One change must happen to help Gravenberch – Houghton
Liverpool’s unbeaten run continues to grow, but questions are quietly being asked about how we break teams down more comfortably at Anfield.
Ryan Gravenberch has been one of our most consistent performers this season, yet a former Liverpool midfielder believes there is still room for tactical adjustment to get more from our midfield against deep defences.
Speaking on The Reaction podcast via Liverpool FC, Ray Houghton offered an interesting assessment that was not framed as criticism, but as a coaching discussion around attacking structure.
He pointed to moments where we circulate the ball well in wide areas, but lack presence inside the penalty box to turn pressure into goals.
“We did play nice little one-twos, but then the delivery or the pullback wasn’t quite of the quality required and not enough numbers of players getting into the box, particularly at home,” he added.
Ryan Gravenberch role highlights Liverpool’s tactical balance
The Dutch No.38 has been central to our recent success, scoring against Wolves and being named in Troy Deeney’s Premier League team of the week.
However, Houghton’s point was less about individual form and more about collective instruction.
“I don’t think we need to have Alexis, Curtis and Ryan outside the box when we’re going down the flanks and we’re crossing,” the former Red said.
“I think at least two of them have got to break into the box,” he continued.
That view is particularly interesting given how disciplined we have become under Arne Slot during this unbeaten stretch, prioritising defensive security over chaos.
Gravenberch himself acknowledged after the Wolves win that the game demanded resilience rather than control, saying: “At the end we fight and we showed character.”
The former Bayern midfielder also spoke warmly about playing alongside Curtis Jones, noting that the Scouser “almost never loses the ball”, which hints at why both are often positioned deeper.
Gravenberch importance grows as Slot fine-tunes approach
Under the Dutchman of late, we have become harder to beat, even if that has reduced attacking freedom in certain moments.
Houghton’s comments suggest the balance can still be nudged without undoing that solidity.
The key question is whether we would take those risks earlier if we were chasing a game, rather than protecting a narrow lead.
With Gravenberch now influencing matches regularly, including goals and recognition, the foundations are clearly strong.
If we can add more midfield runners into the box while keeping our defensive shape intact, we may find ourselves winning games with greater comfort as the season progresses.
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