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By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com
With a Dutchman brought into the Anfield dugout over the summer, it was perhaps lazily suggested that Arne Slot would be able to get the best out of compatriots Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch.
That has, of course, proved the case – particularly with Gravenberch, who has benefited from Liverpool’s failure to sign a specialist No. 6 to establish himself as arguably the most in-form midfielder in Europe.
But little was spoken of the Reds’ third Netherlands international, which speaks to the standards Virgil van Dijk has set over his seven years on Merseyside so far.
There was no question that Slot would retain Van Dijk as his captain and a first-choice starter at the heart of defence.
However, there remained lingering doubts among some sections of the support over his longevity, following a difficult penultimate campaign under Jürgen Klopp.
While Van Dijk had reclaimed his form in Klopp’s final season in charge, having turned 33 over the summer there had been understandable questions over whether the centre-half could maintain that level for much longer.
He has already answered those emphatically, with a near-flawless start to life under Slot which makes a mockery over any delay in talks over a new contract.
Still, as Liverpool preside over a record-breaking debut of the Slot era – no manager had ever won eight of their first nine games in the charge of the club until this season – there is still less emphasis on Van Dijk’s influence over it all.
Gravenberch has rightly been lauded as the success story of the campaign to date, while Mohamed Salah has proved an evergreen presence leading the attack, Luis Díaz has found his mojo again and Trent Alexander-Arnold is revived at right-back.
But it is time for Van Dijk to get his flowers again; the No. 4 has proved he is still the best centre-back in the world and one of the best to ever play the game.
That was shown again as Liverpool overcame Bologna for a 2-0 win in the Champions League, with the No. 4 dominating his defensive third as the likes of Thijs Dallinga and Riccardo Orsolini simply bounced off of him.
It wasn’t a performance to write home about per se, more so a seven-out-of-10 display for a player of Van Dijk’s calibre.
These displays have become such commonplace for the Liverpool captain that it is perhaps hard to put into words how effective he is.
Van Dijk is not a full-blooded defender – unless he has to be – and his numbers show that: so far in this season’s Premier League he is in the 100th percentile for aerial duels won and the 97th for interceptions made, but only the 11th percentile for tackles won.
He is a centre-back who prescribes to the fabled Paolo Maldini quote: “If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.”
While partner Ibrahima Konaté is a front-footed aggressor, Van Dijk is more regal in his approach; attacks are snuffed out before they can develop, forwards are held off before they can break the last line.
And such is his quality on the ball that Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola opted for a tactical shift which Slot admitted took him by surprise on their recent trip to Anfield, as the Spaniard opted for his No. 10 to keep pressure on Van Dijk.
“It was a surprise for us as well, because all the games they’d played up until now they were pressing the left centre-back with their No. 10 and this was the first time they went to the right,” he told reporters after Liverpool’s 3-0 win.
“What could be is they see Virgil as an unbelievable strength
“So that makes it maybe for Ibou, not that he has a weakness, but maybe Virgil is even further ahead when it comes to bringing the ball out from the back.”
Such is Van Dijk’s threat with long-range passing – in the 86th percentile for Premier League defenders – that Bournemouth left Konaté free, which proved a mistake as the Frenchman’s own passing range played a part in all three goals.
The deference shown to Van Dijk is earned, though it is certainly alarming that the club themselves appear to have shown little of that when it comes to his future.
With Van Dijk’s contract set to expire at the end of the campaign along with both Salah and Alexander-Arnold, there has been a distinct lack of urgency from Liverpool when it comes to extending his stay.
Much of that can be explained by the upheaval in both the coaching staff and in the boardroom over the past 12 months, but it is a situation the 33-year-old has been happy to discuss for months now.
“I feel very good personally, I feel like it is nowhere near the end so far. There are plenty more years left and let’s see what happens,” he said at the end of August.
“It is the one percent which makes a difference in terms of looking after yourself and the work you do at home in terms of recovery and treatment, making sure you eat the right stuff, rest.
“That’s what I’ve been doing for so many years and that’s why I’ve been consistent in the amount of games I’ve been playing over the last couple of years.”
Whether there are reservations within Liverpool’s recruitment team over the durability of a player who will turn 34 years old days after his current deal expires, Van Dijk’s comments indicate that he has no such concern.
Marry that with the performances he continues to produce week in, week out – as a defender who stands above the vaunted likes of William Saliba and Antonio Rüdiger – and it should be a no-brainer to tie him down for years to come.
Those watching on can only hope that the understated brilliance of the Liverpool captain is not somehow lost on the decision-makers themselves, as the club may never have a centre-back of his unique stature again.
(Images from IMAGO)
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