A Liverpool fan has created a controversial Twitter thread claiming that Virgil van Dijk is the 'greatest defender of all time,' saying he has no weakness in his game.
Van Dijk has been a titan at centre back for Jurgen Klopp's side since moving from Southampton for a then world record fee of £75 million in January 2018.
Since then the club have reached two Champions League finals, winning one, and put an end to 30 years without winning the league title.
The Dutchman came close to winning the Ballon d'Or in 2019, missing out to Lionel Messi, an is considered the best defender in the world right now by many but one fans has explained why the former Celtic defender is actually the best ever:
Thread on why Virgil Van Dijk is the greatest Defender of all time pic.twitter.com/Z4yjSqd4gl
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Longevity is an important part of a player’s career but imo it shouldn’t play a huge part. Quality>Quantity. Sometimes you just have to respect greatness when you see it
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Baresi - Physique
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Vidic - Passing
Puyol - Pace
Zanetti - Physique
Another point to note is that Virgil plays in a modern high line with two attacking fullbacks that get caught quiet often yet he’s producing unreal defensive numbers and rarely gets caught out.
Virgil’s game reading is still out of this world, he still lead Liverpool’s defense from the worst in the top 6 to the best in the world, he’s still a huge threat in the box even if he’s not on par with Ramos.
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Virgil was the first defender since Cannavaro to challenge for the ballon d’Or and he had a fair case for winning it. He won the Champions League, was the UEFA player of the year and was the Premier player of the year (first defender since John Terry) along with numerous awards pic.twitter.com/FP9luyKlGo
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Chelsea’s 04/05 defence is one of the best of all time and rightly so conceding just 15 league goals. Liverpool last season conceded just 7 less in a much more attacking system with a worse DM, RB, LB, Second CB, and GK defensively. Surely you all can see where I’m getting at
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
His composure is his best attribute for me. I have never seen a defender this composed on the ball and in 1v1 situations. He barely ever breaks into a sweat and when you watch him it’s almost like he isn’t trying
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Another example of Van Dijk’s ability on the ball which a lot of great centre backs lack. This is phenomenal in the highest order pic.twitter.com/dPy4OYi608
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
An example of Virgil’s expert game reading
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Spurs have a 2v1 and Virgil knows that if Sissoko plays it to Son, it’s over so he blocks the option and lets sissoko go on till the end. Then he makes the tackle and sissoko is forced to shoot on his weaker foot pic.twitter.com/8CbzuqS95E
Virgil’s physicality is out of this world. A lot of great defenders can’t keep up or outmuscle an insane athlete like Traore, here’s 6’4, 200lbs Van Dijk doing it with easepic.twitter.com/gJUEK9rZTB
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Don’t forget we are in the dawn of the Pnp era, there’s a reason there aren’t a lot of amazing centre backs in football. Forwards are on steroids and their fitness lasts for the entire 90 minutes. Look at genetic beasts like Adama Traore. Virgil drops 10/10s without even sweating
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Tactically football is at the highest level it’s ever been. Why do you think people don’t freestyle on the pitch anymore? It’s because they will get exposed against tactically well drilled sides pic.twitter.com/kCuQSqHmSr
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
Forward lines are no longer just strikers, now we have inside forwards and most strikers can do much more than Goalscoring, dropping deep and confusing defenders. Virgil also plays alongside two of the most attacking fullbacks itw yet puts up goat tier numbers
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
End of Thread
— Aaryan (@Aary0uz) July 6, 2020
There's no doubt about how good Van Dijk is and often it's pretty tough to compare players in different eras because football changes so much, and there's also an incredible number of players missed off the list of comparisons like Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer.
It's never easy to decide on the greatest ever and Van Dijk has only been at the top level for the past two years and as much as the Twitter user claims longevity is only part of greatness, someone being greater for longer tends to win out.
Who do you think is the best defender of all time? Let us know in the comments.
source https://www.sportbible.com/football/stats-liverpool-fans-thread-claims-van-dijk-is-the-greatest-defender-ever-20200708
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