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.
Virgil van Dijk | Performances
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
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
He's got 52 career goals which is quite decent, more than I expected actually but Terry had 68 career goals.
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
was he your emergency striker that season or something?Doesn't he just. Outrageous the praise he was getting through the game for doing nothing.
Think it was a good few penalties and having a head llike sledgehammer meeting the ball on setpieces.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
Dixon struggled all game to hide his bias. Absolute bellend.
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 only noticed his funny swipe at Antony's goal while re-watching highlights this morning 
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.
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.
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.
This might also be gibberish because I don't watch him often enough to judge.
Scored 8 penalties in that season 90/91 - he only missed one penalty for Utd as the penalty taker ....... then Eric came along !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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nobody really has a go at him.
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.
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, 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.
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.
He's finished.
Who is he shouting at after HE makes all these mistakes hahaha
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.
One of the most overrated players in recent history.
Better than Rio they said
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.
The few times he’s had to face such forwards was Real in the Champions league and they’ve walked through him every time.