3 Potential Replacements for Virgil van Dijk
Before we get into this, I want to make it clear that it’s impossible to replace Virgil van Dijk. The best we can hope for is finding someone who fills the void in the backline and in my heart to the best of their abilities.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, we can look at some possible centre-back signings for Liverpool. Links have been popping up ever since the final whistle at Goodison Park on Saturday. Some good links, some …
Key Stats as Liverpool get back on track against Sheffield United
Liverpool got back on track in the Premier League after back to back games without a win, by coming from behind to see off Sheffield United 2-1 at Anfield. Diego Jota marked his first league start at Anfield with the match-winning goal, as Roberto Firmino got his campaign off and running following a penalty given against Fabinho. But what were the key stats from the game?
The support acts step up
A lot has been made over the last week …
Understated Robertson continues superb start to the season
In years and decades to come, Liverpool supporters will look back at this phenomenal team and pick out the poster boys from it, lavishing them with love and praise.
Whereas some great teams only have two or three iconic figures to bore future generations to death about, there are endless contenders in this Liverpool side.
Virgil van Dijk is a defensive colossus who completely transformed the team when he arrived, with the unrivalled Alisson not too far behind in that …
He's Not Perfect, But He's Ours
I just want to make a point, a point that should be obvious to all Liverpool supporters, but something that seems to be lost in the reactionary atmosphere in which we live these days.
Adrian.
Adrian is our back-up keeper. If he was good enough to be a top-6 keeper elsewhere, he would be. But he's with us, he's a Red, and he loves being a Red!
He saved a penalty to win us the UEFA Super Cup in August …
Ajax 0-1 Liverpool: Who Was Man of the Match?
Liverpool made a solid start to their 2020/21 Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Ajax at the Johan Cruyff Arena. It wasn’t the most convincing of wins, with the Reds requiring a strange own-goal from Nicolas Tagliafico to win them the game. Nevertheless, after a couple of scary moments at the back, Liverpool defended quite well and came away with a much-needed clean sheet.
In goal, he was at it again. Adrian made one good save to deny Quincy Promes …
Tactical Breakdown: Ajax 0-1 Liverpool
Despite both clubs' European pedigree, the last competitive game between these two sides was played back in the time of Bill Shankly. Much has changed since then. Nonetheless, football is still football, and tactics are the gameplans employed by managers to produce a particular outcome. These gameplans are often the product of the manager's philosophy, the players available to them and the opposition team, all of which characterised both manager's setups on Wednesday night.
Liverpool set up in their usual …
Thiago Influence Can Lift Jordan Henderson To Old Self
Jordan Henderson is an extremely versatile player, as we've seen throughout the entirety of his Liverpool career.
Whether it's been as the midfield anchor, as an energetic, box to box tornado of engine room intensity or -- as we saw in his first season with the Reds, under Kenny Dalglish -- as a right midfielder in midfield four, the captain has been a consistent performer for most of the time since his summer 2011 move from Sunderland.
Playing as the …
Ajax 0-1 Liverpool: Player ratings as Reds battle to three Group D points
Liverpool ended their run of three games without a win by doggedly beating Ajax.
Nicolas Tagliafico's clumsy own-goal was ultimately the difference, though Davy Klaassen hit the post and Liverpool spurned opportunities of their own in the closing stages.
Here's how the Reds rated in Amsterdam...
Adrian - 7
It was far from a confident start - the mix-up with Gomez and the flashbacks to the howler at Southampton - and the finish was nervy as well, a flapped punch …
Fabinho may well be first-choice centre-back in Van Dijk's absence
It's strange to think, but Liverpool's second-best centre-back, after Virgil van Dijk, may well be Fabinho.
This isn't an article having a go at a clearly excellent, but still young and developing Joe Gomez. I'm a huge fan of Gomez as a defender. Still only 23, the former Charlton Athletic player is one of England's best.
Joël Matip is also a very underrated centre-half. The only issue with 29-year-old Matip is keeping him fit for a full season or even …
Virgil Loss Will Be a Huge Blow But Liverpool Are Still Brilliant
Let's get the captain obvious statement out of the way at the beginning, shall we?
Liverpool will miss Virgil van Dijk during his injury lay off, which, per reports, could last anything from six to nine months.
If you could manufacture the perfect centre half in a lab, equipped with elite physical, mental, technical and leadership attributes, then the Reds' towering Dutchman would be the ideal prototype.
Any team -- Barcelona with Lionel Messi, FC Bayern with Robert Lewandowski, to …