Virgil van Dijk | Performances

Maluco

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As with all Liverpool supporters I know, their players are thrust into the best in the league conversation after a good 5-6 game run. It happened even when they were nowhere as a team.

Let’s see Matip do it over a season and stay fit. I would much rather a dependable Maguire who never misses a game, than a good defender made of glass.

As it stands, as a pro, he is comfortably behind Rudiger, Dias, VVD, Varane, Laporte etc…
 

DWelbz19

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Or if you got Matip for free and then VvD. No goals would be scored ever. ;)

@Klopper76 I've been trying to tell my footy mates for weeks that Matip is probably the best defender in the league at the moment fractionally ahead of VvD. Tried the same in the Top 5 defenders in the world (Maguire :lol: :wenger:) thread but got laughed at. My footy mates are paying more attention and coming round to it now.
One thing to call the voices in your head, I suppose.
 

Klopper76

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As with all Liverpool supporters I know, their players are thrust into the best in the league conversation after a good 5-6 game run. It happened even when they were nowhere as a team.

Let’s see Matip do it over a season and stay fit. I would much rather a dependable Maguire who never misses a game, than a good defender made of glass.

As it stands, as a pro, he is comfortably behind Rudiger, Dias, VVD, Varane, Laporte etc…
Matip’s been a huge part of a Champions League and Premier League winning side. I agree that he’s injury prone but that doesn’t mean he’s not proven how good he can be. I’d have him over Rudiger for one.

Hasn’t Laporte disappeared? Does he play for City currently?

Players like Van Dijk, Alisson, Salah & Fabinho have been thrust into the ‘best in the league’ conversations because of what they’ve done over entire seasons, not short spells.
 

Maluco

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Matip’s been a huge part of a Champions League and Premier League winning side. I agree that he’s injury prone but that doesn’t mean he’s not proven how good he can be. I’d have him over Rudiger for one.

Hasn’t Laporte disappeared? Does he play for City currently?

Players like Van Dijk, Alisson, Salah & Fabinho have been thrust into the ‘best in the league’ conversations because of what they’ve done over entire seasons, not short spells.
I agree totally with that, but it seems like players are back in the conversation so quickly. Absolutely no one bar Liverpool supporters would have listed Matip in their Top 5 Prem CBS before the season started. He was lesser part of the defensive partnership which won the league.

Rudiger is an ever present for the current champions of Europe and currently Chelsea’s best centre back. Pep got peppy with Laporte last season but he is quality. He is back in the team and would start for any other team in Europe at the moment. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that he is a better footballer than Matip.

I get that Matip is a solid choice who slots into the team very well, but he is not top 5 for me. He would need to be stellar across the whole season to be in that conversation I think.
 

WeePat

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I agree totally with that, but it seems like players are back in the conversation so quickly. Absolutely no one bar Liverpool supporters would have listed Matip in their Top 5 Prem CBS before the season started. He was lesser part of the defensive partnership which won the league.

Rudiger is an ever present for the current champions of Europe and currently Chelsea’s best centre back. Pep got peppy with Laporte last season but he is quality. He is back in the team and would start for any other team in Europe at the moment. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that he is a better footballer than Matip.

I get that Matip is a solid choice who slots into the team very well, but he is not top 5 for me. He would need to be stellar across the whole season to be in that conversation I think.
I think he's below Rudiger too, but that's no slight on Matip. Rudiger has been one of the top defenders in Europe for quite a while now. I'd throw Christensen in the mix with the group of defenders below the top CB's in the league, which is where I feel Matip is.

Matip has surprised me though. In a good way.
 

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I think he's below Rudiger too, but that's no slight on Matip. Rudiger has been one of the top defenders in Europe for quite a while now. I'd throw Christensen in the mix with the group of defenders below the top CB's in the league, which is where I feel Matip is.

Matip has surprised me though. In a good way.
Matip is a better footballer than both Christensen and Rudiger. Granted Rudiger had a rebirth under Tuchel, but as a ball playing center back Matip trumps both of them.

Matip does not get the same accolades because he was a free transfer and his languid style is not a crowd puller. Also he is made of the finest glass. He played a total of 12 PL games in the last two seasons.

Out of all the current CBs in PL Matip is most suited as a DM, he used to play that position for Schalke.
 
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WeePat

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Matip is a better footballer than both Christensen and Rudiger. Granted Rudiger had a rebirth under Tuchel, but as a ball playing center back Matip trumps both of them.

Matip does not get the same accolades because he was a free transfer and his languid style is not a crowd puller. Also he is made of the finest glass. He played a total of 12 PL games in the last two seasons.

Out of all the current CBs in PL Matip is most suited as a DM, he used to play that position for Schalke.
Players move for free all the time. That doesn't have anything to do with how highly he's rated, certainly not for me.

Christensen is an excellent ball playing CB himself, one if the best in the PL, but anyway, this all sounds like biased nonsense coming from me, so I won't clog up the board with this.

Matip is fantastic, even better when he's next to Van Dijk. Being injury prone could potentially be why people rate him lower than you think he derseves, but as the saying goes 'the best ability is availability'.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Made his 100th appearance for Liverpool today.

76 wins
16 draws
8 defeats

He might be our best ever signing in the Premier League era. Doesn’t seem to be struggling since coming back but I think our back line might be playing a bit deeper to ease the pressure on him.

Matip’s had a better season so far imo.
Things like this always make me chuckle.
 

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Players move for free all the time. That doesn't have anything to do with how highly he's rated, certainly not for me.

Christensen is an excellent ball playing CB himself, one if the best in the PL, but anyway, this all sounds like biased nonsense coming from me, so I won't clog up the board with this.

Matip is fantastic, even better when he's next to Van Dijk. Being injury prone could potentially be why people rate him lower than you think he derseves, but as the saying goes 'the best ability is availability'.
This is absolutely true. And Christensen is an excellent center back as well. He and Rudiger are a big part why Chelsea's defense is so good. I just think, Matip has better attributes for a ball playing CB, but that's a personal preference, and in no way the most objective judgement.
 

bond19821982

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I can understand why people outside of United don't rate Maguire but united fans? After VVD, Maguire is the best aerially dominant player in the league who can also pass. Yes, he doesn't have pace and is not as good as VVD. There is no harm in accepting VVD is a better player.

Dias , sure as a complete package but Stones is better aerially and they form a decent partnership.
 

Klopper76

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He started 8 league games when you won PL how did he play huge part in winning PL.
Ok I exaggerated the Premier League bit. He was very good against Barcelona and Spurs in the Champions League though.
Things like this always make me chuckle.
It’s the word ‘ever’ isn’t it? Too much?
 

amolbhatia50k

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Ok I exaggerated the Premier League bit. He was very good against Barcelona and Spurs in the Champions League though.

It’s the word ‘ever’ isn’t it? Too much?
Yes! Best ever (but only considering the last three decades and not the 8 before that - which saw most of your clubs success!). But I know many people use that phrasing.
 

E-mal

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If Maguire had pace, he would be the best centre back ever. None will even come close.
It is his lack of pace that holds him back.
 

roonster09

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If Maguire had pace, he would be the best centre back ever. None will even come close.
It is his lack of pace that holds him back.
Am I missing obvious sarcasm here?
 

RedRonaldo

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If Maguire had pace, he would be the best centre back ever. None will even come close.
It is his lack of pace that holds him back.
Yeh imagine a number of CB like Beckenbauer, Baresi, Nesta, Stam, Rio, Vidic couldn't even come close to Maguire with pace.
 

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I see Matip has become the best CB as well now :lol:. Gotta love scousers and their ability to overhype even a dodo playing in red

If Maguire had pace, he would be the best centre back ever. None will even come close.
It is his lack of pace that holds him back.
You could put a rocket up his arse and he still wouldn't even be close to the best ever.
 

roonster09

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I see Matip has become the best CB as well now :lol:. Gotta love scousers and their ability to overhype even a dodo playing in red


You could put a rocket up his arse and he still wouldn't even be close to the best ever.
For the first time in 30 years they have/had good team, so everyone is the best in the league and best ever PL players.
 

Varun

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For the first time in 30 years they have/had good team, so everyone is the best in the league and best ever PL players.
Yeah, pretty incredible mental gymnastics needed to somehow pretend Matip > VVD or that he's the best ever PL era signing for a team that signed Salah and Mane for less than 30mil and boasts signings like VVD himself.
 

Chief123

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Or if you got Matip for free and then VvD. No goals would be scored ever. ;)

@Klopper76 I've been trying to tell my footy mates for weeks that Matip is probably the best defender in the league at the moment fractionally ahead of VvD. Tried the same in the Top 5 defenders in the world (Maguire :lol: :wenger:) thread but got laughed at. My footy mates are paying more attention and coming round to it now.
Matip :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

Cloud7

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For the first time in 30 years they have/had good team, so everyone is the best in the league and best ever PL players.
Even when they werent winning anything they still found ways to force their players into the “best in the league” discussions :lol:
 

roonster09

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Even when they werent winning anything they still found ways to force their players into the “best in the league” discussions :lol:
I still remember the Lucas Leiva is the best DM in the world debates in RAWK and Xtratime Liverpool forums:lol:
Yeah I remember those arguments on different forum, it was general football forum for all club fans.
 

Hastar

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I still remember the Lucas Leiva is the best DM in the world debates in RAWK and Xtratime Liverpool forums:lol:
Never was the best in the world, but there was a spell before his horrible knee injury at Stamford Bridge, when Lucas was really amazing for us. Otherwise he was always a steady player. Managers loved him, because he quietly did what was asked of him.
 

Bebestation

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For me Van Dijk is a great player to watch and should be on that list.

However, I can't help but feel one more PL trophy would help the way he is viewed a bit more.

He has only won it once and if I'm right - someone like Kompany has probably won it more. Though I do also understand that the competitiveness of the PL is a different kettle of fish these days.

Got some time on his hand to do it though.
 

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For me Van Dijk is a great player to watch and should be on that list.

However, I can't help but feel one more PL trophy would help the way he is viewed a bit more.

He has only won it once and if I'm right - someone like Kompany has probably won it more. Though I do also understand that the competitiveness of the PL is a different kettle of fish these days.

Got some time on his hand to do it though.
He can absolute do enough to be included in top 3-4 all time. He doesn't even necessarily have to win more league titles either. He just has to get back to the level he was at pre-injury, and it looks like he's on way to doing that, and perform at that level for the next couple of seasons. If he does, and Liverpool win nothing, then he's been unlucky but his place among to best of the best would be secure. The chances are though, if he does perform at that level, Liverpool will win things.
 

Josh 76

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May finally get to see the greatest defender of all time at a major international tournament at the age of 31!
 

cyberman

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What the feck happened to him? He literally refused to tackle Martial and he just held the ball up at will. You’d think it was prime Drogba up front.
 

Lay

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Some really bizarre defending by him recently.
 

tomaldinho1

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What the feck happened to him? He literally refused to tackle Martial and he just held the ball up at will. You’d think it was prime Drogba up front.
He's always done it (and it is a common CB tactic in fairness) but seems to have started to do it way more post injury, he's lost a yard or two of acceleration I reckon
 

Bobski

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His defending for that first goal is just incredible. Must think he has some kind of Jedi mind power to influence Sancho to hit it right at him, or he wanted to show how smartly he could avoid giving away a handball by refusing to defend,

Just bizaare stuff.
 

cyberman

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He's always done it (and it is a common CB tactic in fairness) but seems to have started to do it way more post injury, he's lost a yard or two of acceleration I reckon
It’s a double wammy for VVD since he doesn’t want to be dribbled past so drops off when strikers turn on him.
All Martial had to do was hold the ball up and he automatically gained 5 yards with space to find a pass.