El Gato
Villarato!
Which he sadly took to the wrong extreme end of the spectrum this season.
Virgil van Dijk
- Thread starter Barcaman
- Start date
Which he sadly took to the wrong extreme end of the spectrum this season.
MTL_Barca
Well-known member
He might very well be the best CB atm, it's not like any other player would really stand out. So i wouldn't say he is massively overrated as a player.
I think some people just tend to overrate the impact of one single defender in general. Even if he is the best CB in the world right now, you can't expect him to never make any mistakes and easily shut down all attackers he faces on his own.
Pique is also great this season, is best in years i'd say but he also got some questionable scenes here and there and needs help from his teammates frequently. That's just how it is for defenders, you can't have a decent game and then score 2 bangers to make it a 1A+ performance like a striker can, it has to be constantly good play with least mistakes possible.
I think some people just tend to overrate the impact of one single defender in general. Even if he is the best CB in the world right now, you can't expect him to never make any mistakes and easily shut down all attackers he faces on his own.
Pique is also great this season, is best in years i'd say but he also got some questionable scenes here and there and needs help from his teammates frequently. That's just how it is for defenders, you can't have a decent game and then score 2 bangers to make it a 1A+ performance like a striker can, it has to be constantly good play with least mistakes possible.
Last edited:
What exactly making VVD the best CB in the world?
failed in all important games (Real Madrid, Barca, City)
MTL_Barca
Well-known member
That wasn't the point i was making at all so it doesn't make much sense to discuss this. I wrote "could very well be", i mean who is objectively better? Pique? De Ligt? I can't really think of anyone in particular but also don't care tbh because it doesn't matter. Let him be nr 2 or 3 or 5 or whatever floats your boat. These rankings of players never made sense to me anyway.
No matter who you rank 1st he would still make mistakes, have a bad game vs this or that striker occasionally etc that's just how it is for defenders and that's the point i was making. It seems like some people expect the "best CB" to be able to handle any form of pressure without any problem whatsover all on his own and never make a mistake or get outplayed but that's just unrealistic.
Andrew M
New member
He made a mistake on the 1st no doubt
Arizona Scott
New member
1st goal was on Matip.
2nd I would say is his fault, or at least the only player who had a chance to clear the ball before Messi but Messi pounced while he seemed to caught watching.
IMO he is the best defender in the world. I don't think he has a weakness--tremendous leadership, pace, aerial ability, skill with his feet, judgement, you name it. Not being able to stop Messi isn't a weakness--no individual defender has ever been able to do that. (Curious at their peak how Puyol or Pique did in practice?)
What you have to remember is Liverpool was a leaky defensive team before he got there. This year with an inconsistent right side due to injuries all over that side, Liverpool has the best defensive record in the world. He is reason #1.
FYI I think Pique has been the 2nd best in the world but VVD is another level better. Now he doesn't have the medal count of Pique or Ramos or Varane, but I think he is better. Maybe not to when the 1st two were in their prime. Puyol in his prime might have been as good too--and of course he has the medals too.
2nd I would say is his fault, or at least the only player who had a chance to clear the ball before Messi but Messi pounced while he seemed to caught watching.
IMO he is the best defender in the world. I don't think he has a weakness--tremendous leadership, pace, aerial ability, skill with his feet, judgement, you name it. Not being able to stop Messi isn't a weakness--no individual defender has ever been able to do that. (Curious at their peak how Puyol or Pique did in practice?)
What you have to remember is Liverpool was a leaky defensive team before he got there. This year with an inconsistent right side due to injuries all over that side, Liverpool has the best defensive record in the world. He is reason #1.
FYI I think Pique has been the 2nd best in the world but VVD is another level better. Now he doesn't have the medal count of Pique or Ramos or Varane, but I think he is better. Maybe not to when the 1st two were in their prime. Puyol in his prime might have been as good too--and of course he has the medals too.
vlad
New member
he has to play on a high level a bit more to be put in the same sentence with puyol, pique, ramos, why overhyping, enjoy in his performances but you dont need to put him alongside players which played so long on a highest level, compare him to the players with the same playing experience as him, in few years, maybe he would stand beside ramos, pique and then puyol.
Last edited:
It`s ridiculous to absolve him from responsibility for the first goal. He had Suarez in front of him coming in for the ball and he stood there like a statue. It doesn`t matter who was nominally responsible for Suarez. When you see a player coming in for the cross, you go for the block.
He`s good usually, but he fucked up in that game. Rio summed it up well in the analysis - you`re a centreback and he has a number 9 on his back, that`s your player and you follow him.
Arizona Scott
New member
There is a difference between legacy/career achievements and high performance or dominating play a short time. Of course vvd does not deserve mention with puyol/ramos/pique in terms of career. But i cant say i have seen any one defender transform a defense like he has, i dont think overhype. His physical attributes and leadership are crazy good and i think he is by a good margin the best defender in the world. Now he did not have a perfect season, not this week and not in January. He could also be a more dominant attacking option--chip in a lot more from set pieces and the occasionally offensive runs. He could learn from those legendary Spanish defenders in that regard as well as one diego godin. But he has more physical attributes than any of them.
Last edited:
khaled_a_d
Senior Member
Puyol 04/05 beats him easily for me, mediocre GK, Oleguer (enough said) Gio who was terrible defender that year and was more of an attacking LB, Belletti was mediocre defender. A midfield that didn't protect defense, and a weird offside trap that all his teammates was doing it wrong. He made us best defense in Liga even though we conceded 3 goals against Betis when he was injured and against RM when he was playing through injury because we didn't have a real replacement.
One of the most underrated season by a defender in football history, if not the most IMHO
Home of Barca Fans
