NOT since 2006 had a defender when Fabio Cannavaro won the Ballon d’Or had a defender come to close to being named the best player in the world. However, Virgil van Dijk deserved to finish second in the voting for the 2019 Ballon d’Or – he was a generational talent. This season, though, the Dutchman has been a shadow of his former self.
This was abundantly clear in the performance produced by van Dijk during Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday. In particular, his defending for the only goal of the game was downright bizarre, allowing Dango Ouattara to breeze past him and set up Philip Billing without a challenge made.
Joe Cole on Virgil van Dijk's role in Bournemouth's goal:
"It’s a simple pass over top. Now he [Virgil van Dijk] gets back in, now he needs to switch on, he should be in business. When have we ever seen Van Dijk just let someone stroll past him in that situation." #lfc [bt] pic.twitter.com/0zFXtghmqS
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) March 13, 2023
Van Dijk looked vulnerable throughout against the Cherries with the relegation-threatened team unfortunate not to score more than just once. And this wasn’t an isolated case for the 31-year-old this season – Liverpool have looked defensively shaky in numerous matches and van Dijk certainly hasn’t been without his faults.
Of course, the context around van Dijk’s struggles is important. Liverpool’s counter-pressing numbers have dramatically dipped this season and so opposition teams are finding it easier to keep the ball closer to the Reds’ goal. This is putting more pressure on the Liverpool backline including van Dijk.
Much has been made of Liverpool’s problems in central midfield this season, and with good reason. Injuries have prevented Jurgen Klopp from picking a consistent unit in the centre of the pitch, but it’s also the case a number of his key players are older than they were a few seasons ago.
This might be stating the obvious, but it’s a factor in Liverpool’s decline. Klopp’s approach requires intensity for every minute of every match and the likes of Fabinho (29), Jordan Henderson (32), Thiago Alcantara (31) and Mohamed Salah (30) aren’t able to deliver this anymore that they have edged into the twilight of their careers.
Now 31, van Dijk is counted among the contingent of Liverpool players who have somewhat succumbed to their own mortality. The Dutchman is still a physical presence and remains excellent at reading the game in front of him, but he no longer covers ground as quickly as he once did.
There were signs of this even as Liverpool thrashed Manchester United 7-0. More than once, Marcus Rashford got the better of van Dijk in a foot race when the Dutchman surely would have come out on top two or three seasons ago. Not having the safety net of van Dijk’s pace has affected Liverpool.
Recent comments by van Dijk suggest he is also suffering physically having played for the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup. “It caught up with me, unfortunately, my body. I’m not a robot and I think going into the World Cup, having the World Cup and then doing nothing for a week and coming back… it was maybe not the right decision,” he said.
On this day in 2019, Virgil van Dijk dropped the best Champions league CB performances of the last decade. pic.twitter.com/0iNNKrHsh5
— Zayn (@pant_peak) March 13, 2023
None of this means Liverpool should give up on van Dijk. He has achieved too much over the last five years at Anfield for one underwhelming season to affect his standing within the squad too much. There are more pressing issues for Klopp to address this summer than van Dijk’s physicality, fading as it is.
Both club and player, however, must find a way to better mask the growing vulnerabilities in van Dijk’s game – the construction of a new, more energetic central midfield would certainly help. A consistent partner at centre back would also be useful. Ultimately, though, van Dijk himself mist prove he can adapt his game to continue performing at the top level.
