The system doesn’t work with this Virgil van Dijk

This isn’t my stunning home.

That’s what most Liverpool supporters, together with this one, are pondering this morning as Liverpool have come out of the blocks this season just like the starter’s gun is simply one other overbearing nuisance on a nasty hangover. Which in some methods, it’s. Liverpool haven’t gained of their first three outings, and whereas the primary two attracts could possibly be waved away, with some quantity of hidden desperation, as unusual issues occurring, yesterday’s loss to blood rival Manchester United isn’t any mere smudge on the scan. It’s an precise symptom of one thing.

For the second time away from dwelling, Liverpool regarded torpid and nearly dismissive of getting to match their opponent’s power. Now, all groups that get outplayed look torpid. They feed into one another. It’s why you hear so usually that shedding groups are described as “flat” and profitable groups “buoyant” or some such extension of both. But Liverpool have lacked verve, and there are causes for that which we’ll get to.

But each time Liverpool hit a nasty patch, and there’s at all times just a few matches in there that look determined iffy, the same old complaints get trotted out. The fullbacks get too far ahead, the protection performs too excessive of a line, it’s too dangerous, Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t defender, you’ll be able to’t play like this, and so on. It’s the identical factor time and again.

None of it is a secret. This is how Liverpool play, and nobody says something once they’re placing up 90+ factors in a season. Teams know what they’re dealing with, and so they know counter it. It’s hardly covert. Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are going to get what appears suicidally excessive up the sector, and if you may get the ball and transfer it shortly sufficient you knock it into the areas behind them the place Liverpool solely have their two centerbacks and whoever is occupying the No. 6 to cowl. Everyone is aware of this.

The cause so few groups have been in a position to truly accomplish this sufficient to beat Liverpool that usually is that they’ve had a cheat code in central protection. Virgil van Dijk made this technique work. No one else can. Because his studying of the sport and his anticipation have been doubtless the most effective on this planet, these kinds of assaults simply by no means obtained off the bottom earlier than being snuffed out. Van Dijk’s means to cease issues earlier than they occurred usually meant he hardly ever needed to dash throughout video games, a lot much less deal with.

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The margins have been at all times razor skinny, taking part in as Liverpool do, as a result of it solely took one good move to open them up like a cadaver. But they regarded a lot safer and fooled everybody into pondering the margins weren’t as perilous as a result of van Dijk was at all times on the precise aspect of them. It’s what made him fairly presumably the most effective defender on this planet. The entire system’s basis was him making it OK.

Notice how all these are previously tense? Because to date this season, he has very a lot not been that.

Go again to the opening week. The second Fulham objective was the results of a reasonably lazy and out-of-sorts patch of defending from van Dijk on Alex Mitrovic. This is the sort of run towards van Dijk that most strikers wouldn’t even strive. Perhaps it was the effervescent pleasure of opening day, maybe Mitrovic’s big shoulder-bound chip to show he belongs within the Premier League, maybe simply feeling optimistic on such a sunny day, however Mitrovic discovered his “Fuck it it’s free cake!” gear and obtained rewarded in a manner that forwards simply by no means have towards van Dijk.

Head to the next week. It’s awfully harsh on van Dijk, as a result of Wilfried Zaha is unquestionably on one nowadays. But watch intently:

We’re accustomed to seeing van Dijk, even on this fairly determined state of affairs, at the very least power Zaha to his left foot (although as Villa realized this weekend, that’s hardly a protected area both) and maintain him outdoors. The play breaks down manner earlier than van Dijk has to intervene, like when Fabinho will get his shorts despatched into orbit by Eberechi Eze, opening up tons of time for the latter to string this by means of to Zaha. But somebody bursts upon Liverpool’s protection a couple of times each sport. Van Dijk places out these fires. He by no means actually will get there towards Zaha, who can line this up together with his most popular proper foot.

Yesterday was a whole catastrophe. No, van Dijk had no assist from a midfield that was primarily in want of tennis balls being placed on their cleats such was their mobility, however by no means has the Dutchman regarded so flat-footed. Watch this primary objective:

After Milner slides by as if he’s lastly been placed on the ice float he seems to be like he’s as a result of arrive on shortly, van Dijk simply… stands there? He doesn’t shut down Jadon Sancho, who ought to by no means have the time to readjust his physique to get again onto his proper foot and move into the open half of the web. He might have scored anyway, however certainly this angle have to be closed down.

Again, the second objective is harsh in charge van Dijk, however such has been his normal, and such is Liverpool’s dependency on that normal, you’ll be able to’t go away him be completely. Yes, Jordan Henderson is somewhat out of place, and his contact sucks shit, however van Dijk will get overwhelmed to the ball by Antony Martial, and van Dijk nearly by no means will get overwhelmed to a spot like this. Which provides Martial on a regular basis on this planet to ship Marcus Rashford by means of. Van Dijk both didn’t see Martial float into the middle circle, or was too far off of him, or didn’t anticipate Henderson’s contact.

These are the sorts of margin-calls that van Dijk has at all times been on the precise aspect of, and he needs to be, and his greatness is that he nearly at all times was. When he’s on a streak like this…nicely, that is what Liverpool seem like.

There are clearly different issues. The damage listing is satanic, and nearly all in midfield. Jordan Henderson will not be a #6 and by no means actually has been, and the decision to go away Fabinho out of the beginning lineup final evening was mainly boneheaded, irrespective of how his season has began. The group’s assault has been constructed to be round Darwin Nunez, a real #9, and he’s performed barely two halves to date. They’re caught in between in attacking techniques. Van Dijk has performed with three totally different companions in central protection.

But the schedule solely will get extra overbearing from right here, and nobody’s ready round. And if Liverpool followers actually wish to panic, they could solid an eye fixed to Jurgen Klopp’s earlier arc at Dortmund. Klopp took two heat up seasons there earlier than producing 4 top-tier seasons, together with two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League ultimate look. But in his seventh season on the Westfalenstadion, all of it fell aside, Dortmund completed seventh, and he left the membership after the season. There have been another elements at work. Robert Lewandowski high-tailed it for Munich. So did Mario Goetze, and Nuri Sahin left as nicely. This is Klopp’s eighth on Merseyside.

Liverpool are clearly nonetheless adjusting to life with out Sadio Mane, who boosted the midfield at the same time as a striker final season by dropping deep and serving to out with the creation a part of the assault earlier than getting on the tip of lots of them. Just like Roberto Firmino used to however doesn’t fairly look able to anymore. But at Dortmund, Klopp created one nice group and couldn’t maintain it previous their preliminary cycle. Loads of the gamers that spearheaded these nice Dortmund groups have been nonetheless there in 2014-2015, besides they have been both getting harm or simply weren’t the identical like Schmeltzer or Piszczek or Hummels. It might simply be that taking part in Klopp’s system for some time takes its toll. Henderson, Fabinho, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Firmino have been round for your entire run. They all are both harm or look off it. And that’s after a 63-game season final time. It’s too early to say that’s what’s occurring. Three video games could be only a transient malaise. But Liverpool followers are mendacity to you if that thought will not be slowly chomping away on the deep recesses of their brains.