Virgil van Dijk | Performances
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Looks like he was trying to do that cut off the passing and shooting angle simultaneously thing he got so much praise for against Spurs. Except he's extremely rusty, and it's Jovetic running at him, not Sissoko.
Sissoko should have scored to be honest
Greatest CB of all time, la. Youse will all eat your words. Big Virg is backhk.
He will still be a very good player but it's going to be interesting to see how a physically imposing centre back reacts to his body being not quite what it was before. He won't get back to the same level again.
I didn’t realise Jovetic was so big. He sits VVD down no bother
People are definitely going over board with this.
He pushes jovetic onto his left foot, then goes to intercept the ball but it looks like Jovetic actually trips him up as he steps across his path which makes him fall over.
At the same time Jovetic manages to move the ball back right so it makes him look like he's done him, but he was already falling.
Perhaps a fully fit VVD wouldn't have lost his balance so easily, but if anything it could be called a foul IMO
He pushes jovetic onto his left foot, then goes to intercept the ball but it looks like Jovetic actually trips him up as he steps across his path which makes him fall over.
At the same time Jovetic manages to move the ball back right so it makes him look like he's done him, but he was already falling.
Perhaps a fully fit VVD wouldn't have lost his balance so easily, but if anything it could be called a foul IMO
Yeah, it’s a bit comical. Think after he’s tripped he kicks the ground instead of the ball. This type of thing doesn’t happen often.
It doesnt get called as a foul, some physicality is allowed, but VVD is lacking sharpness and will need time to get the feeling and confidence back. If that was Lindelöf, we would say he is soft and needs to do better there, as he clearly had more issues with himself there and the balance in the tackle.
If you stick a leg out which trips your opponent then it's definitely a foul
It's not very clear from that 1 angle though so it's hard to tell whether he trips himself or Jovetic does it.
It's not like he's been outmuscled or rag dolled, there's barely any contact apart from with the legs.
I don't think it's a foul. In that position if a defender is going to ground he needs to ensure the ball goes with him, or at the very least gets fully goalside and protect the ball on the other side before playing for the foul. The fact Van Dijk doesn't claim for anything is quite telling.
It's just a typical example of a player who hasn't yet recovered their balance because of a long lay-off. You can get as strong as you want in the gym, and get a feel for the ball in training, but it doesn't really prepare you for managing that kind of off-balance physical contact and spatial awareness.
It's just a typical example of a player who hasn't yet recovered their balance because of a long lay-off. You can get as strong as you want in the gym, and get a feel for the ball in training, but it doesn't really prepare you for managing that kind of off-balance physical contact and spatial awareness.
Yeah he should have at least got it on target, but Van Dijk defended it as well as we could reasonably expect on his own by blocking the passing angle to the bigger threat Son and then apply some pressure on Sissoko's shot. It might have been a different outcome if it was Son running at him. Seemed like he was trying to do the same thing here, except he isn't in great condition himself and Jovetic is a good dribbler and finisher.
Doesnt look like contact to me, he attempts to get a toe on the all but kicks the ground instead sending him tumbling. But as others have said, just rusty, I expect him to be closer to his old self soon enough.
He isn't going to ground on purpose, that's the point. He's either tripped or kicks the floor and trips himself.
IMO he defended it perfectly until the point of kicking the ball away - he was either tripped or got his foot caught in the ground and fell over. It happens.
People acting like VVD is finished off that clip alone are being a bit silly IMO. Whether he's the same though, time will tell.
Hah, feck me, I remember that. Sky Sports were unbearable with that
Yes, it happened because he was still a bit fragile mentally about his knee. Time will tell if he'll ever fully get over it.
I know he's been out for a year with injury so this is perhaps a low blow but i remember A LOT of Liverpool fans claiming he was/is the greatest ever PL CB after the two good seasons he had.
For the record he is an exceptionally good defender, on his day as good as many of the greats but my argument was always that players like Terry and Ferdinand performed at that level for 10+ years.
VVD is 30, coming off the back of a horror injury and may never improve/achieve what he did in those two seasons again.
For the record he is an exceptionally good defender, on his day as good as many of the greats but my argument was always that players like Terry and Ferdinand performed at that level for 10+ years.
VVD is 30, coming off the back of a horror injury and may never improve/achieve what he did in those two seasons again.
Very similar age and injury to what Vidic had, and he never really fully recovered to the same level. Obviously different players will recover differently though
Heartening to see VvD has still got the intelligence to mark two players against one while still having the acceleration to put pressure on the attacker with the ball. Boy have we missed that.
When did Vidic have his big injury ?
Dec 2011
Still hasnt been dribbled past.
Yeah, this is spot on. Although I’ve heard that a permanent decline in proprioception is one of the possible consequences of ACL reconstruction. You can cobble a ligament back together easy enough but there can sometimes be associated nerve damage that is impossible to repair. For the average Joe the impairment can be subtle enough to be barely noticeable but for an elite footballer…
True. What I mean is that when you get into that position, you have to be really strong on your feet because the risk is so high if you lose the ball. So if you end up on the ground, it needs to be a 100% clear-cut foul so you don't give the ref any reason to play on.
Once he gets a few of those under his belt - as he will in Liverpool's high line - he'll likely be fine.
Varane? Or is this a piss take
When you forget to white text
fecking hell, never thought I'd see this type of joke on a football forum
Bravo
My love for football, computer science and bad puns finally paid off
I imagine that combination would result in a pretty small venn diagramMy love for football, computer science and bad puns finally paid off
Stretched off tonight.
Apparently he walked off but every time I see him down on the ground I worry that he'll have a reoccurring problem with that knee. This was an ankle knock.
Made his 100th appearance for Liverpool today.
76 wins
16 draws
8 defeats
He might be our best ever signing in the Premier League era. Doesn’t seem to be struggling since coming back but I think our back line might be playing a bit deeper to ease the pressure on him.
Matip’s had a better season so far imo.
76 wins
16 draws
8 defeats
He might be our best ever signing in the Premier League era. Doesn’t seem to be struggling since coming back but I think our back line might be playing a bit deeper to ease the pressure on him.
Matip’s had a better season so far imo.
He looks somewhat back to his best. I'm glad for him. It's very close between him and Salah for that best ever signing tag.
Imagine getting him instead of Maguire… what could have been, as with everything else in life. Then imagine Varane - van Dijk, no goals would have been scored ever.
Or if you got Matip for free and then VvD. No goals would be scored ever.
@Klopper76 I've been trying to tell my footy mates for weeks that Matip is probably the best defender in the league at the moment fractionally ahead of VvD. Tried the same in the Top 5 defenders in the world (Maguire
) thread but got laughed at. My footy mates are paying more attention and coming round to it now.I’d put Van Dijk and Matip up there currently with Varane and maybe Thiago Silva plus one other?Or if you got Matip for free and then VvD. No goals would be scored ever.
@Klopper76 I've been trying to tell my footy mates for weeks that Matip is probably the best defender in the league at the moment fractionally ahead of VvD. Tried the same in the Top 5 defenders in the world (Maguire
That’ll change over the season though.
I would have Maguire top 10 currently. Maybe not top five but I’m struggling to think of a fifth for mine.
Do you ever ever have anything positive to say about the club you support?
Just ignoring Ruben Dias for the sake of it then I take it
Yep Dias. And closely behind, Rudiger.