Virgil van Dijk | Performances

An arrogant man got a timely lesson in not being a fecking arrogant cnut today. The way that prick was strutting into our box at corners was nausiating.
 
Anyways, yes he's great at those 1 vs 1 situations but his lack of closing down and getting tight is quite poor. He 'gets away' with it because Liverpool don't get attacked a lot and him slowing a player means, it allows his team mates to counter press/close the space, so it doesn't get punished as much. As I mentioned though, his shot blocking in the penalty box today was Lindelof-esque; really passive and non-committal.
I think this is coaching actually. Klopp prefers letting attackers shot clean but with bad angles than risk deflections. It's not just VVD who does this all of liverpool's defenders do
 
I'm not talking about scoring threat though, i'm talking about overall contribution. Goals are the most important, sure, but even here none of the others really beats him. And then you look at his ability in build up and playmaking and he plays a different sport from the others

He's got 52 career goals which is quite decent, more than I expected actually but Terry had 68 career goals.
 
He trusts his athleticism to get him close enough to bother the shot and close down angles and trusts his gk to take care of closing the other angle. It's defence by playing the odds, which on the whole is pretty smart. Occasionally the striker will hit it perfect and score a worldie - like Lautaro Martinez at Anfield - but the majority of the time it works, and is mucj less riskier than committing to a challenge. Especially so when he has Alisson behind him.

He's genuinely one of the best 1vs1 defenders ever, on the ball at least
Agreed. But he’s also not among the very best CBs the PL has seen as often touted (mostly by Liverpool fans). Might make the fag end of a top 5/7.

Surprised he didn’t come out with a bitch ass “only one team played / was happy” comment.
 
Steve Bruce scored over 100 goals, he was a better player than both.

I wasn't old enough to see Bruce, so couldn't possibly comment.

Edit; I checked his wiki. He scored 19 goals in one season :eek: was he your emergency striker that season or something?
 
I wasn't old enough to see Bruce, so couldn't possibly comment.

Edit; I checked his wiki. He scored 19 goals in one season :eek: was he your emergency striker that season or something?

Think it was a good few penalties and having a head llike sledgehammer meeting the ball on setpieces.
 
Agreed. But he’s also not among the very best CBs the PL has seen as often touted (mostly by Liverpool fans). Might make the fag end of a top 5/7.

Surprised he didn’t come out with a bitch ass “only one team played / was happy” comment.
I like to think that after making that comment last time, Keane ripping into him has put him off saying that again.
 
VVD is interesting as players seem to avoid foot races or trying to take him on, which I just find strange. Players at least attemp, once, to take on Walker before giving up - VVD has an aura of invincibility more than actual ability.
 
I think this is coaching actually. Klopp prefers letting attackers shot clean but with bad angles than risk deflections. It's not just VVD who does this all of liverpool's defenders do

I think its coaching because hes a big guy who has been robbed of some agility and pace by age and injuries. Getting tight to his man would be a recipe for getting turned and left for dead. Older defenders almost always sit off their opponent.
 
Great defender but I can't stand the cameras zooming in on him every single time Liverpool get a corner like it was expected that he would score. Glad that none of the corners even went remotely near him.:lol:
 
VVD is interesting as players seem to avoid foot races or trying to take him on, which I just find strange. Players at least attemp, once, to take on Walker before giving up - VVD has an aura of invincibility more than actual ability.
I do think that is a huge component of an elite level defender vs one that is not. Harder to do these days with a lot more fouls being called, but I absolutely think mad lad level behavior made attacking players think twice about going towards the likes of a Stam or Ramos. Thats probably they lean(ed) into the bad boy act.
 
I do think that is a huge component of an elite level defender vs one that is not. Harder to do these days with a lot more fouls being called, but I absolutely think mad lad level behavior made attacking players think twice about going towards the likes of a Stam or Ramos. Thats probably they lean(ed) into the bad boy act.
What on earth is mad lad level behaviour? And nobody was scared to have a go at Ramos as he was always heroics first and good defending second. Good leadership / big moments / all round footballer but grossly overrated as a defender. Teams were probably more afraid of a thuggish tackle or a headed goal from him than any supposedly immense defending.
 
What on earth is mad lad level behaviour? And nobody was scared to have a go at Ramos as he was always heroics first and good defending second. Good leadership / big moments / all round footballer but grossly overrated as a defender. Teams were probably more afraid of a thuggish tackle or a headed goal from him than any supposedly immense defending.
Thank you for both answering your own question and supporting what I said.
 
Watching him vs. Hojlund yesterday I was thinking that a major asset he has is being good at marking one central attacker. Perhaps he's excelled in the modern game because of this.

This might also be gibberish because I don't watch him often enough to judge.
 
I wasn't old enough to see Bruce, so couldn't possibly comment.

Edit; I checked his wiki. He scored 19 goals in one season :eek: was he your emergency striker that season or something?
Scored 8 penalties in that season 90/91 - he only missed one penalty for Utd as the penalty taker ....... then Eric came along !
 
An arrogant man got a timely lesson in not being a fecking arrogant cnut today. The way that prick was strutting into our box at corners was nausiating.
The interview after the 0-0 confirmed it but you can already tell from his body language in every single game that this prick is insanely arrogant and buys every bit of the smoke that has been blown up his arse for his two major trophy wins in 7 years.
 
I think this is coaching actually. Klopp prefers letting attackers shot clean but with bad angles than risk deflections. It's not just VVD who does this all of liverpool's defenders do

Have you read or heard about this anywhere? Would be interesting to see. Otherwise, it's bit of a convenient excuse to basically justify why their central defenders are bad at making blocks or getting tight. You wouldn't say the same about Robertson, who throws himself into crosses/shots to the point where he handballed it twice yesterday! Maybe the answer is that they just are not that type of player and it's bit of a weakness?

There's Martinez level throwing themselves at everything and then Lindelof/VVD/Gomez level of doing much of a nothing. Martinez needs to do what he does because of his lack of size but because of his agility and reading of the game, he's brilliant at this. However, there can be a middle ground.
 
Have you read or heard about this anywhere? Would be interesting to see.
I did read about it in the athletic but I don't remember if it was a journalist extrapolating from the way they defended or if there were actual quotes from the coaching staff

You wouldn't say the same about Robertson, who throws himself into crosses/shots to the point where he handballed it twice yesterday!
Crosses, yeah, shots, not so sure. And he's the only one of their defenders who does this. So either they are coached, or they specifically scout for defenders who don't try to block shots?
 
I did read about it in the athletic but I don't remember if it was a journalist extrapolating from the way they defended or if there were actual quotes from the coaching staff


Crosses, yeah, shots, not so sure. And he's the only one of their defenders who does this. So either they are coached, or they specifically scout for defenders who don't try to block shots?

Or the answer is that those specific defenders you think are coached that way are just poor at blocking shots? TAA, Gomez and VVD who are fairly passive and Robertson, who is gung ho? Matip wasn't one to just 'cover the angle' too.

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter because the overall system makes them extremely effective along with their individual abilities. However, I wouldn't excuse one poor attribute of theirs as down to coaching, especially when it's not particularly a good thing to erm, not do.
 
Have you read or heard about this anywhere? Would be interesting to see. Otherwise, it's bit of a convenient excuse to basically justify why their central defenders are bad at making blocks or getting tight. You wouldn't say the same about Robertson, who throws himself into crosses/shots to the point where he handballed it twice yesterday! Maybe the answer is that they just are not that type of player and it's bit of a weakness?

There's Martinez level throwing themselves at everything and then Lindelof/VVD/Gomez level of doing much of a nothing. Martinez needs to do what he does because of his lack of size but because of his agility and reading of the game, he's brilliant at this. However, there can be a middle ground.

Interesting discussion.

Lindelof drives me insane with his passiveness
 
Brilliant brilliant performance. Absolute colossus of a Centre Back.


Has it all. One of the most complete Centre Backs you'll ever see.


Calm, clutch and a great leader. Just has that invincible aura around him. That presence cannot be replaced.


One of the very best I have seen.
You've been awfully quiet these past couple of days lad. As a 'neutral', I'd have thought you'd have thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's 7 goal thriller.
 
What do our resident Pool supporters think of him on the 1st goal out of interest?

Obviously the error is Qansah's but surely he closes Bruno down there and doesn't let him shoot knowing he's playing infront of a sweeping keeper? Watching him he goes then stops and it made me think about the stat about how he's never dribbled past, well that's why, he'll always drop off but in this case it's Bruno, a slow player, if you just get close and don't even tackle he wouldn't take the shot on and he's not got the pace to hurt you.
 
Feels like a stretch to hold him accountable there. Despite the outcome, I think his instincts are right - not to dive in to protect the space behind and to slow up the break to allow others to get back.
 
Has a fear factor about him that allows him to coast through games.

Nobody really has a go at him.
 
Feels like a stretch to hold him accountable there. Despite the outcome, I think his instincts are right - not to dive in to protect the space behind and to slow up the break to allow others to get back.
Yeah I wouldn't call it an error by any means but I'd have thought because it was Bruno he might back himself to close him. If it was Rashford/Garnacho I'd completely get it.
 
Has a fear factor about him that allows him to coast through games.

Nobody really has a go at him.
Aura defending. Which was massively exposed when teams decided to target him and run him ragged. I think he’s kinda benefiting from them having Quansah (who to his credit has been doing very well) and Bradley alongside him because quite frankly if you’re a forward you’re going to be targeting them rather than VVD.
 
Yeah I wouldn't call it an error by any means but I'd have thought because it was Bruno he might back himself to close him. If it was Rashford/Garnacho I'd completely get it.
Yeah, in protecting the space I meant more the runners from midfield who Bruno could lay in. So if Van Dijk jumps forward, while they accelerate from the other direction, he’s out of the game.
 
Feels like a stretch to hold him accountable there. Despite the outcome, I think his instincts are right - not to dive in to protect the space behind and to slow up the break to allow others to get back.

Agreed. I don’t think he realized how far off center Kelleher had gotten either. Being off your line is one thing but what allowed Bruno to score relatively easily is the keeper drifting so far to the side.
 
The aura defending is a complete myth. If he has any sense he leaves with his manager in the summer. If he stays for another couple of years his undeserved reputation of being one of the greatest CBs will go down the toilet.
 
This egomaniac is forever gesticulating at teammates when Liverpool concede chances and goal, as if he is completely absolved of blame himself. I’ve posted here before about this but teammates must think he’s a right pain in the arse. That shit gets tiresome very quickly in team environments.
 
Guys a bigger myth than Antony le Tallec and Florent Sinama Pongolle. He’s lucky he’s not in the era where the EPL had great forwards among multiple teams like the 90s and 2000s, like Rio, Vidic, Terry, Campbell etc had to face every week.

The few times he’s had to face such forwards was Real in the Champions league and they’ve walked through him every time.