POTY - Virgil Van Dijk

karen7 said:
He is good at heading the ball and kicking it away i'll give him that,he is no eric or john on the ball that is for sure,if he played for any other team he wouldn't get a look in
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I agree to a point. Liverpool's defense have tightened up and become better. Each part has made the other parts look better, as a whole. it's just that vvd has reaped most of the praise as it is he who is the new factor added to that backline.
I agree that if he played for Southampton still, or even City, there's no effing way would he be poty!
 
Amazing this guy wins PFA player of the year yet he never won it in Scotland with Celtic.
In fact in Scotland, journalists ,
Mark Guidi called him a dud.
Tom English said he was over rated.
Davie Provan said he wasn't worth £10M!

No wonder other countries think my leagues a backwater when our very own journalists continue to put it down
 
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burning blue soul said:
I agree to a point. Liverpool's defense have tightened up and become better. Each part has made the other parts look better, as a whole. it's just that vvd has reaped most of the praise as it is he who is the new factor added to that backline.
I agree that if he played for Southampton still, or even City, there's no effing way would he be poty!
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Liverpool's defence has actually regressed massively.

Since Christmas they are conceding at roughly the same rate they were before they spent £130m on the world's most expensive CB and GK.

It's one of the main reasons I'm confident they won't repeat this season's level of performance. They had a freakishly good run up to Christmas where their xG against was 16, but they only conceded 8. That run created the narrative that Liverpool's defence was incredible because they were on track to beat Chelsea's goals conceded record, but the stats showed that they were giving up massive chances and getting lucky.

Sure enough, since we beat them and burst their unbeaten bubble, they've conceded pretty much bang on xGa of 12 in 15 games - which is by no means top level.
 
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karen7 said:
He has dragged them to about 80 pts,goalies for other teams have given them the rest along with numerous offside goals,take away all that and they are nowhere near us,even when we get to 100pts and smash all the records none of our players get it,it's meaningless in that regard
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But I think that it's reflective of our team. Last season, we were comfortably the best team in the league. That's why we broke all those records. I would argue we didn't have a 'stand out' player that you thought clearly led us to those feats? Salah last year was incredible, we've just got to hold our hands up and accept he WAS the best player that season (just in a significantly worse team). This year, they've strengthened some areas that clearly needed addressing and fair play to the lad, VVD has been on another level. I think Raz has been great, but you could argue Bernardo has been our best player, Laporte, Aguero etc.

The biggest issue here is that they should wait until the league is finished. If Liverpool win it, then obviously VVD is fully 100% deserving of it. If they don't, you'd argue Sterling. Right now, it's pointless to vote because there are 3 games to go for each team. VVD might score 10 own goals between now and then.
 
burning blue soul said:
they are well down on last seasons figures, ...well down.
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They were way down until christmas. Since NYD they've conceded 12 in 15 which is on track for 30/season extrapolated out. Last year they conceded 38.

So Since NYD they've been better than last season by conceding about 1 goal less every 5 games.
 
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domalino said:
They were way down until christmas. Since NYD they've conceded 12 in 15 which is on track for 30/season extrapolated out.
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i take your point, but, even extrapolated out, its still down from 17/18 total (so far). but the point remains that he has become some fucking shining light of defending, just because they went through a purple patch and he was the new ingredient.
 
Manchester33 said:
I don't like how this award is announced before the end of the season. If Liverpool win the league, fair enough, if City win it, surely we have someone more deserving?

In all fairness though, VVD has been unreal. Is it the best season by a CB in Premier League history? He's basically dragged Liverpool to a 90+ point season. Without him, they'd probably finish with high 70/low 80 points. I don't think the same can be said about any individual City player?
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No, best season by a CB was VK 11/12. Leadership and that goal against the rags.
 
domalino said:
Liverpool's defence has actually regressed massively.

Since Christmas they are conceding at roughly the same rate they were before they spent £130m on the world's most expensive CB and GK.

It's one of the main reasons I'm confident they won't repeat this season's level of performance. They had a freakishly good run up to Christmas where their xG against was 16, but they only conceded 8. That run created the narrative that Liverpool's defence was incredible because they were on track to beat Chelsea's goals conceded record, but the stats showed that they were giving up massive chances and getting lucky.

Sure enough, since we beat them and burst their unbeaten bubble, they've conceded pretty much bang on xGa of 12 in 15 games - which is by no means top level.
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After 35 games Liverpool have the best defensive record and have only lost once. VVD has had a very good season and deserves all the plaudits. Members of the PFA voted, not us fans or media, so his peers who all play the game at various levels are all wrong? Would Raheem have been a worthy winner, yes of course and I see him getting the journo's votes for the Football Writers.
 
It's not the fact that VD won it, it's the fact the media were proclaiming him the winner after about 3 games, I've not spoken to anyone who does not think Raz deserves it this season, including a dipper who goes in my local .. Yes VD is a great defender but has he lit up the PL like Raz, no chance .....! Raz has been on another level ..
 
RedMen73 said:
Members of the PFA voted, not us fans or media, so his peers who all play the game at various levels are all wrong?
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The PFA have shown themselves to be terrible voters time and time again. You only need to look at Paul Pogba's inclusion in the TOTY to see that, so appealing to their legitimacy as a voting body seems like an odd move.
 
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domalino said:
The PFA have shown themselves to be terrible voters time and time again. You only need to look at Paul Pogba's inclusion in the TOTY to see that.
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Listening to Five Live yesterday evening Jason Burt (yeah I know) came dangerously close to calling the entire footballing fraternity thick. Which would have been a courageous career move, while being entirely correct.
 
RedMen73 said:
After 35 games Liverpool have the best defensive record and have only lost once. VVD has had a very good season and deserves all the plaudits. Members of the PFA voted, not us fans or media, so his peers who all play the game at various levels are all wrong? Would Raheem have been a worthy winner, yes of course and I see him getting the journo's votes for the Football Writers.
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Van dijk is immune to criticism from the media though, which will obviously affect the votes.
 
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