Cybereagles

18 year old Kanu Nwankwo 'disgraced' Baresi in CL final that Ajax won.

Nna, no kidding, I’m always suspicious of the footie knowledge of those of you that don’t live in countries that eat and breathe football. Very few pundits on telly say anything worth listening to. The exceptions are people like Oliseh, Seedorf or Cruyff. The rest are hired for a variety of reasons ranging from being famous, attracting female viewers, controversy, good PR skills, being golfing buddies, etc. I hardly ever listen to them. I don’t need anyone to tell me what I can see.

Van Dijk is an average player, who is dominant in the air and good at blocking spaces. Roy Hodgson once said that if you gave him a pub team for 6 months, he could teach them how to block spaces. It would make them very hard to beat until they come up against tricky forwards. Terry was like that – and some people would fight me if I called him average.

People like Terry and Van Dijk look good in today’s football without that many forwards that are wizards on the ball. Imagine what a Del Piero, Van Basten, Romario or the Real Ronaldo would have done with them.

I watched your video and it’s funny that what should be “highlights” confirms what I was saying. If you watch Liverpool regularly like I do, you would see the mistakes that don’t always get punished. The Gnabry goal is just the beginning. When Van Dijk starts getting turned inside out by better forwards, don't forget where you heard it first.

Both of the highest quality players who I admire. We know their strengths how about weaknesses?

Varane has speed, he can catch pigeons and although a good positional sense means he rarely needs his speed to get out of trouble, he often uses it to cover for slower team mates. But he is not a born leader and organiser, so he prefers for others to lead and organise the defence. It must be said this part of his game has improved with age and experience. Varane plays best with a leader and organiser (Ramos, Umtiti). He is weak with crosses, although I think he will sort that out if he plays in the EPL. He is a warrior, he can look quiet, like a choirboy, but he is sly and nasty, has no qualms with getting hurt and he knows the game. He anticipates, reads it and sorts it.

Van Dyke is a true leader, organiser and warrior. He can get exposed when in one on one situations, hence his yellow cards counts. If Gnabry was not in the box, VVD would have fouled him. He is not the quickest on a straight line or turn but makes up for this with good positioning sense and is very quick to get tight to avoid being turned.

I'd have both because they will compliment each other to make a fantastic defensive pair. When I analyse both, I really cannot separate them. It really will come down to need. They are currently my preferred defensive pair, although Umtiti runs them close.

This is what should make everyone laugh at your comments. There is nothing you have said about van Dijk that remotely suggests you watch Liverpool regularly. And see how you make assumptions about things you can't possibly know? And you claim you are better than the pundits.

I have watched EVERY Liverpool game this season and last--not to mention Netherland games. We get the exact same TV shows you get, and I probably get more because I have THREE IPTV boxes that I bought specifically to watch footie from around the world. And living in a country where you "live, breathe, and eat soccer" means nothing in a world where the Web connects everyone, and you can access various media and participate in or follow discussions wherever people speak English.

Your comments about van Dijk are complete wack, to put it mildly. You have gone out on an extreme limb. Admit it, come back in, and take a WISER and safer position. You seem to enjoy these thoroughly unreasonable positions like claiming that C. Ronaldo is "just a tap in merchant." It's good if you are just having fun, but be careful people don't begin to regard you as someone who knows nothing about football. I'm sure that's contrary to what you' re hoping to achieve with these extreme contrarian positions.

You claimed you have watched every Liverpool game and also claimed that Van Dijk has not made one mistake in those games. Me, without watching their games – allegedly, can tell you that he was at fault for the goal in their last game. I have even described his style in relative detail. Maybe it’s just my imagination, running away from me…

I’m seriously suspicious of the footie knowledge of youse lot across the pond. Admittedly, this is based on what I read on CE. Some of the most ridiculous things I’ve read here have come from those that live over dia. Like comparing Fake Ron to Messi, David Silva to Iniesta, etc.

I don’t play “safe”. I don’t “hope to achieve” anything in a meaningless internet discussion. It’s not like I want to become an Internet Certified Coach (ICC). I watch the game and tell people what I see. You don’t have to like it, but that’s what I saw. I see Van Dijk as very average. I see Fake Ron goal-hanging for the entire game.

At lot of what we accept as true today were considered “complete wack” at some point, from the kid who said the emperor had no clothes to flat-earthers when told the earth was round.

CIC Unkle, if Van Djik is average then how do you rate our SE defenders as to me he’s clearly multiple times better than all of them combined and I consider them as average, I’m wondering how they stack up with this your tough barometer?

Bros, biko come in from the cold, and admit you went out on a dangerous limb. It won't kill you to say, "I wuz wrong," but it might kill you to stay out there.

Imagine trying to sell the idea that a shrewd business enterprise spent 75 million pounds on an "average" defender? They must all be a pack of fools there in the Liverpool executive, even though the club is challenging for the league title after what most wise people consider very judicious spending. I guess you are the only wise person who sees the foolish thing they did.

I know, I know, you said the transfer fee is "inflated to cover egunje" Biko explain to me why they are not inflating to sell the likes of averagites like Johnny Evans for 75 million pounds? Why is only van Dijk worth that much? What about averagio like Laporte? Why was his transfer fee not padded to reach 80 million? If van Dijk is "average," that means he is just like every other player, and as such, everybody's transfer fee should be padded to reach 75 million, abi?

By the way, according to Transfermarkt, in terms of market value in the Premier League, van Dijk is still the only defender valued in the top 20 at 67 million pounds. But you know better than the market, you deeply insightful armchair pundit, you.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jumplis ... bewerb/GB1

Chai! Are you trying to tell me that you don't know the variables that inflate transfer fees? For starters, clubs are not run like proper businesses. If they were, there'd be more scrutiny over the corruption involved in transfers. An average player could go for a high transfer fee if it is b/w English clubs, who traditionally don't like to sell to rivals. There is also the issue of other clubs' interest turning it into a bidding war, plus the length of the contract. Van Dijk is 27, he moved from Groningen to Celtic for around 2m when he was 23. Varane moved from Lens to Madrid at 18 for 10m euros. Van Dijk moved from Celtic to Southampton for 13m about 2 years later. That was inflated, and then at 26 he is suddenly a 75m player! If he was that good, City had the means to outbid Liverpool. In fact, if Van Dijk were English, he would have gone for 100m! English players tend to cost more than others in England and they don't get more average than English players!

The transfer fees of Evans and co are inflated as well. Harry Redknapp used to ask agents: "How does the deal stack up"? This means "what is my cut".

By the way, van Dijk was not at fault in the last Liverpool game. The lumberjack Englander and fake captain James Milner sliced the ball so that it created an awkward situation for van Dijk. Even then, he did the best thing under the circumstances, heading it to Allison, who should have come out to get the ball with his hands, but inexplicably went for it with his feet, kicking it into Ryan Babel. In any case Milner accepted responsibility for it. Watch from .54

He could've headed it away from goal rather than centrally. He was at fault...

He could've headed it away from goal rather than centrally. He was at fault...

That's one option for a defender other than van Dijk. I believe he was trying to retain possession. By the way, I think that, like Salah, he is getting a bit tired. Too many games.

cic, biko, did I not told you to come in from the cold? . You see how you have missed the point and shot yourself in the foot? Forget the verbiage, the point is that if van Dijk is "average," then all average defenders should be selling for around 75 milla. But they are not.

Unfortunately for you, you have actually confirmed that he is NOT average by saying that if he was English, he would sell for even more--100 million. Give it up, ma fren. You are confusing yourself.

Nna, leave matter for Matthias. I have already explained many of the circumstances in which an average player goes for £75m, including the bribery factor. All those factors are not always in play. The price tag doesn't always indicate quality, especially in money miss road EPL. It's even worse for English players.

Anyway, my job here is done. Many of youse that rely on drunk pundits to tell you what's up, will start removing the wool from your eyes when you watch the next Liverpool game. Don't forget to come back here and say "na true CIC talk oh".

CIC, my guy, abeg, stop saying Van Dijk is average...
You may argue whether his purchase price was inflated; or whether he's genuinely the best CD in world football...but Van Dijk is not average biko, I beg you...

From a player who should know:

Liverpool centre-half Virgil van Dijk is considered to be one of, if not the finest defender on the planet by AC Milan legend Franco Baresi.

Baresi surely isn't appraising "an average player" here...

https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/van-dijk-earns-top-centre-half-billing-from-milan-legend/1glx42tvhp20g130499js0dpa3

"I like Van Dijk and De Ligt, they are both very strong and very athletic.

OK, his strength, athleticism and height are not "average"! My concern was footballing ability.

CIC, smirk all you want, but the key phrase in your argument is "average player"...
The article doesn't suggest Baresi is appraising an "average player"...

I've watched Van Dijk against Mbappe (4 games), Benzema & Ronaldo, Aguero, Lewandoski etc.; and Van Dijk certainly didn't look "average"...

“When you find someone like Virgil van Dijk, who is very good on the ball but also very good defensively, you do start jumping around and going crazy.”

That's one option for a defender other than van Dijk. I believe he was trying to retain possession. By the way, I think that, like Salah, he is getting a bit tired. Too many games.