The salah one wasn't the same since it was a 2 on 2 not a 2v 1 and salah didn't literally have a whole half to himself.
Virgil van Dijk | Performances
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
He knows Sissoko is a poor finisher and left footed. The best he could do there is keep the ball away from Son and force Sissoko to take the shot on with his left foot, which is exactly what he did. It was great defending.
I'm fairly confident that isn't running through his head at that moment. It was what you'd expect a defender to do, if anything, he allowed Sissoko to come a little too centrally.
It will be. He will know who the most dangerous players are and what side they prefer to go on.
He did as well as he could have, but let’s be honest, nine times out of ten a premier league level player should be scoring that. That was more abysmal from Sissoko than quality from VVD. That’s not to say he’s not the best defender in the league and one of the best in the world, but this moment in particular I feel like it’s being overblown. Sissoko is proper awful there.
I’m sorry, that’s just bullshit. The best thing he could do was let sissoko take a free shot, 1v1 vs his keeper, from 10 yards on his weaker foot? It was a decision, I’ll give you that. At no point is letting your opponent have a free shot in the box, great defending. Regardless of who it is taking the shot.
Backing off Sissoko and allowing him to take a shot in that situation is a bad choice, Given that same chance again Sisokko probably hits target 8/10
I know we all want to pass off everything VVD does as genius but this was a bad option. Any other defender does this and we are all laughing at him.
VVD was at a disadvantage on the 2 vs 1, but I think to go for the man with the ball and hoping he is able to get the ball off him will be a better option than allowing him to shoot on target from 15yards.
I know we all want to pass off everything VVD does as genius but this was a bad option. Any other defender does this and we are all laughing at him.
VVD was at a disadvantage on the 2 vs 1, but I think to go for the man with the ball and hoping he is able to get the ball off him will be a better option than allowing him to shoot on target from 15yards.
Exactly. Also, if Sissoko sticks it in, he’d look like an utter moron. It was a complete gamble, it paid off, but that’s not down to his defending of the situation.
Van Dijk was alone against Sisokko and Son. Had he went 100% for Sisokko, Sisokko would’ve simply passed the ball to Son who would’ve then been wide open. Which out of those two do you reckon Van Dijk prefered to take the shot? I’m guessing Sisokko, and with good reason as it turned out.
VvD did exactly what was needed to get three points. But no he made a mistake because he didn't follow internet bedroom football followers 101 rule of going to the man with the ball. Love it!!
Sissoko was a more pressing danger than Son who hasn't received the ball and if VVD stepped up at the point of release could be offside. The only reason it's in hindsight looking like a good move was that Sissoko did the unthinkable and missed target when it was harder to miss
Sisokko not hitting the target was his own failing and had little to do with the defending there. He was given ample time to shoot and he failed
VvD did exactly what was needed to get three points. But no he made a mistake because he didn't follow internet bedroom football followers 101 rule of going to the man with the ball. Love it!!
That's what you expect any good defender to be doing. You have to know your opponents and know there strengths and weaknesses. If I see son and sissoko it doesn't take longer than half a second to make a decision on who is the more dangerous proposition.
Somehow, I don't think Sissoko and his 1 goal for Spurs would be on that list of 'most dangerous players.'
You position yourself as he did irrespective of who has the ball. It's a 2 on 1 situation, you cut out the passing option and force the ball carrier wide. 90% of the CBs in the league would have done the same.
When they hype is at it's peak, everything is counted as some genius work. That's was awful finishing than good defending.
He's a world class defender but I'm not sure he deserves any praise of Sisokko's stupidity.
I'd call it good percentage play. Making sure it's the midfielder over the attacker getting the shot and still stressing the player on the finish is as good as you can expect from a 2v1.
Should sissoko still score? Probably. Van Dijk has still done his part to lower the percentages as much as possible
Should sissoko still score? Probably. Van Dijk has still done his part to lower the percentages as much as possible
Then you haven't played football my friend.
As you're the expert on stupidity and given your enormous experience in that field, I'd take your opinion in this case then.Then you haven't played football my friend.
Yes. That's what it really is. I think most of the good defenders would've done the same.
Dunno whether it was a smart play by VVD or a daft one by Sissoko. Sissoko should have run to the left and force VVD to try to close him down and then pass it to Son. Obviously, VVD did very well. But it was more a case of a missed opportunity for Spurs than say exceptional defending by VVD.
Pretty slick movement in an awkward position for a defender. Could not hsve played that better.
Yeah I think VVD being the exceptional defender that is will have ten better examples of defending this season than that particular play.
All these jibes of "oh you must have played at a decent level to understand this mind blowing play" is hilarious.
Shades of Beckenbauer in the 2vs1 situation
VVD did this part, world class if I might add.
But Sissoko made a right mess of it by running towards him not wide. Had he dragged VVD left he could have easily passed to Son. Still he had a chance to shoot and fluffed it.
But Sissoko made a right mess of it by running towards him not wide. Had he dragged VVD left he could have easily passed to Son. Still he had a chance to shoot and fluffed it.
Yet another great performance yesterday which seems to be his standard level at the moment, I don't think Kane did anything noteworthy except for maybe one shot straight at Alisson from the left angle. Don't know if that was just down to Van Dijk though.
That one particular play was good defending but nothing ground-breaking or anything if you ask me, I'd expect any defender worth his salt to play it like that. If anything he could've/should've pushed Sissoko a bit more to the left. Son was obviously the bigger threat in that situation, but if you put a true striker in Sissoko's position he would've gotten a shot on target at the least and should've still scored, simple as.
Was holding my breath when Van Dijk came up limping after the play but he seems to be fine, luckily.
That one particular play was good defending but nothing ground-breaking or anything if you ask me, I'd expect any defender worth his salt to play it like that. If anything he could've/should've pushed Sissoko a bit more to the left. Son was obviously the bigger threat in that situation, but if you put a true striker in Sissoko's position he would've gotten a shot on target at the least and should've still scored, simple as.
Was holding my breath when Van Dijk came up limping after the play but he seems to be fine, luckily.
Son would be though. He simply knew to block the pass to Son and make sure Sissoko had to take the shot on from range on his weaker foot. Not much more he could do in a 2v1.
That is indeed very impressive from Sissoko.
You said "He will know who the most dangerous players are and what side they prefer to go on." Sissoko is clearly not one of those. It was decent defender, but not different that what you would expect most PL defenders to do.
I remember when he signed Liverpool Matt Le Tissier said he Barcelona/Real Madrid good, I think he was right.
I mis-worded it. Still, Sissoko is a starting player for a Top 4 Premier League club, he's no Sunday league slogger and Van Dijk will still know how he prefers to play. Like they said on MOTD he reduced it from an 80% chance of a goal to a 25% chance of a goal. It wasn't some superhuman feat but it was perfect handling of a very difficult situation.
VVD did what was expected from him in that situation, block the passing lane to Son. That's all he could do.
If that was for Man Utd, fans would be praising him.
If that was for Man Utd, fans would be praising him.
Quite surprised he's getting such OTT praise for Sissoko's feck up
Did what most defenders would do in that situation, facing a 2 on 1. Tried to minimise the distance between the 2 players, hence making it difficult for the pass to Son, but also closing in on Sissoko/trying to lessen the angle as much as possible. He really didn't have any other choice - unless you think him committing to Sissoko was an option - which it wasn't. He was playing the percentages game. Guess that deserves a well done.
Sissoko fecked up, firstly by not pulling the ball, & subsequently VVD, a bit wider at the start thereby creating a bit more space for the pass across. Also, the less said about the finish attempt, the better. you have to at least get that on target.
Did what most defenders would do in that situation, facing a 2 on 1. Tried to minimise the distance between the 2 players, hence making it difficult for the pass to Son, but also closing in on Sissoko/trying to lessen the angle as much as possible. He really didn't have any other choice - unless you think him committing to Sissoko was an option - which it wasn't. He was playing the percentages game. Guess that deserves a well done.
Sissoko fecked up, firstly by not pulling the ball, & subsequently VVD, a bit wider at the start thereby creating a bit more space for the pass across. Also, the less said about the finish attempt, the better. you have to at least get that on target.
Fair assessment.
Excellent point
I think this is a good assessment. Obviously if it was a left footed player or basically a better player, the defender would have no chance no matter who it was. Hes done better stuff this season though.
People have lost the plot.
It`s standard defending in those situations. You choose the least of two evils and you position yourself to block any passing options while staying close enough to be able to rush the player with the ball. Then you wait and hope that the player with the ball either drifts wider or has a bad touch and you move in and try to block. It has very little to do with who has the ball and whoever is behind you, any defender in that situation doesn`t want the ball played behind his back as he will struggle to turn around quickly enough. In the end Sissoko gets in a brilliant position to score but he puts it into orbit. VVD would still defend the same way if Son had the ball with Sissoko making the run, has nothing to do with Sissoko being a midfielder and which foot he shoots with
It`s standard defending in those situations. You choose the least of two evils and you position yourself to block any passing options while staying close enough to be able to rush the player with the ball. Then you wait and hope that the player with the ball either drifts wider or has a bad touch and you move in and try to block. It has very little to do with who has the ball and whoever is behind you, any defender in that situation doesn`t want the ball played behind his back as he will struggle to turn around quickly enough. In the end Sissoko gets in a brilliant position to score but he puts it into orbit. VVD would still defend the same way if Son had the ball with Sissoko making the run, has nothing to do with Sissoko being a midfielder and which foot he shoots with
I've seen plenty of 2 on 1s better handled by defenders.
If he managed to block the shot or to buy time for his mates to come back it would be worth praise but relying on the opponent to feck up a simple open shot is hardly impressive.
If he managed to block the shot or to buy time for his mates to come back it would be worth praise but relying on the opponent to feck up a simple open shot is hardly impressive.
The best cb in the world right now. He’s absolutely immense. He’s got a flair around him, that is very rare amongst defenders. Boateng had it, Ramos has it, Bonucci had it, De Ligt looks like he might have it. Special player. I would have never thought that the transfer fee would turn out to be closer to being a steal than overpaying.
He is probably the best , but there's a lack of top defenders at the moment.
The hype is over the top at the moment, Matip has been very solid for us since he's come in and doesn't seem to get any praise it's all being attributed to VVD.