Virgil van Dijk

[Doc_Piptorious]

Cannavarro’s timing and leap were superb but VVD is much bigger and stronger and his raking long passes is another differentiator

Oh I would have prime VVD ahead of prime anyone else, is just that I think those two, Hansen and maybe a few others would come close to VVD at his best.


Hell even the current version of VVD is better than many of the best CBs in their pomp.

Think the closest today to a VVD regen would be Bastoni. He is not at VVD's level but think an arguement could be made that he is on the tier just below VVD.

[Irishnev]

Oh I would have prime VVD ahead of prime anyone else, is just that I think those two, Hansen and maybe a few others would come close to VVD at his best.


Hell even the current version of VVD is better than many of the best CBs in their pomp.

Think the closest today to a VVD regen would be Bastoni. He is not at VVD's level but think an arguement could be made that he is on the tier just below VVD.

McGrath was so good - USA 94 was some of the best CB displays from him, he made Phil Babb look so good we spent a fortune on him. Stam had it all as well, he excelled in Italy after he fell out with Fergie

I always liked the tough South Americans - Montero at Juve, Samuel at Roma, Ayala at Valencia and Godin in recent years. Other notable mentions for Kohler, Desailly, Hierro and Joel Matip

[Doc_Piptorious]

McGrath was so good - USA 94 was some of the best CB displays from him, he made Phil Babb look so good we spent a fortune on him. Stam had it all as well, he excelled in Italy after he fell out with Fergie

I always liked the tough South Americans - Montero at Juve, Samuel at Roma, Ayala at Valencia and Godin in recent years. Other notable mentions for Kohler, Desailly, Hierro and Joel Matip

Did not want to mention the scarer of trains as figured you would say I always mention him.

[Irishnev]

Did not want to mention the scarer of trains as figured you would say I always mention him.

[ame="https://youtu.be/mY_ax9wZzLo"]https://youtu.be/mY_ax9wZzLo[/ame]

[Norbs]

I met him in a hotel in Madrid and shook hos hand. He's not that big but it was a stag and I was half cut

[Irishnev]

I met him in a hotel in Madrid and shook hos hand. He's not that big but it was a stag and I was half cut

[kingfunk]

I met him in a hotel in Madrid and shook hos hand. He's not that big but it was a stag and I was half cut

Was he stripping?

[Norbs]

Nah, I think he was a guest

[Catrin]

Nesta was brilliant alright, and he was actually very good in the air. He played a lot like Hansen but had a lot more physicality to his game when he needed it.

Funny you mention the being good in the air thing. The best guy in the air on your Serie A list is probably the shortest guy there in Cannavarro. He was a beast in the air and brilliant on the ground.

Think he or Nesta, the latter in particular, would run VVD close in terms of being brilliant in pretty much every department.

Think where VVD beats both would be in terms of raw strength.

Paolo Maldini?

[memzey]

Paolo Maldini?

Virgil is stronger in the air and more dominant in duels. Maldini was more versatile though and was excellent at left back as well as centre back.

I think VVD might be the best centre back I’ve ever seen. It’s difficult to be sure and almost pointless comparing between eras but I genuinely struggle to remember any CB more complete. He’s just elite in all aspects of the game and will be impossible to replace when his time is up. We should just enjoy him while we have him.

[Sus]

McGrath was so good - USA 94 was some of the best CB displays from him, he made Phil Babb look so good we spent a fortune on him. Stam had it all as well, he excelled in Italy after he fell out with Fergie

I always liked the tough South Americans - Montero at Juve, Samuel at Roma, Ayala at Valencia and Godin in recent years. Other notable mentions for Kohler, Desailly, Hierro and Joel Matip

By Samuel do you mean Walter Samuel?

[Patricks_Berger]

When we say “prime” VVD… are you sure that is t the version we’re seeing now? It’s hard to say, but he seems to be as good as he ever was if not better… has he slowed down? Not sure.

[Irishnev]

By Samuel do you mean Walter Samuel?

Yep and I should’ve added Lucio to that list

[memzey]

When we say “prime” VVD… are you sure that is t the version we’re seeing now? It’s hard to say, but he seems to be as good as he ever was if not better… has he slowed down? Not sure.

I was thinking about this the other day myself. If this isn’t prime VVD then when was that?
Also, more specifically on pace, he showed his speed more frequently and obviously in previous seasons, that much is certainly true. In the last few seasons can anyone actually recall an occasion when he was exposed for not being fast enough? Genuine question as I can’t. This leads me to conclude that he is now, as he has always been, as fast as he needs to be order to get his job done.
If these things are true it might mean that the “prime” VVD question is a misnomer. There is no prime or not prime VVD. There is just Virgil, best centre half there has ever been?

[Charly]

Prime Virgil had slightly more pace and Matip alongside him?