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Virgil Van Dijk


Paco
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When / if we sign Virgil - how much better do you think our defence is going to be?

 

I don't think it works like that.  We could buy Bonucci and Van Dijk, but the clear thing is that our team defend together and get back to fill-in holes. 

 

The main issues for me in defence, as always, is around dominating the penalty box at corners, and being able to use the ball better at the back.  My issue isn't really around them 'defending' for most of the game, it's not heading the ball away.  Van Dijk, regardless of injury, will be good at that.

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Hopefully, he'll be a calming influence instead of the general panic you seem to see all too often at corners and free kicks.

 

That said, I dont think last season we were as bad as sky sports and others like to make out but we're still in need of improvement.

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when you think of the goals conceded due to errors - to say he won't improve us is disingenuous - I think he will. Just whether he is enough. 

 

Hull away, Palace at Home, Leicester away, Swansea at home, Bournmouth away, and Burnley away - I can't think of too many of those games whereby a defensive midfielder would have made much difference to the goals scored!

 

Bournmouth being one, and Leicester away (although VVD has a bit more about him, to stop the team shitting themselves). 

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He's vocal, he's an organiser and he's a leader. VVD has everything we are lacking.

 

The fact that he's also great in the air, strong as fuck, dead fucking quick, a really good passer, and (until his current injury) hardly ever injured, is a massive massive fucking bonus.

 

Great player and we could not get a better, more suited player to fit and hopefully qualm our defensive vulnerabilities.

 

Worth every penny of the reported £65m in my opinion, the fact that we'll steal him from Southampton is a bonus. Good ! Burn their fucking ground down.

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Van Dijk will improve the defence a lot. But first, the attack. His pace means we could play a high line without being terrified of a ball coming back over the top. The high line will help our attacking players get on the front foot, and the crushing effect on the opposition will be felt as we squeeze the space available. He will also be an attacking threat on set pieces, both in terms of heading ability - we've not had that consistently since Sami Hyypia - and he can also take a free kick.

 

He improves the defence with his aerial ability, which is massive, as we give up few shots against, in open play, and when people do score against us the set piece is a big factor. So he helps with that. Then his pace, tackling, size and leadership help knit it all together too.

 

We won't all of a sudden be the tightest defence in the Premier League, as Klopp plays an attacking game, and what an attack we've got, by the way! But with VVD I expect our goals against column to be at least ten better than last season, and that will be telling over the course of the season.

 

With VVD we have a very good chance to solidify our spot in the top four. With Keita added we could be thinking of a title challenge too.

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It's easy to forget how sublime he's been for Southampton.  He's got all the attributes we came to love about Hyypia, coupled with the athleticism of a young Rio Ferdinand.

 

People on here saying that he's not going to make a difference without a Keita.  I disagree, I think he at times covers both the CB and the DM position himself.

 

 

--------------------------------Ward-----------------------------------

Trent---------------Matip-------------Van Dijk---------------Milner

-----------------Henderson---Can----Coutinho--------------------

----Salah------------------Firmino-----------------------Mane

 

But what's staggering is that our bench has genuine quality on it.

 

Grujic - he's not far off Can's level, and has a higher ceiling. 

Solanke - fits in nicely as a replacement for Firmino, a talisman to build around

Lallana - great energy, occassional goal, clever

Wijnaldum - great energy, occassional goal, clever

Clyne - likely starter

Moreno - climbing the charts

Lovren - could even be a starter

Gomez - could even be a starter

Sturridge - unknown

Origi - the runt

Kent - pacey bastard

Robertson - could even be a starter

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It's easy to forget how sublime he's been for Southampton. He's got all the attributes we came to love about Hyypia, coupled with the athleticism of a young Rio Ferdinand.

 

People on here saying that he's not going to make a difference without a Keita. I disagree, I think he at times covers both the CB and the DM position himself.

 

 

--------------------------------Ward-----------------------------------

Trent---------------Matip-------------Van Dijk---------------Milner

-----------------Henderson---Can----Coutinho--------------------

----Salah------------------Firmino-----------------------Mane

 

But what's staggering is that our bench has genuine quality on it.

 

Grujic - he's not far off Can's level, and has a higher ceiling.

Solanke - fits in nicely as a replacement for Firmino, a talisman to build around

Lallana - great energy, occassional goal, clever

Wijnaldum - great energy, occassional goal, clever

Clyne - likely starter

Moreno - climbing the charts

Lovren - could even be a starter

Gomez - could even be a starter

Sturridge - unknown

Origi - the runt

Kent - pacey bastard

Robertson - could even be a starter

Nothing like pre season games to sway opinions on players. Or in Moreno case 'GAME'. Grujic not far off Can' level?? Really?

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I had no idea he was ignoring me.

 

Bit weird this because this is basically a monologue because he can't read this, and it's all about him.

 

Anyway, what an odd bloke.

I think you're being exceptionally positive about youngsters and crap players who have had a decent preseason.

 

Hope you're right though, obviously

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Nothing like pre season games to sway opinions on players. Or in Moreno case 'GAME'. Grujic not far off Can' level?? Really?

 

In the case of Moreno, it's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but personally I've always had time for him.  I think his pace and stamina were misused, and still are, but on Tuesday we saw what level he can reach in a system that suits his qualities. 

 

As for Grujic, I think it says more about my apprehension about Can's qualities than it does about my admiration for Grujic, perhaps.   That said, I think Grujic is destined for a big future in the game, possibly a breakout tournament at the 2018 World Cup with Serbia currently top of their group.

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People talking like its a done deal......

 

Totally agree I'll believe it when he actually lines up in our defence until then I've got massive doubts this will happen. I can see a Caulker type signing minutes before the deadline far more likely with Klopp at a press conference saying "Van Who? this loan signing was who we wanted all along"

 

Don't do it to yourselves this is FSG we are talking about after all.

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Totally agree I'll believe it when he actually lines up in our defence until then I've got massive doubts this will happen. I can see a Caulker type signing minutes before the deadline far more likely with Klopp at a press conference saying "Van Who? this loan signing was who we wanted all along"

Don't do it to yourselves this is FSG we are talking about after all.

Ditto. It could very easily go tits up

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I think you're being exceptionally positive about youngsters and crap players who have had a decent preseason.

 

Hope you're right though, obviously

 

From all accounts it would seem Klopp doesn't rate Moreno.  But....he started the other night, in a game that meant a fair bit to Klopp under the circumstances.

 

I just wonder, or hope, that there is an element of Moreno's flaws that are from an immaturity, and that now he's age 25 he might have wobbled his head and seen he's got 5-7 years left in the game and wants to make the most of it.

 

Moreno's a very 'new' player in some ways.  He was officially promoted to the Sevilla first team in Feb 2013, so that's only 4 years ago he really made the step-up, and then 18 months later we're buying the lad for £12m.

 

Since then, a chequered history with us, including a horrible low in the 2016 Europa League Final.  Never really returned from that, and here we are now.

 

And despite that, we had AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Napoli all enquiring about him this summer.

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Liverpool CEO Peter Moore has moved to ease fan fears, and put across a gentle reminder via Twitter, that he is not in charge of the club’s transfer dealings.

 

Moore has been inundated with calls from fans to sign players such as Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita, amongst others.

 

Since taking over the role in June, Moore has taken the time to respond to Liverpool fans via his personal Twitter account, but wanted to use his social platform to let many of the 87,000+ followers know that he has no input on the club’s signings.

 

In a trio of Tweets, Moore said: “Pls (please) allow me to provide a respectful reminder that managing activities such as player transfers is NOT amongst my CEO responsibilities

 

“Our sporting director and manager and their teams manage that side of the club and I am extremely confident in their abilities to do so.

 

“I see great value in the interaction here with our superb supporters around the world,and look forward to doing so throughout the season.”

 

It is Michael Edwards who has the role within the club of securing the signatures of Jurgen Klopp’s targets, and he has already overseen the three signings Liverpool have made thus far in the summer: Dominic Solanke, Andy Robertson and club-record purchase Mohamed Salah.

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Liverpool CEO Peter Moore has moved to ease fan fears, and put across a gentle reminder via Twitter, that he is not in charge of the club’s transfer dealings.
 
Moore has been inundated with calls from fans to sign players such as Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita, amongst others.
 
Since taking over the role in June, Moore has taken the time to respond to Liverpool fans via his personal Twitter account, but wanted to use his social platform to let many of the 87,000+ followers know that he has no input on the club’s signings.
 
In a trio of Tweets, Moore said: “Pls (please) allow me to provide a respectful reminder that managing activities such as player transfers is NOT amongst my CEO responsibilities
 
“Our sporting director and manager and their teams manage that side of the club and I am extremely confident in their abilities to do so.
 
“I see great value in the interaction here with our superb supporters around the world,and look forward to doing so throughout the season.”
 
It is Michael Edwards who has the role within the club of securing the signatures of Jurgen Klopp’s targets, and he has already overseen the three signings Liverpool have made thus far in the summer: Dominic Solanke, Andy Robertson and club-record purchase Mohamed Salah.

 

 

Or he could of you know just ignored it he seems to like twitter  :rolleyes:

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