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2018/19 Season Report Card - Virgil Van Dijk


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Last but not least in this series of report cards, we come to Virgil Van Dijk. I saved the best until last. And he was the best. The best at Liverpool. The best in the Premier League. The best in the Champions League. Basically, he’s just the best.

 

Not just the best defender either. Over the past year he’s probably been the most dominant player in the world. He may or may not be rewarded for that form with a Balon d’or, but it doesn’t really change anything if he misses out. He's the fucking man.

 

It’s always going to be more difficult for defenders to win individual honours, especially when Lionel Messi is around. It’s difficult comparing them too, because they do completely different jobs. Messi is the best ‘footballer’ in the world (perhaps the best to ever) but currently Van Dijk might just be the best ‘player’, if that makes sense? 

 

Look at it this way. Was anyone better in their respective position this season than Virgil? Could he (or any defender) have done any better than he did in 2018/19? How could he have improved on what he did? Other than scoring more goals I'm not sure it's possible.

 

Virgil should score more goals but he did alright and is getting better all the time. Defensively though, he was as close to flawless as you’re likely to see.

 

virgil_red.jpg

 

We’ve had some great centre halves at Liverpool. Truly great ones. None have been like this guy though. With the other greats, there was always something that you could say they weren’t the best at.

 

Sami Hyypia wasn’t the quickest, Carra wasn’t either and he was also a little undersized for what you’d ideally want in a centre back. Alan Hansen wasn’t the most physical, neither was Lawro. All were world class, but none were what you could call the complete package. 

 

Virgil though? There isn’t one weakness there. He’s great at everything. There is no part of his game that you think ‘he needs to work on that’ as he’s just fantastic at everything. He’ll out run you. He’ll outjump you. He’ll outthink you. He’ll outplay you. If necessary, he’ll outfight you.

 

He can run like Usain Bolt, jump like Michael Jordan, read the game like Franco Baresi and pass like Xabi Alonso. He’s ridiculous. He actually beat Adama Traore in a race down the touchline at Wolves. He also dominated aerially against every striker he faced and as we know, no-one was able to dribble past him. 

 

 

This is just a teaser, click to view the full article

 

Please note, 'Season Report Cards' are only be available to TLW subscribers. Subscriptions are just £2 per month and can be purchased here.

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"One of the biggest differences he’s brought to our game is something that largely goes un-noticed. When the opposition try to put a ball over the top or just try to knock it long and play for second balls, we’ve had problems with that in the past. Defenders would be at full stretch and would often only be able to clear it straight to the opposition and allow them to mount attacks, or at the very least get up the field and relieve the pressure from themselves. "

 

This is spot on and along with getting a competent goalkeeper, it's the biggest reason why our defense has become the best in the league.

 

He doesn't allow teams to go direct against us anymore and none of the midtable and bottom sides can construct their play against us any other way, so almost all of them are rendered toothless.

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1 hour ago, Captain Turdseye said:

That is a bold last sentence. I’m moist. 

 

I read it and my first thought was ‘fuck off Dave, seriously’? 

 

Then the more you think about it...add in a couple of league titles and 3 or 4 more cups and it’s very possible. 

 

Which is incredible when you think he’d be going up against Kenny, Souness, Rush, Barnes and Stevie. 

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I’d say this was the one most of us were looking forward to and it didn’t disappoint Dave. Here’s My take: We’ve all seen new signings come in before and make a huge impact - The King, Barnes, everyone will have their favourite. And while nothing can diminish what they achieved, they did it with winning teams. I don’t know what sort of sales job Klopp did with Virg (snow and Eskimos come to mind!) but this immense beast of a player chose us when he could have taken the oil-coin and guaranteed success elsewhere. I’ve never seen anything like it, from his first match against the blueshite he has been nothing short of sensational. It does seem he genuinely loves the club (although we’ve all been stung on that front before) and wants to fulfil his ambitions here. Put like this, If he leads us upward and adds a Prem winner’s medal to his haul with us I’ll personally carry the foundation stone for the fucking coolest looking statue at Anfield!

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My boss, an Evertonian, said to me, after the derby at Goodison, that he watched Van Dyke throughout that game and, in his words, he was spellbound, “It was worth the money to just to see him play, mind you, you won’t be able to keep hold of him”, was the comment.

 

Coming from a bitter, that says it all about what effect Virgil van Dyke has had since his arrival.

 

He’s immense and must put the fear of God into any opposition forwards when they see him up close, that probably puts half a zero on the opposition score before a ball is kicked.

 

Easily our most influential player.

 

10 is the minimum he deserves, long may it continue.

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, Marcas said:

I’d say this was the one most of us were looking forward to and it didn’t disappoint Dave. Here’s My take: We’ve all seen new signings come in before and make a huge impact - The King, Barnes, everyone will have their favourite. And while nothing can diminish what they achieved, they did it with winning teams. I don’t know what sort of sales job Klopp did with Virg (snow and Eskimos come to mind!) but this immense beast of a player chose us when he could have taken the oil-coin and guaranteed success elsewhere. I’ve never seen anything like it, from his first match against the blueshite he has been nothing short of sensational. It does seem he genuinely loves the club (although we’ve all been stung on that front before) and wants to fulfil his ambitions here. Put like this, If he leads us upward and adds a Prem winner’s medal to his haul with us I’ll personally carry the foundation stone for the fucking coolest looking statue at Anfield!

 

E2891E87-1391-448B-8440-858A5CEDE01E.jpeg

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18 hours ago, coachpotato said:

My boss, an Evertonian, said to me, after the derby at Goodison, that he watched Van Dyke throughout that game and, in his words, he was spellbound, “It was worth the money to just to see him play, mind you, you won’t be able to keep hold of him”, was the comment.

 

Coming from a bitter, that says it all about what effect Virgil van Dyke has had since his arrival.

 

He’s immense and must put the fear of God into any opposition forwards when they see him up close, that probably puts half a zero on the opposition score before a ball is kicked.

 

Easily our most influential player.

 

10 is the minimum he deserves, long may it continue.

 

 

 

I’d nearly go as far as saying it’s impressive to misspell his name after 19 months at the club where he’s been our best player.

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