This is how the script usually goes after the much vilified international break in the English Premier League; managers/coaches come into pressers and vent about their displeasure over the international games and its related issues on injuries and fatigue.
However, after the next to last international break, the plot has changed as EPL managers, English or not, have been peppered with questions over Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England manager. As a former EPL manager, Tuchel’s appointment is another high point for the EPL but not so much for the English Football Association.
The Association has come under attack by EPL legends Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville over this appointment and English EPL managers like Sean Dyche and Eddie Howe also had their say on the controversial appointments.
For anti-Tuchel fans, there is a very strong case to object to Tuchel’s appointment considering all managers who have won the European Championship have all been natives of the winning nations except German Otto Rehagel, who won the 2004 Euros with Greece.
On the part of the FIFA World Cup, the rule is absolute with no exceptions as all winning teams have done so by having a native of the land at the helm. So there is legit reason behind the push back on Tuchel’s appointment by English fans who are utterly yearning for a title beyond the 1966 World Cup.
Despite the humongous nature of appointing the third non English coach as England manager, this weekend’s clash between Chelsea and Liverpool is big enough to stand on its own. Unlike previous encounters that had eccentric personalities as managers (Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte) of both teams adding to the hype, this iteration of the Red-Blue clash still holds a ton of intrigue.
Between Liverpool’s Arne Slot and Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, there is very little to discuss outside football but within the confines of football, there is a ton to talk about with both managers enjoying early success despite going into the 2024-2025 season with some big question marks.
For Maresca, he walked into absolute chaos at Chelsea with a stream of player movement dominating the headlines. There were funny videos, memes and online trolls of a boatload of Chelsea players at the training ground and gym session highlighting the chaos.
How was he going to get players seeking transfers in check, players who had just come in settled and “incumbent” players looking for more playing time happy? Seven games into the season, Maresca’s Chelsea have done very well especially its recovery after losing to defending champions Manchester City.
For Arne Slot, the biggest hurdle was dealing with the boatload of expectations after replacing an iconic figure like Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool’s direct rival Manchester United, tried this and failed woefully as the Red Devils have been quite underwhelming per their standard since replacing Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. There was such a huge risk replacing the charismatic Klopp with Slot whose tight buttoned composed style is far from a figure who sparked the Kop End into a frenzy with every gesture.
It is apt this game has been billed as offense versus attack with the free scoring Chelsea taking on the stingy Liverpool and no group of players better embody this tag than Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch.
Palmer has six goals and five assists to his name in just seven Premier League outings while Gravenberch has played a solid role in Liverpool’s league leading goal concession rate of just two in seven outings.
The Dutchman has made 12 interceptions, made 42 recoveries, won 41 duels and has made no error that led to a goal yet. Gravenberch’s rise from a fringe player in the final season of Klopp to a central figure in one of the most impressive feats and one of the biggest story lines of the still young campaign.
The most fascinating thing about Gravenberch’s play has been his brilliant production as a defensive midfielder in Slot’s system that mirrors Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann’s that is very heavy on position discipline and movement. Interestingly, Gravenberch struggled for game time and consistent top production under Tuchel and Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich who set up their teams in a 4-2-3-1 formation just as Slot.
It is true Liverpool with Gravenberch in an exclusive defensive midfield role, haven’t played the best and strongest sides in the lead up to the Chelsea game including its matchup against Manchester United’s very poor midfield.
However, playing against the fast improving Chelsea midfield duo of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez behind the outright best EPL player Palmer, is a big challenge that even the biggest Gravenberch fan would genuinely have defensive concerns for the Dutchman.
However, a swing of good fortune is heading in Gravenberch’s (defensive duties) favour as fellow midfielder Alexis McAllister is likely to miss the Chelsea tie through injury. As one half of Liverpool’s double pivot, McAllister is primarily responsible as the ball carrier with Gravenberch doing same only as an auxiliary option.
With McAllister likely to miss Sunday’s game, Wataru Endo would replace him and shift Gravenberch to the play the role many deem as his best; as a central midfielder or a Number 8.
Relieved of primary defensive duties, Gravenberch can unleash his attacking package alongside Dominik Szoboslai and flip the tag of the game involving the game’s biggest players from defense versus attack into attack versus attack.
Endo’s ascension to the starting lineup also boosts Liverpool’s chances of winning this big game as the Japan international is more disciplined in his positioning in the defensive midfield role than Gravenberch and that should aid Liverpool defend better in transition where Liverpool’s conceded goals have come from.
Gravenberch is yet to score a goal this season but the likely shuffling of roles in midfield due to MacAllister’s abductor injury related absence presents the biggest opportunity for the Dutch international to score his season’s first.
Mohammed Salah’s inverted winger instincts gets him to move infield from his right wing position to pair with the centre forward with Szoboslai filling the vacant spot.
MacAllister has missed out on a ton of goal contributions this season considering his close proximity to goal as the player primed to finish off cut backs and recycled passes from the penalty box. With Gravenberch likely replacing MacAllister, the Dutch international is primed to continue aiding Liverpool’s fine start with a win over Chelsea despite the change in his position.
