The Virgil Van Dijk Stays at Southampton Thread

Who said he's not a good player?

The fact remains though, that
a) he is coming back from a long term injury and therefore there must be some doubt about his return to full fitness, &
b) he had his faults, of which getting caught out of position a lot was the most glaring. Oh, and let's not forget
c) he's a dick.

 

It would be a world record for a CB. Is he the best CB in the world, or even in the PL?

 

I think he will suffer early on from the same issues Lovren and Alderweireld found. The better teams don't protect their back 4 as much as we do. It is easier for a good CB to look great playing for us as we have always had at least one proper DM playing in front of them helping them out. The top sides tend to be more attack minded leaving the defence more exposed and CBs especially can be made to look like donkeys when being left open to PL players running at them at pace.

Throw in the fact that VVD likes to go meandering up the pitch and I think he may struggle early on.

 

Certainly up there in the PL. The only CB who might be better than him in the PL is Alderweireld IMO.

 

The more I see of Jack Stephens the less I care about the sulky little girl going tbh.

Plus Beefy says that Alfie Jones is going to be quality.

 

Alderweireld, Vertonghen and David Luis are the three that come to mind in the PL.

 

I think it is really hard to judge just how good VVD is until he is at a top side. Lots of players look like world beaters when playing at the middling teams but struggle making the step up, at this time it is too early really to compare VVD to the centre backs playing for the top teams.

 

The size of a transfer fee isn't just about how good the player is. Neymar just went for an absurd amount and he isn't the best player in the world.

 

He's better than those last two.

 

David Luiz isn't that good and Vertonghen looks better due to playing alongside Alderweireld. VVD is better than both of them.

 

He certainly thinks so.

 

Oy....don't insult us girls.

 

Quite right Fran, shouldn't be sexist, sulky little tw@ then....

 

Why would a centre back look like a world beater at a middling club but be found out at a top club? I'm struggling to understand that. Any CB at a middling club will come under more pressure there than at a top club surely? Cahill at Bolton was under the cosh far more often than he's ever been at Chelsea. The same would be true of VVD if he goes there (or to another CL club). Surely that's the one position where you can be sure you are buying quality if you are one of the big boys?

 

Wasn't Lovren regarded by many on here as one of the best in the PL when he was playing for us?

As I explained earlier the smaller teams tend to set up more defensively which helps good CBs look better than perhaps they are. A lot of the CBs City have bought over the years have looked great at the teams they have come from, only to be left exposed at City and written off very quickly (I personally think Otamendi is up there with the best in the league). I am not saying this will happen to VVD but I just find it hard to compare players playing at the smaller teams to the ones at the top teams.

 

It's also about concentration, which is similar to goalkeepers. At a club lower in the league the defence is relatively busy while the defenders at top clubs may have very little to do for a long period and then suddenly have to deal with a dangerous break. When van Dijk was at Celtic his concentration was definitely seen as a weakness.

 

Whereas with Oriel
(A) he's adorable
(B) he's so beautiful
(C) he's a cutie full of charms
(D) he's a darling and
(E) he's exciting and
(F) he's a fighter with big arms

 

And we make players look better. We really do. But anyone consoling themselves that Virgil isn't the real deal, and we can mug some serious money for a pretender needs to have a rethink. This guy has what it takes to go all the way. His style & technique make things look effortless, but he is so comfortable & composed that its easy to miss some very clever positioning & play. Such a shame he's let things get in his head, I would have been well happy to get three years from him & a fee.

 

I'm finding it very hard to get my head around that particular transfer, and what it means for the sport.

In terms of absurdity, it's got to be right up there with Caligula making his horse a Senator - some observers at the time thought that presaged the end of the world. it didn't but it probably marked the beginning of the end of the Roman empire. Is this the beginning of the end of Football's empire?

 

It's quite simple really. Neymar is the heir to the "best in the world crown" is a massive marketing tool and already a very good player. The only way to buy him was to meet his release clause (which Barca ****ed up by putting so low). That's all there is to it really