Kenneth Perez doesn’t think much of Ryan Gravenberch’s kicking technique. ‘s analyst ESPN saw the midfielder of Ajax fire two failed shots against PEC Zwolle (0-2 win) and concludes that Gravenberch does not have a ‘good, natural kick’.
Gravenberch shot a free kick against PEC with the inside of the foot wide and moments later, from the edge of the penalty area, he went much further wide from open play. “With free kicks for a right leg, Gravenberch is added to Ajax, and that is not too good,” says Perez. “I think Gravenberch practices a lot, but you can see that he doesn’t have a natural, good kick. I see that in his way of kicking. If you have a really good fixed kick, you don’t kick like that. Then you shoot him with the inside in the far corner”, he refers to the failed shot from open play.
Perez saw a player on the European fields with a better kick on Saturday. “I don’t know if you saw Bruno Fernandes this afternoon,” he refers to the beautiful goal of the attacking midfielder of Manchester United against Newcastle United. “He also got such a shooting opportunity: inside, bám, in the corner. Then you have a natural, good kick.” Perez hopes that Gravenberch will improve further. “I think Gravenberch practices a lot, and that’s very good when you’re young. Because one day it might come, but it doesn’t look very natural.”
In front of ‘s camera ESPN Gravenberch admitted his free kick could be better. “I still have to work on it,” said the midfielder. “I didn’t take that many, but the free kicks I took were not very good. It could be better. I still train on them. How often do I do that? If there is time during the week “I think twice a week. We have a busy schedule and the trainer doesn’t want to overload us. Sometimes we have to go right in.”
Gravenberch explains that he can shoot in two different ways. “A ‘curly’ and a ‘swab’. But it’s a bit all or nothing: he can go out of the stadium, or he can go in nicely. It depends on the distance anyway. Today I had that free kick a bit on the side. I thought I’d curl it, but it didn’t go the way I’d like.” Gravenberch had ‘mixed feelings’ about his own performance against PEC. “It could have been better, but it didn’t go super bad. I should be a little calmer in the final phase, when I give a pass or prepare for a shot.”