Is recent criticism of Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk justified?
Virgil van Dijk used to be a cheat code for Liverpool.
- Published prior to Liverpool's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest
Instead of celebrating a goal against the Reds, rival fans would celebrate an opponent successfully taking the Dutchman on. That was how rare of an occurrence it was.
During the 2018/19 campaign, a season in which Liverpool added a sixth European Cup to their collection, the former Celtic centre-back was a key part of a defence that conceded just 22 goals in 38 Premier League outings.
The following year, the Reds conceded 33 goals as they claimed the title. Defensively, he was impervious. In possession, he was, at times, a deep-lying playmaker.
Following a 3-1 loss to Liverpool during the 2020/21 campaign, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta singled Van Dijk out for special praise.
“When you get past the Liverpool press, you then hit Van Dijk. He then hits a 60-yard pass to Mo Salah, and they are out of the press. That is quality."
Not long after that win against the Gunners, the Merseysiders lost their No4 for the season following a rogue Jordan Pickford challenge. He’s performed to a high level since returning but he’s not the same player he was.
An ACL injury does that to players and he is a couple of years older.
But the famous aura he possessed has dissipated. Whereas at one stage of his Liverpool career, he looked superhuman, now he looks human.
The stats don’t tell the whole story with Van Dijk.
For example, a lot of his defensive numbers are on the rise this season. He’s attempting more tackles and interceptions, making more blocks, and clearances and he’s involved in more aerial duels.
He’s also winning more of his aerial duels. So far this term, he’s come out on top in 80% of the 6.35 he’s competed for whereas his career average for Liverpool sees him winning 73% of the 4.2 he’s attempted.
These metrics could be used to say he’s performing better but, like with goalkeeper stats, it just means he’s been busier than normal.
That isn’t necessarily his fault. It is a combination of things. There are more minutes in his legs, the backline for the Reds hasn’t exactly been settled due to injuries and Liverpool are bedding in a new midfield.
All of this puts extra pressure on the new skipper. And he’s taken on more of the responsibility.
This has had an impact on not just the 32-year-old but the entire defensive unit.
His role now differs. Defensively, he’s busier. In possession, he’s now somewhat limited.
Prior to this term, he was averaging 82 passes per 90 for Liverpool in the Premier League. This has fallen dramatically to just 67. Others have taken over from him as the player to dictate things in the defensive third, with Trent Alexander-Arnold inverting and the deployment of Alexis Mac Allister as the defensive midfielder.
These tweaks have no doubt played a role in the Reds keeping just one clean sheet with Van Dijk in their starting XI.
He’s having to cover larger spaces and defend greater areas, with Andrew Robertson reverting to a traditional left-back position most of the time leaving the Dutchman to play as a centre-back and as a left-sided centre-back.
The new role doesn’t exactly showcase his weaknesses while masking his strengths but it is highlighting a number of things.
He hasn’t been directly at fault for a goal this season but there have been moments that point to him not being the player of yesteryear.
Against Newcastle United, he’s a little slow to react to Alexander Isak’s run and that is why he ends up kicking through the striker as opposed to being in a position to poke the ball away ahead of the Sweden international.
In the loss to Tottenham, he initially has a couple of yards on Heung-Min Son but is on his toes as the Spurs No7 bursts into the penalty area to poke the ball into the unguarded goal.
Prior to the ACL, Van Dijk possessed a burst of pace that would’ve nullified both of these situations.
The Dutch captain was also caught on his heels against West Ham as Jarrod Bowen brilliantly directed a diving header into the corner. He can’t be blamed for the goal, it was a moment of genius by the England international, but you can’t help but feel the Van Dijk of old isn’t caught cold by the movement.
That is how flawless he once was.
Then there was the pass to Mac Allister against Brighton. Some have claimed the World Cup winner should’ve reacted a little quicker but, in truth, Van Dijk’s pass was on the slow side and it forced the Liverpool No10 into waiting for the ball rather than being able to take it in his stride.
The Seagulls swarmed their former teammate and capitalised to score the opener. Again, it wasn’t necessarily Van Dijk’s fault, others could’ve done better, but it’s the sort of thing that wouldn’t have occurred previously.
In the derby win, Van Dijk was fairly dominant, winning 12 of his 17 duels in total. But there was a moment just one minute into the game when he allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to get a jump on him in the penalty area.
Thankfully for the Reds, it was a tame effort and Alisson was able to just catch the ball. But with a better header, Liverpool potentially find themselves a goal down and Van Dijk would’ve been somewhat culpable having been, once again, caught cold.
The Liverpool skipper finds himself in an unusual position of being very good but he’s being compared to the player he was during the peak of his powers.
When everything he did was top-tier, he’ll always come up short against that version of himself and this increases the scrutiny.
He’s no longer the cheat code he was but he’s still arguably the most physically dominant defender in the Premier League who elevates the Liverpool defence whenever he’s part of it.
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