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How do you solve a problem like Van Dijk

SO16_Saint

By SO16_Saint
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Pamplemousse

Pamplemousse

Posted
Posted
Yep, although the key thing I read into Pellegino's answer is what he didn't say rather than what he did say. He could have easily responded "Virgil won't be ready for the game this weekend" to the journo's question but he chose to be vague instead. Of course, he may have no intention whatsoever of considering VvD for selection, and is simply wanting to sow seeds of doubt in Watford's minds, but the fact he avoided ruling it out suggests to me that VvD is in contention for the squad on Saturday.

 

I'd go along with that, it certainly doesn't hurt to keep the opposition guessing.

Raging Bull

Raging Bull

Posted
Posted
I'll be clapping at 2/3rds of my usual clapping speed, only only smiling with half my face, all the better to show my grudging approval lol #That'llLearn'Em

 

To be fair Guan, it sounds like you've had a stroke!

Tony F

Tony F

Posted
Posted
Bit surprised that you would say something as childish as this.

 

Aha; the self-appointed "childishness police" have struck. You'd better take out full membership if you want to take this role seriously.

derry

derry

Posted
Posted

I want to see 100% from VVD. great defending, towering headers then I'll support him 100%. If he falls short and doesn't give his all he'll get it point blank.

Give it to Ron

Give it to Ron

Posted
Posted
I am not surprised that you did
The biggest shame in recent years was you not carrying out your threat to **** off to the Emirates save boring the **** out of this forum.

 

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wild-saint

wild-saint

Posted
Posted
I want to see 100% from VVD. great defending, towering headers then I'll support him 100%. If he falls short and doesn't give his all he'll get it point blank.

 

He will do nothing else but give it 100%. If clubs see him playing badly they may feel it's because of his injury and then effect whether they are still interested in him.

The9

The9

Posted
Posted
I was thinking the title could now be changed to Van Dijk can solve a problem...along with Hoedt we might actually look threatening from an attacking corner at the moment we look like a pussy with no claws.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/11/10/short-corners-may-be-widely-despised-but-they-are-helping-teams/

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/27/in-defence-of-the-corner-a-much-maligned-set-piece

 

With approximately a 3% chance of scoring from any corner across the entire division, I'm not particularly bothered whether we look like scoring from them or not tbh.

The only thing strange about our corner tactics is that we cross the ball all the time in open play when two of our best headers are at the other end of the pitch.

Give it to Ron

Give it to Ron

Posted
Posted

Its also set pieces too thinking back to Spurs at home last season . With VD and Hoedt we now have an aerial threat. Will help Austin and Gabbi more distractions for defenders.

TBF Yosh has a good go.

 

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doddisalegend

doddisalegend

Posted
Posted
Saints never do either.

 

 

Ahh this one again....Liverpool's manager met face to face with a player under contract to another club without permission...if you have evidence of saints doing the same feel free to share.

angelman

angelman

Posted
Posted
Ahh this one again....Liverpool's manager met face to face with a player under contract to another club without permission...if you have evidence of saints doing the same feel free to share.

 

And maybe at the same time, he can find a club that is right royally ****ed off with us for signing (or trying to) one of their players?

  • 3 months later...
View From The Top

View From The Top

Posted
Posted

VvD's people, so I'll assume agent, met this week with representatives of City and Chelsea, with the permission of Saints.

 

One of the 1st questions they asked City was would VvD get enough games in to qualify for a PL winners medal.

 

I maybe able to find out more on Saturday.

Saint Albert

Saint Albert

Posted
Posted
VvD's people, so I'll assume agent, met this week with representatives of City and Chelsea, with the permission of Saints.

 

One of the 1st questions they asked City was would VvD get enough games in to qualify for a PL winners medal.

 

I maybe able to find out more on Saturday.

 

That’s interesting, thanks.

 

The lack of a definitive “he’s not going” statement in the lead up to the Jan transfer window, together with Pellegrino’s “it’s up to the board, not me” type comments in the media, make me think that something could be happening. Perhaps the club is looking to fund some attacking options this window.

ErwinK1961

ErwinK1961

Posted
Posted
VvD's people, so I'll assume agent, met this week with representatives of City and Chelsea, with the permission of Saints.

 

One of the 1st questions they asked City was would VvD get enough games in to qualify for a PL winners medal.

 

I maybe able to find out more on Saturday.

 

Good - should have gone in the Summer.

Pamplemousse

Pamplemousse

Posted
Posted

If we do sell him, make sure it's AFTER we've done our own business. If other clubs know we've got loads of money to burn they will rip us off.

 

That's assuming we are going to be in the market. We sold Fonte and then dithered around and had to bring in Caceres on a free, so who knows what Les will be up to.

Suhari

Suhari

Posted
Posted
If we do sell him, make sure it's AFTER we've done our own business. If other clubs know we've got loads of money to burn they will rip us off.

 

That's assuming we are going to be in the market. We sold Fonte and then dithered around and had to bring in Caceres on a free, so who knows what Les will be up to.

 

Exactly this.

 

Also wonder if could generate some kind of swap/loan-with-an-option arrangement. Would make sense given our need to strengthen/refresh in other positions. Sure there must be a couple of suitable, young-hungry types at Chelsea and City.

Saint Albert

Saint Albert

Posted
Posted
If we do sell him, make sure it's AFTER we've done our own business. If other clubs know we've got loads of money to burn they will rip us off.

 

I hope this happens (the doing our business first bit, not the ripping off bit)

ErwinK1961

ErwinK1961

Posted
Posted
But no-one bid for him in the summer...?

 

Probably because we told everyone to do one. They would have bid if we'd encouraged it.

 

The sooner he goes the better - he's been phoning it in since he's been back playing, which must translate to other players.

LGTL

LGTL

Posted
Posted

Best outcome for all parties. We had to take a stand against those ****s from Merseyside, even if it had a negative short term effect (FWIW, I don't think he's been anywhere near as bad as some have made out and on the whole has been relatively professional)

saint1977

saint1977

Posted
Posted
If we do sell him, make sure it's AFTER we've done our own business. If other clubs know we've got loads of money to burn they will rip us off.

 

That's assuming we are going to be in the market. We sold Fonte and then dithered around and had to bring in Caceres on a free, so who knows what Les will be up to.

 

Les should do the former but the disasterous Jan window last time suggests the latter.

 

Agree Suhari, City or Chelsea must have a few fringe players that have the pace, strength or other attributes we are seeking that we could loan/perm as we did with Bertrand? Little risk for players if we go down as they won't be tied to joining but short-term the team needs a major injection of pace and energy.

Shroppie

Shroppie

Posted
Posted

This whole episode is nearly enough to make me give up on football, at least at Premier level.

 

Saints have done just about everything possible to keep a player to his contract, but Van Dijk has proved that any selfish player wanting to move on at any cost, including inflicting the maximum damage on the club currently paying him, can do so with impunity

 

I hoped that we had made a stand, but ultimately it's failed, damaged the club and team morale.

 

Agents and the media will be rubbing their hands that dirty business as usual can be resumed.

 

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Shroppie

Shroppie

Posted
Posted
Mahrez is another example. Handed in a transfer request early in the last window but kept his head down and played.
Do Mahrez and Coutinho have a different agent to Van Dijk?

 

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saint1977

saint1977

Posted
Posted
Do Mahrez and Coutinho have a different agent to Van Dijk?

 

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Believe so but it shouldn’t matter - VVD is astonishlngly unprofessional and the whole saga has certainly affected the club very badly. Can only hope by his leaving that we can get some of the other rotten apples out as well and an influx of several new first team players with the strength, pace and backbone we need lifts morale

Daft Kerplunk

Daft Kerplunk

Posted
Posted

The person at fault for VVD is Reed. Ultimately he’s the one in charge of contracts and whether players leave or not and he has not been able to convince players like VVD, and Bertrand etc. that they still have a career here with a team doing good things whilst looking for a truly top team to move to. The ‘strategy’ of Reed et. al. has fundamentally not worked and they need to rethink ASAP or we are going to continue on a downward spiral and not towards the European competition that Chairman Gao has been sold. They can sack the manager but it will not stop the problems that come with having a football board that is set up to be average. Unless of course that is the real aim. Problem is, when you aim for average you can miss and go to the lower level. That is Saints right now

egg

egg

Posted
Posted (edited)

Keeping him was pointless and was never going to achieve anything positive. We should have sold him in the summer, and having made the wrong choice we need to negotiate the best deal, preferably involving players coming out way, to give us a chance of staying up.

Edited by egg

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