definitely agree on this, Torres had maybe 2 good games against him but Vidic pocketed him in most meetings, i even remember the memes that had Vidic with Torres in his pocket, probably on some ancient thread here.
Virgil van Dijk | Performances
- Thread starter Samid
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definitely agree on this, Torres had maybe 2 good games against him but Vidic pocketed him in most meetings, i even remember the memes that had Vidic with Torres in his pocket, probably on some ancient thread here.
He has only really been top level for about 2 and a half years though. Not been the same since 2020.
He was good but to say it wasn't close is untrue. I wouldn't say he was that far ahead of the others.
Oh my god, what happened to Virgil?
100% the truth. Which was why him almost winning the Ballon D'or absolutely stupid. The hype was unreal.
We should have bought him for the simple reason he was better than what we had and it didnt take much to be better than Phil Jones and Rojo. And I think his form went down not only after injury but also because Pool became worse.
Yep but he was the best we could have bought. I think his decline is exacerbated by Fabinho turning into a pensioner and them just needing a rebuild but his style of play is noticeably different now.
Here's some screenshots and commentary taken from the Athletic to highlight (or lowlight) Virgil's performance last night:
There's more in the article to contrast Liverpool's tactical naivety last night, but wanted to highlight Van Dijk as one would expect the best defender in the world (TM) to read the game better and be more positionally aware. If indeed he's lost a yard of pace due to injuries, you'd expect VVD to up his mental game and compensate with better awareness, positioning and anticipation. It seems like his reading of the game is not world class. He was a physical specimen and reached a high level a few years ago, but now that he's lost the pace/intimidation factor does he have awareness and defensive nous to compensate? Jury's out.
Better than Rio, Vidic, Carvalho and Terry he's not btw
There's more in the article to contrast Liverpool's tactical naivety last night, but wanted to highlight Van Dijk as one would expect the best defender in the world (TM) to read the game better and be more positionally aware. If indeed he's lost a yard of pace due to injuries, you'd expect VVD to up his mental game and compensate with better awareness, positioning and anticipation. It seems like his reading of the game is not world class. He was a physical specimen and reached a high level a few years ago, but now that he's lost the pace/intimidation factor does he have awareness and defensive nous to compensate? Jury's out.
Better than Rio, Vidic, Carvalho and Terry he's not btw
Tbf, it was a calculated move. VVD with his aura defending style and his speed decline is no better than Robertson in defending a counter attack.Here's some screenshots and commentary taken from the Athletic to highlight (or lowlight) Virgil's performance last night:
There's more in the article to contrast Liverpool's tactical naivety last night, but wanted to highlight Van Dijk as one would expect the best defender in the world (TM) to read the game better and be more positionally aware. If indeed he's lost a yard of pace due to injuries, you'd expect VVD to up his mental game and compensate with better awareness, positioning and anticipation. It seems like his reading of the game is not world class. He got was a physical specimen and reached a high level a few years ago, but now that he's lost the pace/intimidation factor does he have awareness and defensive nous to compensate? Jury's out.
Better than Rio, Vidic, Carvalho and Terry he's not btw
On a serious note, I believe that it's Klopp who chose to be gung-ho. Gakpo was positioned on the right, so that it offered another option to surprise Real Madrid, by passing it to him, for him to deliver a cross into the box with Liverpool best aerial threat to attack.
Seeing how Gomez was able to get back to defend against Vinicius, but VVD was lagging behind. It's just and age thing (Benzema also was similar despite he marked Gomez on the other side of the pitch).
Made the FIFPRO World 11.....
How?
Came here to look for this. Did they base it on how many people have his overpowered card in fifa or something? He’s been dogshit.
John Terry also kept making these kinds of XI’s well after his prime, if I remember right. It’s just a matter of a reputation lasting longer than actual performance levels - and it’s quite lazy from whoever votes on it.
I don't know how this voting system work, but tbf it was not a year for CB. VVD was meh, but no CBs really had a world class year. So it's all about reputation which VVD as the leader of the almost quadruple team got more recognized.
I don't take these popularity award serious for a while now. Some years the competition is fierce and too few spots in the team to recognize all the players. Yet some years like this, it's just filler.
I don't take these popularity award serious for a while now. Some years the competition is fierce and too few spots in the team to recognize all the players. Yet some years like this, it's just filler.
Has to be one of the most overrated players of this century?
He was great for a couple of seasons but he looks a serious liability now. The problem is when your defending is reliant heavily on pace and sharpness, any loss of that really exposes you.
There was the “Never been dribbled past” trophy he used to have for a while but now every player he comes up against can just walk past him.
He looks like someone who's lost 10 yards of pace in a space of a couple of months.
He's finished
He's finished
Nice to see it in slow motion, but do you have a full speed version for us to watch?
What on earth is he doing?
When he was good, he was truly outstanding — I don't think that his peak level was overrated. But his playing style doesn't seem to be working well when he's not at his physical (and mental) best and he doesn't seem to be able to adjust it, which certainly hurts his all-time standing.
That's unbelievable (and inexcusable).
Think it was 3, with Vidic sent off in at least 2 of them.
But as they'd have played about 20 times it's a ridiculous myth really.
He was one of the best in an era lacking top defenders.
But it's the insistence he was one of the best ever, for a good season or 2 versus all time greats that rankled.
There was one moment on the commentary where a Bournemouth sub was really wide, on his wrong foot, and funnily enough Van Dijk managed to stop him doing anything. The commentator reckoned VD was "one of the best" at dealing with such a scenario!
Did well not to get dribbled again.
Yeah it was strange how up and down they were with VVD. He genuinely looks like a major problem at the moment though. It’s hard to adapt your game as a defender when it’s mostly been based on being a specialist one v one defender. When you lose that sharpness and dominance, playing a high line and dealing with one v ones becomes a nightmare.
I really think he had such a reputation built up, that strikers wouldn't try and get past, or were immediately intimidated.
Once they started taking him on from last season on, they've realised the myth is much bigger than the actual ability these days.
He can't even blame having Gomez or someone around him a lot of the time.
I can't remember the exact game but there was a moment when Raheem Sterling was 1v1 with him on the left side of the box and he figuratively voided his bowels in front of him, did nothing at all and Van Dijk strolled away with the ball.
He doesn't have that fear factor anymore, and it carried him to heights of reputation he never really deserved in my opinion.
He doesn't have that fear factor anymore, and it carried him to heights of reputation he never really deserved in my opinion.
Nope, Vidic was never sent off for a foul on Torres.
He plays like a player who believes his own hype.
Didn't say he got sent off for a foul on Torres.
I said he had about 3 bad games against Torres, and got sent off in 2 of them.
So take your "nope" and have a re-read
The aura era is over.
He really looks done.
He probably is. Got to an Incredibly High level, but the best defenders did it for 8-12 years at the very top. He’s nowhere near a best ever discussion.
It’s only deluded scousers that ever put him in the discussion.
Seemed like he won a good few headers tonight, can't recall anything else about his performance tbh