Van Dijk revisited

Another one struggling like Salah, and I'm loving it. Really needed Guehi along side him as Konate seems to have checked out. Or was never good enough, and Robertson, Van Dijk and Allisson made him better.

With the fullbacks and midfield also under par its really exposed him, and its clear he's not liking it. Should have baled as Salah should have done. Moved to warmer climes and a less demanding league.
 
Fortitude said:
He really comes across terribly. This is him in games; what's he like in training and around the club? He carries himself like it's beneath him to even play. From kicking balls in teammates face and then lambasting them for it with a screwface, to this today, it's a bad look.
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You make it sound like his whole Liverpool career has been like this. He just captained us to a league title.

Regardless of this season, he’s going to be remembered as one of the best CB’s to play in the PL era. Not the best, but he’ll be brought up in conversations. I think a fair few would have him top 10, some top 5. Signing him and Alisson turned us into a club that could compete at the top end.

He might’ve lost a yard like Salah this season. Unlike Salah however, I think we were right to sign him for two more years. We won’t get another CB as good as he’s been for some time once he’s gone.
 
Klopper76 said:
You make it sound like his whole Liverpool career has been like this. He just captained us to a league title.

Regardless of this season, he’s going to be remembered as one of the best CB’s to play in the PL era. Not the best, but he’ll be brought up in conversations. I think a fair few would have him top 10, some top 5. Signing him and Alisson turned us into a club that could compete at the top end.

He might’ve lost a yard like Salah this season. Unlike Salah however, I think we were right to sign him for two more years. We won’t get another CB as good as he’s been for some time once he’s gone.
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I've made no mention of his behaviour prior to this season, indeed, I think this is his reaction to decline and adversity and it's absolutely terrible. We give out for Bruno mishitting passes and then berating the intended recipient, we've no players punting balls into teammates faces and then arrogantly lambasting them for it.

His behaviours are out of the ordinary, which is why they are becoming talking points and memes. I can't see how that's good for morale if he's anything like that around the club.
 
Fortitude said:
I've made no mention of his behaviour prior to this season, indeed, I think this is his reaction to decline and adversity and it's absolutely terrible. We give out for Bruno mishitting passes and then berating the intended recipient, we've no players punting balls into teammates faces and then arrogantly lambasting them for it.

His behaviours are out of the ordinary, which is why they are becoming talking points and memes. I can't see how that's good for morale if he's anything like that around the club.
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I mean that’s a one off incident you’re talking about. I’m pretty sure he’s not like that in training. He’s been a pretty good captain for us since he took over from Henderson.

His biggest crime this season is how his occasionally lazy defending has become commonplace. He’s still been better than Konate overall, but I think the latter is exposed far more. Our left back is almost expected to play as a third CB at times.

I’m pretty sure Van Dijk dislikes playing with Kerkez.
 
His demeanour and his contempt for everything and everyone else is the problem….translated as Arrogance.

Maybe the realisation that he now faces criticism rather than the smoke blown up his arse all the time from the all Liverpool fan boys like before - unable to handle it.

If he had a bit more dignity he wouldn’t be so unlikeable.
 
Klopper76 said:
You make it sound like his whole Liverpool career has been like this. He just captained us to a league title.

Regardless of this season, he’s going to be remembered as one of the best CB’s to play in the PL era. Not the best, but he’ll be brought up in conversations. I think a fair few would have him top 10, some top 5. Signing him and Alisson turned us into a club that could compete at the top end.

He might’ve lost a yard like Salah this season. Unlike Salah however, I think we were right to sign him for two more years. We won’t get another CB as good as he’s been for some time once he’s gone.
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Really fair post.

I’d have him below Rio 100%. I don’t think he was as good as Stam at all - but Stam had a shorter time in the prem.

Apart from that, he’s as good as I’ve seen in the Prem.
 
In some ways he is difficult to judge as there has been a dearth of quality CBs to compare to for a number of years.

Rio, Stam, Terry, Vidic, Adams is a pretty solid 5. Arguments that VVD may nudge in there. But i'd maybe have him in with a group of Campbell, Carvalho, Kompany. Difficult to split some of these players.
 
Klopper76 said:
I mean that’s a one off incident you’re talking about. I’m pretty sure he’s not like that in training. He’s been a pretty good captain for us since he took over from Henderson.

His biggest crime this season is how his occasionally lazy defending has become commonplace. He’s still been better than Konate overall, but I think the latter is exposed far more. Our left back is almost expected to play as a third CB at times.

I’m pretty sure Van Dijk dislikes playing with Kerkez.
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Occasionally!! :lol:

Good one :)
 
This reminds me a bit of the Messi/Ronaldo threads back in the day where one match they don’t play well in is deemed to be legacy-defining among several hundred… until the next one. Then a circular argument of the same thing over and over again. Here it’s ’is Van Dijk one of the best PL defenders?’. Which would not be a compelling argument outside of a United forum because it’s pretty much regarded everywhere else that he is.
 
Klopper76 said:
I mean that’s a one off incident you’re talking about. I’m pretty sure he’s not like that in training. He’s been a pretty good captain for us since he took over from Henderson.

His biggest crime this season is how his occasionally lazy defending has become commonplace. He’s still been better than Konate overall, but I think the latter is exposed far more. Our left back is almost expected to play as a third CB at times.

I’m pretty sure Van Dijk dislikes playing with Kerkez.
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How can it be one off when another one was the catalyst for the run on discussion? And throughout the game he looked disdainful; that was just the worst of his behaviour, or the one that encapsulated it all the best.

There’s nothing at all wrong with self confidence or even defiance against any that wish to detract, but what is being talked about now is arrogance, and that’s obviously bad news if he’s like that all the time.

I’m not really a part of the discussion about his ability or decline; only in here because of his behaviour of late.
 
Did TenonTen get his account banned? If so, it's kind of disappointing we don't get to see him double down on his refusal to criticise the highest paid defender in Europe when he puts in consistently poor performances.
 
Klopper76 said:
I mean that’s a one off incident you’re talking about. I’m pretty sure he’s not like that in training. He’s been a pretty good captain for us since he took over from Henderson.

His biggest crime this season is how his occasionally lazy defending has become commonplace. He’s still been better than Konate overall, but I think the latter is exposed far more. Our left back is almost expected to play as a third CB at times.

I’m pretty sure Van Dijk dislikes playing with Kerkez.
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Too obvious. He shows it openly on the pitch.
 
Imagine being on a downer as it is and then your "captain" compounds it and probably dogs you out even more because of a mistake he's made.
 
One of the worst CBs in the league the last couple of months. Positioning, organisation, tracking, blocking all terrible. Plus he looks to be a toxic presence for his teammates.
 
telling you, worse than Maguire ever was for us even in his meme'd period. And add to that, a terrible attitude on the pitch.
 
Fortitude said:
Imagine being on a downer as it is and then your "captain" compounds it and probably dogs you out even more because of a mistake he's made.
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Terrible leadership skills. His attitude and the way he treats Kerkez, a 21 year newbie settling into a new team is just awful. I know he can come off as arrogant sometimes, and that is fine given that he was a fine player but his attitude towards his teammates has been nothing short of disgraceful.
 
Joga Bonito said:
Terrible leadership skills. His attitude and the way he treats Kerkez, a 21 year newbie settling into a new team is just awful. I know he can come off as arrogant sometimes, and that is fine given that he was a fine player but his attitude towards his teammates has been nothing short of disgraceful.
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Yep. And that's been spoken about for months now. It's gotten worse since.
 
He loves shaking his head like he's being let down by those around him
 
Woeful. Boggles my mind he’s considered in the company of Rio, Vidic, et al.
 
The Corinthian said:
Woeful. Boggles my mind he’s considered in the company of Rio, Vidic, et al.
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He’s been a part of a very successful Liverpool team and played well. Let’s give him his flowers.

But now - more to the point. Let’s enjoy the falling apart :)

He’s never at fault for a goal or a foul. It’s always someone else’s fault. He moans constantly on the pitch. There is never a refereeing decision that he doesn’t complain about (even clear cut ones). He shouts at his players, waves his arms. And the latest fun one is, he twerks! But I guess any of that is a problem only when it’s Bruno
 
You only really learn about someone's leadership skills when things aren't going well. Vvd comes across as a cnut
 
Amarsdd said:
telling you, worse than Maguire ever was for us even in his meme'd period. And add to that, a terrible attitude on the pitch.
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Steady.
You can't have forgotten Maguire actually shoving Shaw out of the way once and then watched Tottenham lash one in as they smashed us.
 
Mentioned the atmosphere is terrible of which he is a contributing factor :lol:

The other Liverpool players are probably dreading another motivational talk from him.
 
He is delusional to unseen levels. Believes the tripe that he is the best defender in the world when he hasn't been near it after injury lay off when Pickford did him in. Is never the one to blame, always others. Eyes rolling, arms waving captain and leader of men. I'm sure he is raising the morale of troops around him every time he rolls his eyes and waves his arms at every goal they concede. Long may it continue.

Similarly lovely Arne Slot thought he has everything figured out in EPL when the team was winning on autopilot. Was cocky and radiating confidence. Now? He is shot of it. He doesn't know what to do and is relaying that to the whole squad. He looks lost. I'm betting my left nut he will not turn it around.
 
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