Virgil Van Dijk

[STATS]

26 minutes ago, JMaher94 said:

He's a brilliant defender.

Fast, brilliant in the tackle and adds much needed height into our defence. Dominant centre back and would get into every team in the league.

One of the best ball playing CB in the league too, arguably the best.

[Barrettinator]

Certainly would be our tallest defender right away. I guess I'll have to come to terms with the fact that we may lose Christensen.

[Zeta]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If it's a choice between them, it's got to be Andreas for me. All the money we've put into our youth system and all these loan arrangements, is to bring through quality players. It would be typical old Chelsea to cast him aside and spend £40-50m on someone else instead.

[Barrettinator]

Although to be fair, Luiz is 30 and Cahill is 31. They aren't exactly spring chickens. If we play our cards right, we could integrate Christensen properly, easing Cahill out gradually. Not sure Cahill has more than 2 years at this level left in him. Certainly would pick Christensen ahead of VVD to put faith in youth but after putting more thought into it, there's probably a scenario where we get both long term. All depends on how we handle Christensen though. 

[the special one]

52 minutes ago, Barrettinator said:

there's probably a scenario where we get both long term

Maybe Ake too eventually??

Christensen - Ake - van Dijk 

May need to sell either Christensen or Ake with a buy back option before that happens though.

Edited May 3, 2017 by the special one

[Barrettinator]

4 hours ago, the special one said:

Maybe Ake too eventually??

Christensen - Ake - van Dijk 

May need to sell either Christensen or Ake with a buy back option before that happens though.

Azpi isn't playing RWB. Something has to give.

Also, I don't think we're selling either of them. Remember they also count as homegrown for us and we badly need those quotas covered.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Barrettinator

[Barrettinator]

“Andreas will not be used in a barter and play for Southampton. There are no ways for this to happen. Andreas should not sit on the bench. He has played solidly for two seasons. Therefore, it is also planned for the future that he will play every week.” - Sten Christensen (father)

http://sportwitness.co.uk/players-father-frank-potential-move-southampton-chelsea-says/

 

Well, it looks like we have a problem on our hands.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Barrettinator

[enigma]

he deserves to be given the chance to play as starter for us. if that means playing instead of cahill then so be it. he is young and needs to be given the chance to step up. if van dijk can get a place in our team, why can't christensen? we certainly won't be paying out 50 million+ for van dijk for him to sit on the bench, so we don't pay any money at all and bring back a youth product who costs us nothing. 

Edited May 3, 2017 by enigma

[PedroMendez]

For me VVD is this years John Stones a lot of hype but the strong parts of his game should come as secondary and he is lacking in some very important areas for a CB. 
Whenever I have watched him play a full 90 yes he seems decent on the ball but he doesn't seem to be that brilliant at defending, he regularly switches off and is rash positionally whilst he is a dominating presence so is Papy Djilobodji but that doesn't make him a good defender. Conte has done wonders with Luiz so it may work out brilliantly but I wouldn't trust a defence of VVD Cahil and Luiz. Again this is just in the games I have watched he may just have had 5 or so really poor games defensively.   

[barak81]

Probably haven't seen enough of the lad but don't think at the quoted 50 mill this is worthit, Andreas has been excellent in his two years out on loan and Ake looks like he could be a top player given the chance. 

 

If Hazard does go of to Madrid we will need to invest big time and there are not a lot of ready made replacements around, aside from that even if he doesn't i would say that are budget should be focused on another top top attacking mid player

[JJP]

Apparently he's set to move to liverpool, said from various different sources.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/610979/Virgil-van-Dijk-Liverpool-Southampton-Jurgen-Klopp

This is just one of the many sources Ive seen saying there's been an agreement, what do you guys think about this?

[Osgood is Good]

12 minutes ago, JJP said:

Apparently he's set to move to liverpool, said from various different sources.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/610979/Virgil-van-Dijk-Liverpool-Southampton-Jurgen-Klopp

This is just one of the many sources Ive seen saying there's been an agreement, what do you guys think about this?

I read the other day in several tabloids that he would prefer to work with Pep Guardiola, and about a week ago Chelsea were favourites to sign him. Who knows, what the truth is. I guess the papers cover their bases and link him with the usual clubs.

[MTF]

would much rather integrate AC than spend that much money on VVD when we can be spending it elsewhere

[DonAntonio]

 

11 hours ago, MTF said:

would much rather integrate AC than spend that much money on VVD when we can be spending it elsewhere

Like in what? A new beko washing machine?  People are tighter with Romans money than roman, manager has identified a ball playing CB a top priority, according to what a have been hearing from the club, its crutial to our system working, whether we have decent youth or not we will spend on the best man we can buy for that position, wouldn't hurt ake or Christensen to do another year on loan, luiz and GC are aging they will get their shot if they are good enough, as stands neither are ready to play as a starter for an elite league winning and CL bound club, they just aren't, but VVD is, I would happily part with 50 mil of Romans pounds for him, he will improve us, him and luiz would be a formidable partnership with all kinds of balls being pinged up top, second biggest priority after that a top CM, then fullbacks, then a right forward and obviously if we lose Diego then striker is the biggest priority, we aren't losing hazard this year no chance, next may be so but not this year, we need 4 good starters this summer to compete with the top teams in Europe 

[JMaher94]

16 hours ago, PedroMendez said:

For me VVD is this years John Stones a lot of hype but the strong parts of his game should come as secondary and he is lacking in some very important areas for a CB. 
Whenever I have watched him play a full 90 yes he seems decent on the ball but he doesn't seem to be that brilliant at defending, he regularly switches off and is rash positionally whilst he is a dominating presence so is Papy Djilobodji but that doesn't make him a good defender. Conte has done wonders with Luiz so it may work out brilliantly but I wouldn't trust a defence of VVD Cahil and Luiz. Again this is just in the games I have watched he may just have had 5 or so really poor games defensively.   

Virjil Van Dijk is a much better centre back than Stones.

Reason he's rated by most in the top 5 in the league with Luiz, Azpi, Vertonghen and Alderweireld this season.

[DonAntonio]

5 minutes ago, JMaher94 said:

Virjil Van Dijk is a much better centre back than Stones.

Reason he's rated by most in the top 5 in the league with Luiz, Azpi, Vertonghen and Alderweireld this season.

Azpi doesn't get enough recognition outside of Chelsea, you could play the man in any defensive position, full back on either side, CB, wing back and he will still be one of the top players in the league in that position, what a player we have very hard to replace a man who can do that for you 

[Backbiter]

3 hours ago, DonAntonio said:

Azpi doesn't get enough recognition outside of Chelsea, you could play the man in any defensive position, full back on either side, CB, wing back and he will still be one of the top players in the league in that position, what a player we have very hard to replace a man who can do that for you 

Agreed. One of the best defenders we've ever had at the club. I do think, though, that he is pretty well admired and respected in the game.

Seems a top bloke as well. He's been a huge part of our success.

[MTF]

12 hours ago, DonAntonio said:

 

Like in what? A new beko washing machine?  People are tighter with Romans money than roman, manager has identified a ball playing CB a top priority, according to what a have been hearing from the club, its crutial to our system working, whether we have decent youth or not we will spend on the best man we can buy for that position, wouldn't hurt ake or Christensen to do another year on loan, luiz and GC are aging they will get their shot if they are good enough, as stands neither are ready to play as a starter for an elite league winning and CL bound club, they just aren't, but VVD is, I would happily part with 50 mil of Romans pounds for him, he will improve us, him and luiz would be a formidable partnership with all kinds of balls being pinged up top, second biggest priority after that a top CM, then fullbacks, then a right forward and obviously if we lose Diego then striker is the biggest priority, we aren't losing hazard this year no chance, next may be so but not this year, we need 4 good starters this summer to compete with the top teams in Europe 

it's not about worrying about spending someone elses' money - it's just that everything has it's limit. i'm years beyond caring where our money comes from and what we spend it on.

We weren't able to sign some of our targets last summer because we doodled around too long and didn't pay up when it mattered. What happens if we end up missing out on a striker simply because all the money that could of been spent on one is spent on a defender when we have so many options as it is already?

Also, people talking about '200/300m warchests' i think are getting a bit carried away, FFP still exists...just saying', because ripping off Chinese clubs to balance our transfers isn't going to last forever.

[Barrettinator]

9 hours ago, Backbiter said:

Agreed. One of the best defenders we've ever had at the club. I do think, though, that he is pretty well admired and respected in the game.

Seems a top bloke as well. He's been a huge part of our success.

I think where he's not respected is in the Spain NT. No reason he should be on the bench and Carvajal starting for them. Absolutely no reason. He's a much better player.

13 hours ago, DonAntonio said:

 

Like in what? A new beko washing machine?  People are tighter with Romans money than roman, manager has identified a ball playing CB a top priority, according to what a have been hearing from the club, its crutial to our system working, whether we have decent youth or not we will spend on the best man we can buy for that position, wouldn't hurt ake or Christensen to do another year on loan, luiz and GC are aging they will get their shot if they are good enough, as stands neither are ready to play as a starter for an elite league winning and CL bound club, they just aren't, but VVD is, I would happily part with 50 mil of Romans pounds for him, he will improve us, him and luiz would be a formidable partnership with all kinds of balls being pinged up top, second biggest priority after that a top CM, then fullbacks, then a right forward and obviously if we lose Diego then striker is the biggest priority, we aren't losing hazard this year no chance, next may be so but not this year, we need 4 good starters this summer to compete with the top teams in Europe 

Christensen isn't going on any more loans. His father has made it clear over the past year. It's up to us to find a way to integrate him in a way that will be appealing to him. I've finally come around to the idea of VVD because I think we can have all of VVD, Ake and Christensen in the team if we play our cards right, especially seeing as Cahill will be 32 by the end of the year and Luiz just turned 30. We need all of VVD (25), Ake (22) and Christensen (21).

[Scottish_mike]

Vvd is 30million tops. Yes hes good but we dont really need him, if any Southampton player id prefer bertrand as we need cover for our wing backs. lets be fair moses as much as he was amazing this season isnt one, and is getting on a bit to, and im not the biggest fan of alonso.

[Barrettinator]

1 hour ago, Scottish_mike said:

Vvd is 30million tops. Yes hes good but we dont really need him, if any Southampton player id prefer bertrand as we need cover for our wing backs. lets be fair moses as much as he was amazing this season isnt one, and is getting on a bit to, and im not the biggest fan of alonso.

We can do much better than Bertrand. Bertrand is good but not that good. We need a wing back that's that good for the CL.

[Fruity66]

As good as VVD is I really don't think we need him, especially at the £40m plus he would cost... even when Cahill & Luiz are gradually moved out we still have the like of Zouma, Ake, Christensen, Azpi and even Clarke Salter/Trev Chab in the future...

 

in terms of left wing back... really like Jonas Hector but Bertrand would be a good squad players plus would qualify for former trainee and english

[Barrettinator]

Why would Bertrand want to move from a starting spot at Southampton to come back to the Chelsea bench?

Don't even want him either. We need a proper strong LWB who's a real threat going forward as well as very solid defensively. And one that can cross.

[RMCM]

53 minutes ago, Barrettinator said:

Why would Bertrand want to move from a starting spot at Southampton to come back to the Chelsea bench?

Don't even want him either. We need a proper strong LWB who's a real threat going forward as well as very solid defensively. And one that can cross.

I'm almost certain we have one of those? 

[comtrend]

2 minutes ago, RMCM said:

I'm almost certain we have one of those? 

He is a solid defender and he has a great shot. His crossing and passing however is not his best attributes.