For some reason when ever Liverpool are mounted a title challenge (League or CL) the media goes into a frenzy singling out one of their players for a love-in.
Last year it was Salah.
Virgil van Dijk | Performances
- Thread starter Samid
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For some reason when ever Liverpool are mounted a title challenge (League or CL) the media goes into a frenzy singling out one of their players for a love-in.
Last year it was Salah.
And that's just because they're shite and them mounting a real challenge is big news
I think it's largely due to the fact that he was brought in and immediately fixed Liverpool's defensive issues and turned them into proper title challengers. Okay, it's not all because of him (signing Fabinho, the rise of Gomez and Trent, having a keeper that isn't shite, generally being more defensive than last season) but he's become one of the top 3 CBs in the world IMO so I'm not surprised about the love in he's getting. Rio and Vidic were brought into a team that was already used to winning trophies every season, and their impact wasn't immediate.
What? We were crap in the three years preceding Vidic arriving (not including his first 6 months). Him and Evra certainly played a huge role in revitalizing his and their impact from turning us from a team on the decline to the best in the Europe was massive.
Well I meant that United had already won the big trophies fairly recently anyway, and their impact wasn't immediate unlike VVD. If we'd have gone 30 years without a title and only won 1 League Cup in the last 13 years, then bought a player that immediately turned us into a title favourite then I'd expect the same amount of love in.
Best CB i've ever seen in the EPL.
Only defender that can match him this season is Pique.
Only defender that can match him this season is Pique.
Terry, Rio, Stam and Vidic? Nope.
Bit of hyperbole there. Terry, VIdic and Rio had multiple seasons of world class defendefe. How many has VVD had?
Dayum
Even more so given Giroud is one of the few strikers if not the only one that seems to give him a hard time for some reason, before the return game at SB i think he scored in his previous 4 against him (Chelsea/Liverpool, France/Holland and Arsenal/Saints x2).
Apparently he's won Players' POTY.
Can't say it's not deserved to be fair.
Deserves it imo. He has that air of class about him. Their best player.
Yep deserved. Others at Liverpool are equally good players but he's the one who has turned them into title contenders.
It’s very irritating.
Deserved. However i do think the comparison to past years top level defenders is sometimes a bit over the top. No doubt he is very good but the lack of solid defenders in the premiership really makes him stand out.
Very deserved.
Meh. Aguero has been sensational in City’s vanquishing of the ten-point cushion Liverpool had over them in December and their run to the top of the table. I think he’s more deserving of the award than van Dijk.
Can't remember the last time a centreback was this dominant and influential for his team.
Still the only defender in the top five leagues in Europe who hasn't been dribbled past yet this season. And the defender who wins the most duels in the Premier league to boot.
Still the only defender in the top five leagues in Europe who hasn't been dribbled past yet this season. And the defender who wins the most duels in the Premier league to boot.
Always hear this and disagree. He is class. Not slow, incredibly strong (does he ever lose an airial duel?), good technique, scores goals and doesn’t panick under pressure. I’d say he’s on Vidic’s level, maybe even better.
Deserved, I think he is one of the best CB in the world. His price was the same as Bailly + Lindelöf, oh well - it's too late.....
Wasn't really a 10 point cushion, City had a game in hand which they won and then their next game was us which they won so it was down to 4 points.
City could win the league without Aguero. Our title challenge would fall apart without Van Dijk imo.
Nah, I’m not having it. Klopp plays three defensive midfielders to protect the centre of your defence (with his full-backs playing high) and it’s no longer so easy to get at you compared to previous years under Klopp. Van Dijk is good but he’s not the reason you’re challenging for titles. Salah was your stand-out last year and scored for fun and now he’s dropped off to a more realistic level, Mane is your best threat.
(Van Dijk doesn’t look as good for Holland, for example, as they don’t play three DMs to protect their defence.)
He was dribbled past at least 3 times that I can remember without even searching.
Dribbled past is not exactly what it means, its just a stat for not losing a tackle.
Kompany not so long ago.
Completely deserved. One of the best peaks I've ever seen from a defender. The question is how long he will be able to maintain his current level.
Apparently Kompany's not been dribbled past in his thirteen Premier League games this season. It also says he's only attempted twelve tackles in all those games, I find that very hard to believe. I'd take these stats with a pinch of salt. WhoScored are seriously claiming that Kompany and van Dijk combined in the Premier League have not had an opponent dribble past them this season.
Anyway, well deserved award. He's been ridiculously consistent this season and he is testament to the ability of a truly world class defender and leader to transform a defence.
Coin toss between him and Sterling really. Stupid that it's voted for in March though, are they doing the voting by carrier pigeon or something?
Sterling went past with ease vs VVD, then Sane won penalty against Liverpool at Anfield when he dribbled past VVD, Rashford also dribbled past him in Anfield game.
It's a nothing stat, it's just a stat for losing a tackle. CBs usually makes less tackles so they don't lose many tackles. For example Wes Morgan was dribbled past just once, Lascelles was dribbled past only 3 times in PL this season and Luiz just 5 times. Fiorentina defender won almost twice as many tackles as VVD and was dribbled past just 7 times.
Wes Morgan is probably in top 5 CBs in the top 5 leagues if we consider dribbled past. It's just a stat for 'losing a tackle', not actually playing going past them.
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Had a very good season but my god he's extremely overrated. Seen a comparison today with Mustafi who has more tackles and interceptions. Better stats this season!
Media make it out he is the sole reason for Liverpool's improvement ignoring full backs have been great, GK has helped and Matip/Gomez have been good as well. I would argue Matip has been more impressive lately for Liverpool.
Sterling or Silva should have won.
Media make it out he is the sole reason for Liverpool's improvement ignoring full backs have been great, GK has helped and Matip/Gomez have been good as well. I would argue Matip has been more impressive lately for Liverpool.
Sterling or Silva should have won.
Personally I think it's laughable it's not Sterling but whatever. The Liverpool love-in continues.
Yet keep a clean sheet and were comfortable against Bayern without him?
It would fall apart without Robertson or the GK as well.
Right decision.
Perhaps. I haven't seen enough of us without Van Dijk this season to have an accurate idea of how we'd do.
I'm assuming we'd be worse off just because of how well he organizes us. Alisson we're obviously reliant on because his back up is Mignolet.
It's the best unit in the league and he has been the standout player in it - I'm not sure what's so hard to understand here. I could just as easily argue that Sane could replace Sterling and City would be no worse off.
Refreshing to see it given to a defender.
Kompany was never this dominant.
Liverpool's defense has dipped in recent months. For all the hoopla, they've conceded only 2 less goals than City.
But yeah his form in the first half was really good.
Has Vidic won this award before/?
But yeah his form in the first half was really good.
Has Vidic won this award before/?