Virgil van Dijk | Performances

See? Did you see his bullshit finger-pointing there at the death when Lovren pumped it forward towards van Dijk? Van Dijk flicked it out for a goalkick rather than getting any decent purchase on it but of course it wasn’t Virgil’s fault at all, but Lovren’s.

He’s a spoofer. An always-blameless charlatan. His schtick will wear thin very soon and his teammates will begin to detest him.

He wanted the ball to come in from the side so that he can direct it into the box. Lovren had loads of time and he pinged a straight ball at him which was impossible to head inside even with his height.
 
He doesn’t half get away with “50/50” fouls.
 
Did no one see him head the ball right to Silva just before he assisted Aguero? It's like you can't blame VVD for anything
 
Anyone else catch Van Dijk’s reaction post-match with Kompany? Nice not to see the usual clowning/palling around we’re accustomed to. Van Dijk’s got real leadership quality and Henderson’s days with the armband should be numbered.
 
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Easily the best defender in the prem. Can't believe we missed out on him, he was already a top 3 PL cb when playing for southampton. Also noticed that he got a Rio-esque vibe around him causing opposition to avoid 1vs1's against him. On numerous occasions I noticed Sterling and Sane avoiding the 1vs1 (instead of trying to get past him like they did all game against TAA and Lovren), which says all about his dominance.

I totally agree about the 1 v 1s. Sane had him totally exposed where he could have burned past him and been clean through on goal in the second half and he didn't even try. Sane was having a terrible game but it was an incredible decision.

Van Dijk is benefitting from the aura of being acclaimed as the best defender in the league. United defenders have had that in the past and it's all psychological. It just takes one player to do it and suddenly he won't seem so imperious and others will try.
 
Anyone else catch Van Dijk’s reaction post-match with Kompany? Nice not to see the usual clowning/palling around we’re accustomed to. Van Dijk’s got real leadership quality and Henderson’s days with the armband should be numbered.
What did he do? I shut down the TV right after the final whistle.
 
Anyone else catch Van Dijk’s reaction post-match with Kompany? Nice not to see the usual clowning/palling around we’re accustomed to. Van Dijk’s got real leadership quality and Henderson’s days with the armband should be numbered.

I think Henderson has leadership qualities too the problem is though that he is quite weak of a footballer (compared to other top-teams). Kante/Fernandinho are different kinds of caliber. Liverpool can improve there a lot.

Naturally VVD should be captain. Great perfomances plus aura of being intouchable. Only he needs a good CB partner (Liverpool should try to sign Boateng).
 
Easily the best defender in the prem. Can't believe we missed out on him, he was already a top 3 PL cb when playing for southampton. Also noticed that he got a Rio-esque vibe around him causing opposition to avoid 1vs1's against him. On numerous occasions I noticed Sterling and Sane avoiding the 1vs1 (instead of trying to get past him like they did all game against TAA and Lovren), which says all about his dominance.
Yep gutted we missed out on him.

Just hope we get someone of quality at the back too - hate Liverpool having someone so much better than ours
 
He is absolutely outstanding. Probably the best defender I've seen in the Premier League since Rio in his prime.
 
Anyone else catch Van Dijk’s reaction post-match with Kompany? Nice not to see the usual clowning/palling around we’re accustomed to. Van Dijk’s got real leadership quality and Henderson’s days with the armband should be numbered.
Quite right. Nothing worse than a smug twat straight after the game.
 
. Only he needs a good CB partner (Liverpool should try to sign Boateng).
Gomez is proving to be an excellent centreback.

Even Matip has been good this season.

Even 4th choice is too good for Lovren unfortunately.
 
Gomez is proving to be an excellent centreback.

Even Matip has been good this season.

Even 4th choice is too good for Lovren unfortunately.

Some pretty good judges have described Lovren as the best centre back in the world.

No wait, that was him.
 
He doesn’t half get away with “50/50” fouls.

He’s very subtle with them. Doesn’t clearly extend his arms when pushing off attackers but still doing enough to put them off. They’re fouls but also great play.
 
I like Virgil (obviously, since Im Dutch), but what's wrong with being friendly with an opponent after a match. It's competitive sports, not a fecking war.
 
If he gets injured for the run-in that could be what swings it in City's favour. Amazing player right now.
 
Great defender and easily the best CB in the league but his 'ball playing' abilities are extremely overrated. He can hit a very good diagonal pass but if that option is closed out he can look quite average at passing out from the back.
 
Great defender and easily the best CB in the league but his 'ball playing' abilities are extremely overrated. He can hit a very good diagonal pass but if that option is closed out he can look quite average at passing out from the back.
Agree with his, defensively and positionally he is very impressive though.
 
I like Virgil (obviously, since Im Dutch), but what's wrong with being friendly with an opponent after a match. It's competitive sports, not a fecking war.
Although I see your point and I've got nothing against a post-match handshake, but you just wouldn't see players from Sir Alex's most successful sides doing all the palling around you see nowadays. Can you imagine Keane or Cantona putting their arms around an opposition player sharing a laugh after an intense, hard-fought loss? Or even Giggs, Scholes, Vidic, etc? Call me old school but I respect VvD for that. Save the pleasantries and bullshit for later off the pitch away from the cameras.
 
Most people could see his quality. Can't believe we didn't at least rival liverpool for his signature. Quality CB. Best in premier League, at least since anderwierld stopped playing consistently
 
Although I see your point and I've got nothing against a post-match handshake, but you just wouldn't see players from Sir Alex's most successful sides doing all the palling around you see nowadays. Can you imagine Keane or Cantona putting their arms around an opposition player sharing a laugh after an intense, hard-fought loss? Or even Giggs, Scholes, Vidic, etc? Call me old school but I respect VvD for that. Save the pleasantries and bullshit for later off the pitch away from the cameras.


If Keane were here and all that.
 
Anyone else catch Van Dijk’s reaction post-match with Kompany? Nice not to see the usual clowning/palling around we’re accustomed to. Van Dijk’s got real leadership quality and Henderson’s days with the armband should be numbered.

Hate to defend Kompany there but he would have probably shown VVD his medal collection. However plastic those medals may be.
 
Rightfully so. I hate the fact Klopp and Pep treat each other so amicably, the last thing I want to see is our manager hug theirs after we've just lost an important game.



That's brilliant.

Yes. I liked how he reacted, you just can't go hugging and smiling at everyone after games like these. At least we love to see players and managers sharing fans emotions.
 
I like Virgil (obviously, since Im Dutch), but what's wrong with being friendly with an opponent after a match. It's competitive sports, not a fecking war.

It's the context as well - Liverpool haven't won the PL in 26 years and they just lost a game that would have surely given them a clean shot at the title. You can't joke around!
 
I do not think Kompany has ever been as good as Van Dijk has been this season.

Kompany who captained his side to multiple league titles hasn’t been as good as a player playing for Southampton just over a year ago? Classic case of recency bias.
 
Rightfully so. I hate the fact Klopp and Pep treat each other so amicably, the last thing I want to see is our manager hug theirs after we've just lost an important game.



That's brilliant.

:lol: It always amused how fans enjoy reading far too much into incidents like this in order to feed into some ideal narrative in their mind. A bit like how Mourinho or LVG or any other one of our own (at the time) being cnuts, throwing shade, or even merely showing annoyance would be celebrated as something excellent because "it showed character/winning mentality".

In the above video the player is frustrated at losing a game of football and is showing it. He's hardly sticking it to Kompany. Even if he joked around but felt frustrated within, it has the exact same impact. Same with Pep or Klopp - being pricks or all serious with the opponent isn't going to win them the bloody league.
 
:lol: You have to be joking?

Vidic, Terry, Kompany have all been better than VVD in the time of Rio’s prime.

Those 3 players all played in established sides that were competing for top honours, & in the case of Chelsea & City, were being bankrolled by billionaire owners who spent a lot of dosh on big players season after season. Vidic came into a side, & was managed by a manger, who'd already won multiple titles. You really think any one of those would have done a better job than VVD has done for Liverpool ? I mean, really ?
 
Kompany who captained his side to multiple league titles hasn’t been as good as a player playing for Southampton just over a year ago? Classic case of recency bias.

City were never a great defensive team when they won those titles with Kompany captaining. So far this season Liverpool have had the best defense since Mourinho's first Chelsea side and when we had Ferdinand/Vidic.
 
Kompany who captained his side to multiple league titles hasn’t been as good as a player playing for Southampton just over a year ago? Classic case of recency bias.
And look where Southampton are now. And Liverpool, for that matter. Where he played a year ago is irrelevant. Pogba played for the reserves of a team devoid of midfielders a year before he started pulling up trees for Juve.
 
Those 3 players all played in established sides that were competing for top honours, & in the case of Chelsea & City, were being bankrolled by billionaire owners who spent a lot of dosh on big players season after season. Vidic came into a side, & was managed by a manger, who'd already won multiple titles. You really think any one of those would have done a better job than VVD has done for Liverpool ? I mean, really ?
So let me get this straight, based on your logic the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta, Scholes, Piro, Giggs.....(well basically all the greats of football) aren't as great as everyone claims them to be because they didn't play in a team like pool. I mean, really? :lol::lol:
 
Kompany who captained his side to multiple league titles hasn’t been as good as a player playing for Southampton just over a year ago? Classic case of recency bias.
Is that how you determine the quality of a player?

If thats the case, I guess every City player has more quality than every player at Liverpool, or Man United for that matter.

Because they've won more, right? Or does this logic only apply to the captain?