06 Oct 2025 07:39:03
{Ed's Note - NewPaisley79 has posted a new article entitled, Key Issues Liverpool FC Need To Address
1.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 09:46:19
I have a controversial opinion and this isn't just based off of the weekends calamity defending, I've thought this for a while, VVD avoids a heck of a lot of criticism for his performances and it would seem that Konate takes a lot of the flack. Don't get me wrong, he's a decent defender but I'm not convinced he's ever truly recovered from his injury and not sure he has adapted his game because of this and his age. I think defensively Liverpool can be got at and VVD can and should be targeted by opposition.
2.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 12:20:23
VVD was excellent last year. He reminds me a little of Rio towards the end of his time at United. He's not what he was, and now and then he gets caught out now, but he's still in the top few CBs in the league. Given the lack of settled full backs at Liverpool and some of Konate's positioning problems I think VVD is the last in the list of players in that backline I'd be targeting.
3.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 13:43:06
Agree. He is a Rolls Royce. Obviously not as good as he was but last year excellent this year a bit ropey. But thre best at Liverpool. Even the best players need time to adjust to new team mates. But football fans often live in the moment. All they see is the here and now and want what's not possible. i'd love for normal fans to have the scrutiny on them in the day lives to have a solicitor for example telling a plumber how do do his job ??.
4.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 14:05:09
VVD is always given the ball almost as a quarterback to start the play, I think on purpose to ensure he's quite often the spare man to make him less likely to be marked.
Konate can't help but push and pull whatever the situation so if they now have a problem with VVD then they have an even bigger problem.
Most forwards seem reluctant to close VVD down but those who are smarter and more aggresive seem to be in a good position to counter if the ball is lost by Liverpool soon after.
VVD's legs are pretty much on the way out and he's always in trouble now one v one, also he and Konate are giving more and more room to attackers on the break because they're both getting more passive under pressure if they can't get hold of you. Not helped by 2 headless chickens at fullback who both like to bomb forward inside and out.
5.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 14:27:37
The Premier League isn’t a league where you can be a Rolls Royce anymore, and if you are you need to be a peak Rio or Paulo Maldini. VVD, as I said hasn’t been the same since his injury. He’s not aggressive in closing the ball down. He just drops off deeper and deeper. He invites shots. Ken, was his defending for Caicedo’s goal down to him adjusting to his new team mates?! He has been defending like this for a while now but gets away with it because Liverpool in the majority of games are dominant but the games where they re under pressure, I think he’s suspect. If United can get Mbuemo, Cunha and Sesko running at him, they’ll get plenty of shooting opportunities.
That goal in the CL from the cross/ shot and was tapped in at the back post, he dropped, no pressure, Fernandes Goal from just inside their half, his first movement was back towards his goal, no pressure. Fernandes is hardly know ln for his pace. First game of the season, Konate and him are dropping and dropping, Semenyo just keeps going then there’s a point just before he shoots where VVD can apply pressure, he doesn’t. Saturday, well everyone must have seen it.
He’s a good defender, probably is the best Liverpool have but that’s not to say he can’t be exploited. I’d rather our 3 attackers in a foot race with him than Konate.
6.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 15:38:58
Do you think bruno is a good player?
Do you think haaland is a good player?
Do you think rohdri is a good player.
I can analyse plenty of footage and pick out errors and costly mistakes from them all.
Remember when torres roasted vidic numerous times but fergie stck with him thankfully.
Vvd is not what he was but imo would still be 1st pick for practically every team in the league.
Like bruno he is in decline it happens with age and is very normal. Konate is a bigger issue for them and bedding in 2 new full backs.
You can pick moments in any game where people don't do as well as they could have.
Again i'd love to have 100 cameras on you everyday exposing every movement you make and calling you out for it. Nobody is perfect.
Is he still a top epl cb I think so. Will he be next season maybe not. Old father time is catching up on him for sure but still a class act imo.
7.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 16:13:38
I’m not sure what you’re trying to argue here Ken?! I said he’s a good player, I said he’s probably Liverpool’s best defender. But your point about him getting called out is not true. I’ve not seen any pundit or media outlet call him out the way they do with Fernandes. Which goes to my point that he’s getting away with it. Fernandes is getting pelters weekly despite having stats that show he’s arguably the best CM in the league. He’s not immune to criticism so why is VVD?! You seem offended that I’ve suggested it and pointed out reasonable, common trait examples as to why and as to why I think he can be exploited.
Can someone who’s not played in the premier league not identify premier league players weaknesses?! What’s the prerequisite for this?!
Liverpools defence is a problem, they know it, it’s been identified by pundits but it’s everyone else’s fault in the back line bar VVD? You could argue as captain and a leader and the experienced head he should be organising the defence and making sure players are where they should be.
8.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 17:03:44
I'm not offended at all.
Every player can be locked on for errors.
Bruno gets it more beefcake he is very unlikeable nevus because of his demeanor.
Liverpool are the media darlings right now.
Why do you want vvd to be publicly criticised.
Too much after games stuff is looking for people to blame. Its a poor trait imo and says more about the people wanting and looking for that than it does about any individual making a mistake.
If that's your style then fair enough.
Lots of good things to point out about one of the best epl cb's ever but you want him called out for errors.
Your upset because pundits are not losing him out of it. Maybe they don't agree with you and see things differently.
9.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 17:07:51
Ports i don't think there is a player in history that could not be exploited at some point.
As I said people don't like bruno and will jump on it and to be honest he has never captained a team to a league title and has none of the respect vvd has earned from his peers and from the general public. A leader like vvd we would love to have on our squad no doubt.
10.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 17:16:21
VvD is / was an exceptional player, same for Salah but both are getting older.
Losing TAA is huge to their game.
Kerkez great but not defensively or mentally in Robertson’s bracket.
2x new forwards.
Frimpong settling.
Isak had no preseason.
Wirtz settling in finding his role.
Liverpool are far from on their bum but this season and probably next is going to be a period of change.
Staying in UCL would be a realistic ambition.
11.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 17:56:48
It’s not looking for someone to blame. The OP has put a post about Liverpools problems. I’ve said, with reason, VVD is a problem that people seem to be ignoring.
Any coach will look at teams weaknesses and where they can exploit them, I think VVD can be exploited and we should look to do this. People saying Konate positioning is a problem (it is) but look at VVD’s for Chelsea’s second. I think he can be exploited not because of a bad patch of form but because he has a trait of dropping deep when players run at him and not being aggressive in applying pressure on the ball. I think that’s identifying players weaknesses you want to turn it into a blame game.
He had 2 really strong seasons 17/ 18 and 18/ 19. But since his injury he’s not been the player he was. There’s nothing wrong in saying that.
I do get frustrated with the media and that they don’t hold all players to the same standards but I don’t lose sleep over it.
12.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 18:53:28
2 strong seasons. Vvd? If that's what you think ports then I've bo respect for your judgement on players.
Vvd 2 very good seasons ??? Your either blind or so poisoned with bias that you have clouded judgement.
Imo that's a pathetic opinion.
Making the epl teams of season 7 times. Voted by his peers who might know a thing or 2.
2 really good seasons???.
13.) 06 Oct 2025
06 Oct 2025 20:31:10
Unlike you Ken to lie to fit your argument. He’s not been in the side 7 times ? I got my seasons wrong, 18/ 19 and 19/ 20. He was consistent, excelled in all areas. Best CB in the league with no argument. No CB I don’t think would have beaten him in any statistics in those two seasons. After his injury he’s lost that consistency, he lost his explosiveness, he started making errors. Still a good CB but not what he was, understandable. So yeah, as quoted, 2 strong seasons but due to injury, not reached those levels. Statistically he doesn’t make as many tackles and duels per game than his 2 prime seasons (2018-2020 (before his injury) ) . He doesn’t proactively step up to intercept or challenge, he drops off and tries to contain.
Van Dijk remains a solid premier league defender but he’s no longer that generational, near perfect force he was before his injury and can be exposed but as captain and because of his reputation, he doesn’t recieve the same criticism as the other Liverpool defenders. It’s really that simple Ken.
So let’s get back to the original point. Van Dijk can be exposed this season. Make a structured argument against that. Not that he was good last season, or the season before or the season before that or because his Dutch premier league playing mates voted for him in the team of the season.