopefully those that arrive in January) to have the players they are replacing still there to show them the ropes whilst they settle in.

Matip is more of a 'concern' from that perspective as he seems to be next in line after VVD and Konate, ahead of Gomez, to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if we offered Matip another year.

[RedReet]

Matip is more of a 'concern' from that perspective as he seems to be next in line after VVD and Konate, ahead of Gomez, to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if we offered Matip another year.

If he remains relatively fit, I agree, could see an extension for him. Would be pleased to see it too, again, if he can stay fit.

[rudedog]

I really think we should swap him with Mac Allister

Nah, Gravenberch is now ahead of Alexis as an 8.

I was a bit confused when we bought Gravenberch as we were already well covered with Szoboslai, Alexis, Jones and Elliot.

I'm now starting to think that we won't be back in for a specialist DM (Andre etc) and that Klopp has planned to stick with Alexis, Endo, Bajcetic and Thiago as DMs for this season.

[Charly]

That would be a mistake. Mac Allister is never going to be a world class DM, and without one we wont get back to the very top.He does a decent job, to be sure. But to make up the margins we need a top class ball winner who can also cut out the higher balls.

I think Gravernberch has looked good but Macca has played a couple of games in a weakened side in his best position. Not sure its fair to say Grav is first choice, as its not a fair comparison.

Its exciting have a broad choice. Probably the strongest midfield in depth since the 80s

[Rafa Justice]

It’s going to be difficult for Thiago to get a start when he finally returns

Who?

[John Barnes]

I subbed him on in fifa and the **** got injured within 30 seconds

[Liverpool]

Iwobi on the last page, Palmer on here. Who knows what page 6 will bring

[Shaggy]

Lijnders on Grav from today's presser...probably puts to bed any notion of us converting him to a 6. Reckon we'll be all in for Andre in January.

"It is the Ryan Gravenberch of Ajax that we see now. I'm not sure what happened at Bayern, you cannot judge that, but each player with confidence and without confidence is a different player. Each player with game-time or without game-time is a different player.

"That's how it is. That's why the Carabao Cup is really important for us as well because we know this and we feel this: a player who doesn't play doesn't get confident. You can do whatever you want on the training pitch, but in the end that's about it.

"Ryan in the final third, as an eight, is the one who slides, the one who still has overview, the one who has a first touch with his left or right to get out of a situation, out of proper pressure. He can keep the ball under high pressure and still find the passing option forward. He is a complete, complete eight with scoring and with attitude. It is the eight we searched for and the eight we got. We are thankful to our owners and our scouting and everyone who made it happen.

"It's nice he is Dutch as well!"

[Pablo]

Good! He has the potential to be world class as an 8 IMO.

Andre will be an interesting one if we do actually sign him. He averages over 90 passes per game, so if we do get him he will likely run things from that 6 position a bit like Thiago.

I think Andre, Sbozslai and Gravenberch is a very, very exciting midfield. With outstanding competition in MacAllister, Jones, Elliot, Endo, Bajcectic.

Quite the midfield overhaul!

[Liverpool]

I think Dom has the attributes to be the best 6, not that I want him there.

[rudedog]

Grav said that Klopp was clear from the outset that he was bringing him in to play as an 8.

[Fosterbloke]

Imagine being 21 and having that written about you - we have a go at players and how they might not be good enough but imagine the pressure they're under. I was getting stoned in car parks at that age!

[baitman]

Stealing a living