Article by Amy Laurence @AmyLaurence301
Following the massive £75 million price tag on Virgil Van Dijk – It’s important to consider what it actually is that he’s brought to the table and the effect of his presence within the team. Is Van Dijk all what we hoped and imagined?
Personally, I believe he’s brought bags of confidence, consistency and composure to a defence which for the most part of last season and for the beginning of this season was well on their way to being called a shambles. It’s clear to see that at the age of 26 he is a well experienced centre half. Experience stemming from captaining his national side and making 81 appearances in the Premier League have shaped him into the player he is today.
Van Dijk’s confidence has not only affected the back line, but has infected the rest of the team. We are no longer afraid to have players at the highest quality running at us as we have belief in that man to control those situations and prevent attacks to progress any further.
A key characteristic of Van Dijk’s performance is his composure. He has the ability to slow down the pace of the game in order to make the correct pass. He’s one of those players who doesn’t seem to get phased by any kind of pressure from opposing players. Admittedly, at the start of his Liverpool career I was completely terrified by his calmness on the ball – this is probably due to the fact that every other defender we have aims to get rid of the ball as soon as they recieve it! However, it works. His calmness makes you feel at ease which is why our defensive problems seem to have been silenced over the closing months of the season.
Liverpool desperately needed a well-respected and experienced player to come into the side and become a leader of the back line. He’s been to pivotal in both the Premier League and the Champions League campaign. Since his arrival a total of 6 goals were conceded in the Premier League, compared to goals conceded pre-arrival of Van Dijk which was 26. These stats themselves can illustrate the â??Van Dijk affect’.
One player who has been positively affected by the arrival of Van Dijk is Lovren. You could say that Lovren has had a mixed Liverpool career so far. Not too long ago after our defeat at Spurs when Lovren was subbed after 31 minutes I was ready to say goodbye and welcome ANYONE else into the side. However – if you were to ask me now who i’d choose between Matip or Lovren to start alongside Van Dijk, I’d choose Lovren. His confidence has improved and his composure over the closing stages of the season. You can’t help but think that it’s due to the leadership Virgil has brought to the backline.
So has Van Dijk lived up to our expectations? It is early to say – but with what we’ve seen so far in the Champions League and the closing stages of the Premier League he has all the potential to become one of the greatest centre backs this club has ever produced.
We have updated our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Learn more about what’s changed here
By tapping Agree, you accept the new terms and privacy policy which take effect immediately. After this date, you’ll need to accept these updates to continue using this service. You can also visit your account if you would prefer to amend your account.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.