Ryan Gravenberch | signs for Liverpool

[CM]

If this is true then I think this is the first signs that ETH has lost his grip on the situation and is getting desperate. To abandon his plan after 2 games would be a huge concession that he's got it wrong and wasted a load of money. And what's worse, millions of average joe football fans could have told him this.

It's not a good reflection on his talent ID but I'd much rather have a coach who reacts on the fly even if he has made a mistake to one whose stubbornness has a detrimental effect on the team. Ideally we'd have a better recruitment structure in place but we are where we are.

 

[Rozay]

Maybe because they both looked gassed after the first half of Spurs

Which is why Eriksen was brought on. The ability of Bruno and Mount to play for 90mins is the least of our concerns.

 

[MadMike]

Scott McTominay it is then so.

Okay? Why is McTominay worse than fecking Gravenberch all of a sudden?

Also, Eriksen and VDB (even young Mejbri or Amad) can be cover for Bruno and Mount.

 

[pocco]

Scott McTominay it is then so.

I'm just saying he have Eriksen who can also play that advanced midfield role - he was never suitable for the role ETH has used him in.

In my opinion we need cover for Casemiro and/or another midfielder that is suitable to playing deep, offering defensive support but also being good on the ball. I suspect ETH is panicking and trying to abandon his plan of Casemiro + two 10's, but we will see.

 

[CallyRed]

We'd knock Liverpool off their berch again

 

[pocco]

It's not a good reflection on his talent ID but I'd much rather have a coach who reacts on the fly even if he has made a mistake to one whose stubbornness has a detrimental effect on the team. Ideally we'd have a better recruitment structure in place but we are where we are.

The thing is, how little conviction must he have in his plan if he is abandoning it already? And why could he not foresee these issues when we all could? It isn't a good look for him. In addition to that, he's burning through cash trying to make something work, whilst other managers are transforming teams with little investment. I just feel we're in yet another unsustainable situation here and it's going to send us into a deeper hole than when he started.

 

[Mickeza]

You think he's similar to Onana? So you think Gravenberch could cover Casemiro?

Onana plays as an 8 for Everton - not as a 6. I think Mctominay is leaving and Gravenberch/Onana/Thuram who we’re supposedly scouting will replace him. Mount will compete for a starting spot like everyone else. He can also play wide and if he does play on the left he’ll have this unique ability in that unlike rashford, Garnacho and Sancho he isn’t monumentally shit off-the-ball.

 

[Real Name]

The thing is, how little conviction must he have in his plan if he is abandoning it already? And why could he not foresee these issues when we all could? It isn't a good look for him. In addition to that, he's burning through cash trying to make something work, whilst other managers are transforming teams with little investment. I just feel we're in yet another unsustainable situation here and it's going to send us into a deeper hole than when he started.

What is he abandoning exactly?
Its just your hunch and you're panicking on it.

 

[pocco]

Onana plays as an 8 for Everton - not a 6.

But his strengths lie primarily in winning the ball. And he is quite average on the ball.

 

[cyberman]

Okay? Why is McTominay worse than fecking Gravenberch all of a sudden?

Also, Eriksen and VDB (even young Mejbri or Amad) can be cover for Bruno and Mount.

If Ten Hag thought they could play in a double 8 formation we would have started playing like this last season?
I don’t blame Ten Hag one bit for improving the quality of the squad

 

[qzizzle]

man I have some news for you, Gravenberch profile is closer to a 10 than anything else

 

[Rozay]

This looks like Ten Hag trying to replace his last midfield signing in the team within the same window to me. The man is looking more and more clueless to me.

Can we please just go and buy Nico Barrella and be done with it? A proper ‘midfielder’. Not a converted version of anything. A midfielder who cam simply run, tackle, carry, pass, attack and defend to a high level.

 

[pocco]

What is he abandoning exactly?
Its just your hunch and you're panicking on it.

His new midfield structure.

 

[Real Name]

His new midfield structure.

Why? Cause we're apparently in for Gravenbarch?

Thats a big assumption there.

 

[MadMike]

The thing is, how little conviction must he have in his plan if he is abandoning it already? And why could he not foresee these issues when we all could? It isn't a good look for him. In addition to that, he's burning through cash trying to make something work, whilst other managers are transforming teams with little investment. I just feel we're in yet another unsustainable situation here and it's going to send us into a deeper hole than when he started.

You guys are working on the assumption he wants to abandon the plan. That makes no sense to me. He started all of last season with Eriksen next to Casemiro. Now he swapped Eriksen for Mount. If he didn't abandon that philosophy all last year, and I see no sign of abandoning that philosophy now.

I reckon he just wants a good plan B, because not every game is the same. At the moment, we don't have a second DM. McTominay isn't a DM. Mainoo is injured. In some games, or some phases of some games, you might want to have 2 holding midfielders. Or have a back-up in case Casemiro gets injured/suspended.

 

[pocco]

Why? Cause we're apparently in for Gravenbarch?

Thats a big assumption there.

You think he'll sign him for the bench? He wants to leave Bayern for playing time - good luck selling that idea to him.

 

[CM]

The thing is, how little conviction must he have in his plan if he is abandoning it already? And why could he not foresee these issues when we all could? It isn't a good look for him. In addition to that, he's burning through cash trying to make something work, whilst other managers are transforming teams with little investment. I just feel we're in yet another unsustainable situation here and it's going to send us into a deeper hole than when he started.

I think it's a pretty terrible plan so I have no issues with him abandoning it, personally. I agree on all other points, he should be held accountable for the Mount signing because it's a pretty major feck up but in the circumstances I'd prefer him to acknowledge the error and make the change than wilfully ignore it.

We need to reform our recruitment process properly, but the only hope I have of that actually happening is if we change ownership. We've been promised change in that respect for several years now, and nearly every year we still operate in the same way. The manager has too much sway in choosing targets as things stand.

 

[Mickeza]

But his strengths lie primarily in winning the ball. And he is quite average on the ball.

No they don’t and no he isn’t. His strengths lie in his physicality.

 

[pocco]

You guys are working on the assumption he wants to abandon the plan. That makes no sense to me. He started all of last season with Eriksen next to Casemiro. Now he swapped Eriksen for Mount. If he didn't abandon that philosophy all last year, and I see no sign of abandoning that philosophy now.

I reckon he just wants a good plan B, because not every game is the same. At the moment, we don't have a second DM. McTominay isn't a DM. Mainoo is injured. In some games, or some phases of some games, you might want to have 2 holding midfielders. Or have a back-up in case Casemiro gets injured/suspended.

He didn't simply swap Eriksen for Mount though did he. The way he has us set up is completely different.

Fair enough if you think it's a plan B, we'll just have to see how it unfolds.

 

[sullydnl]

Now this transfer, I wouldn't understand.

In the system we're currently playing he'd be competing with Bruno/Mount for the two AM spots. Which, fine, competition is good and all. But absolutely nobody is calling out for more AMs to compete with Bruno/Mount when we have a) no real cover for Casemiro and b) scant options if we want to change the system away from the two AM set up for certain games.

Though it's also worth bearing in mind that if you're looking to sell Gravenberch, it's the easiest thing in the world to link him to ETH's United. So it'll take more than the likes of Luckhurst reporting it to convince me it's legit.

All that said, some reports have suggested it'll be a loan so if it's that in addition to what we plan to do anyway to address other issues then that's maybe more explicable.

 

[cyberman]

This looks like Ten Hag trying to replace his last midfield signing in the team within the same window to me. The man is looking more and more clueless to me.

Can we please just go and buy Nico Barrella and be done with it? A proper ‘midfielder’. Not a converted version of anything. A midfielder who cam simply run, tackle, carry, pass, attack and defend to a high level.

No, Ten Hag wanted him to follow the manager to United last season. This isn’t a reactionary signing at all.
it seems our fanbase only likes the idea of long term and doesn’t realise when we follow through on it

 

[Real Name]

You think he'll sign him for the bench?

I dont know if we'll even sign him, who knows maybe its just waffle and made up, but if we do, saying he's abandoning his ideas cause of it is, as I said, a huge assumption. Who's to say he isnt buying him as a cover? Its as if you have some kind of wild idea and you made 5 posts on that idea which most probably isnt true.

 

[pocco]

No they don’t and no he isn’t. His strengths lie in his physicality.

He is average in his passing, or at least keeps it pretty simple - I feel like we're watching a different player here.

 

[RedStarUnited]

The thing is, how little conviction must he have in his plan if he is abandoning it already? And why could he not foresee these issues when we all could? It isn't a good look for him. In addition to that, he's burning through cash trying to make something work, whilst other managers are transforming teams with little investment. I just feel we're in yet another unsustainable situation here and it's going to send us into a deeper hole than when he started.

We have been linker with Amrabat all summer havent we? So maybe he just changed focus to Ryan now that he is available and younger?

 

[pocco]

I dont know if we'll even sign him, who knows maybe its just waffle and made up, but if we do, saying he's abandoning his ideas cause of it is, as I said, a huge assumption. Who's to say he isnt buying him as a cover? Its as if you have some kind of wild idea and you made 5 posts on that idea which most probably isnt true.

Because he is looking for regular play time, I don't think he's coming here unless he is told he will be starting games. Which, in turn, means something has to give with what he have been doing so far.

 

[pocco]

No, Ten Hag wanted him to follow the manager to United last season. This isn’t a reactionary signing at all.
it seems our fanbase only likes the idea of long term and doesn’t realise when we follow through on it

Ten Hag spent all last summer chasing FdJ. There were only throwaway links to Gravenberch and others.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

If we'd have signed him in July instead of Mount I would completely understand the idea and the gamble.

If there is anything in this now it's absolute madness. Not even Radamel Falcao out of nowhere madness, just another example of gross mismanagement from the top down.

Murtough, Fletcher and Ten Hag as a transfer committee is looking worse than anything before.

 

[Spark]

His new midfield structure.

I don't actually think he has the structure he wants yet, Casemiro has no cover now that Fred has gone. Amrabat is surely the priority and then Gravenberch can come in for added depth.

Obviously none of that will happen, due to having the absolute worst owners and hierarchy at pretty much any professional football club - certainly the worst at any elite one, a category we've been slowly slipping out of for the last 10 years.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

We have been linker with Amrabat all summer havent we? So maybe he just changed focus to Ryan now that he is available and younger?

I’m guessing we’ll get one and Liverpool will get the other. I don’t know enough about them to know which I’d prefer.

 

[sullydnl]

If we did get him I suspect it would be bad news for people who really don't like seeing Bruno playing out wide.

 

[MadMike]

If Ten Hag thought they could play in a double 8 formation we would have started playing like this last season?
I don’t blame Ten Hag one bit for improving the quality of the squad

You're working off the assumption that you know what ETH is thinking and then adding another fallacy on top, that if ETH thinks it then he must be right.

You don't even know if we're going for Gravenberch or it's just twitter hype. You don't even know if he's thought of as an option for #8 or for #6. We've been watching McTominay for years. We know he's not a DM and he's better with less defensive and positional responsibility. Don't need ETH to tell us anything about that. Also, coaches get stuff wrong all the time. Fans even more so of course, but it doesn't mean that if a coach believes something they're automatically right.

I personally don't believe Gravenberch improves the squad in any position. Fred was a better #8 than Gravenberch all day & night long.

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

All the links seem very flaky. Doesn't seem like much is in this.

 

[Skills]

Positions don't matter, roles don't matter

Seeing an awful lot about him being a lazy cnut. That’ll help our massively unfit team that’s been overrun two games running.

Least he’s played for Ajax and is Dutch, I suppose

All that matters really.

 

[Real Name]

Because he is looking for regular play time, I don't think he's coming here unless he is told he will be starting games. Which, in turn, means something has to give with what he have been doing so far.

You cant possibly know any of that.

 

[pocco]

I don't actually think he has the structure he wants yet, Casemiro has no cover now that Fred has gone. Amrabat is surely the priority and then Gravenberch can come in for added depth.

Obviously none of that will happen, due to having the absolute worst owners and hierarchy at pretty much any professional football club - certainly the worst at any elite one, a category we've been slowly slipping out of for the last 10 years.

Before we even signed Mount, the journalists who are close to the club said that ETH wants to pair Mount with Bruno ahead of Casemiro. Everything since then has pointed to that being the case. So any further signings that are expecting to start would point to a change to that plan. That's the thing with these sudden links to Gravenberch, he wants to move for regular playing time. I don't think he comes here unless he is made some sort of promises. Amrabat is coming from a much lower level and has only ever played for C level teams, so I could buy him being some sort of rotation option. I just can't see Gravenberch coming here to provide depth.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

If we did get him I suspect it would be bad news for people who really don't like seeing Bruno playing out wide.

And then it might be time to start seriously worrying about ETH, because Bruno out wide is a terrible terrible idea.

 

[Real Name]

Positions don't matter, roles don't matter


All that matters really.

At least you're consistent. I give you that.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I truly hope this signing doesn't go through. He doesn't add anything. We need midfielders for the 1st phase and not for the final 3rd.

 

[philippexyz]

If this happens, maybe ETH finally got some sense back and is looking for the Frenkie de Jong type press resistant ball carrier, who he was desperately looking for not so long ago, after all. Recreating his two Ajax midfields(first with De Jong, second with Gravenberch as ball carriers).

Someone like Gravenberch is what we always, urgently needed in the first place. Other options are Khephren Thuram and Koaudio Kone, maybe Matheus Nunes.

 

[Rozay]

No, Ten Hag wanted him to follow the manager to United last season. This isn’t a reactionary signing at all.
it seems our fanbase only likes the idea of long term and doesn’t realise when we follow through on it

And has since signed 3 midfielders. Obviously Ten Hag wanted him last season, he seemed to want everyone he has ever coached.

It’s a reactionary signing because any role in the midfield 3 he is signing him for would be one that he has signed a player for within the last 12 months. One within the last 12 weeks. Unless Gravenberch is coming to replace the captain, which is unlikely.

And sure, such a long term strategy this is that we are considering a loan move.