Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk is no longer a top defender and is “on his last legs”, with his ability “diminished” following his serious knee injury.
That’s according to Dutch analysts Johan Derksen and René van der Gijp, who have both criticised the Liverpool man for his latest displays.
Van Dijk remains a key player for Liverpool and the Netherlands, having been promoted as captain by both and established as a focal point for both Jurgen Klopp and Ronald Koeman’s defences.
He is still considered one of the best defenders in Europe to boot but the performances that elevated him to that status have been sorely lacking over the last year or so.
The centre-back found himself continually criticised last season as Liverpool struggled in the Premier League, with many believing he is no longer the player that some were labelling the best ever.
Those criticisms have crept back at the beginning of this season, particularly after Van Dijk was sent off in Liverpool’s recent win over Newcastle.
Derksen and Van der Gijp are certainly among those who are less than impressed by what they are seeing, believing the Liverpool star is now far beyond his best.
“I’m getting very tired of that captain of the Netherlands,” said Derksen.
“If there is a lack of performance, he uses all kinds of clichés to explain what went wrong. Can he still handle the level? No, he’s on his last legs.
“I never thought of him as a star. He looks good, but I don’t think he’s a very good defender. He was only strong in the air. He then plays the so-called captain. He just kicks in open doors and that man never says anything.”
“I really thought Van Dijk was an absolute top defender at the time when Liverpool won the Champions League,” added Van der Gijp.
“But I do think he took off his jacket after his injury. It was a really serious injury. In sprint duels, you can simply see that he has diminished. Sometimes it also looks uncertain.”
