Watch him defend...
- Thread starter FoxForceFive
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He’s the GOAT.
Protecting the goal is textbook.
He left the goal wide open and was let off by shite finishing.
If he presses him, he’d have had to make a good pass and then Son still needed to finish.
Two seperate acts. As it was Sissoko was given a clean run in and fluffed his lines.
I'd rate the defending as 7/10. It would have been perfect if he had closed down the Sissoko's shot, but in the end, he was slightly off balance and wasn't able to make it across in time. He then relied on Sissoko's crap finishing on his left foot, which was a decent bet given his record.
Nonetheless, he did well to ensure Son didn't get the ball, and did very well to ensure Sissoko had to shoot on his left foot.
Agreed. He did well but claiming it was some sort of 10:10 amazing worlds greatest defending act is massive hyperbole.
He’s still mint like and the best in our league at least.
Give me a better example. There is a reason why all the pundits and sports writers are going on about it. It was absolutely brilliant.
7 isn't a poor mark in itself but is still too stingy. The reason he was off balance was that he still had two players to look after. If he'd started his run across to cover Sissoko earlier the guy would have had a free pass to Son, who would have scored and quite possibly won them the game in that moment.
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Imagine this - there are scenarios where a defender can't feasibly just close someone down. Whilst a tackle would have been the very top level outcome, making him take a rushed shot on his bad foot and being up in his grill was pretty epic. Not sure why we're over-analysing this though - he's a fucking boss.
VVD was jogging backwards like a majestic mythological beast who would have devoured Sissoko had he taken him on using the 'clean run in' he had. Sissoko didn't want to take on VVD. Big Virgil was so calm that Sissoko managed a shot outside the box on his weaker foot and fell off balance as soon as VVD got close to make a tackle. Yeah, we can play down Sissoko on this play but take nothing away from VVD. It was 2 on 1, late in to the game, impeccable defending. Huge moment in the season for us.
VVD turned that situation into an xG of just 0.12, stop trying to be the contrarian all the time, it was superb defending.
I have never seen a player so clearly fucking desperate to offload a pass than Sissoko in that attack; he's almost pleading to be allowed the space and angle to do so, but Virgil didn't allow it, so he had to lumber forwards and shank a shot miles over with no control, accuracy or conviction whatsoever, just as everyone expected, himself included.
It was super defending.
Let's not bring virgin stats into this. Those kinds of things win titles, and we're gonna get one sooner or later with him
I'm gonna jump into the mindset of DB and psychoanalyse him. DB thinks he knows his football, let's presume he has played in school and in Galway to a decent level. He is aware of what players should do in certain situations and what would be defined as text book decision making. You know the usual, strikers heading it back across goal etc.
What VVD did was exactly what he should have done in the situation. What DB is forgetting is that in high pressurised situations the text book often goes out the window and human error creeps in which leads to poor decision making. There is a big difference between knowing what to do and actually executing it late into an important game. VVD did exactly what he was meant to do and that's why it was incredible defending.
What VVD did was exactly what he should have done in the situation. What DB is forgetting is that in high pressurised situations the text book often goes out the window and human error creeps in which leads to poor decision making. There is a big difference between knowing what to do and actually executing it late into an important game. VVD did exactly what he was meant to do and that's why it was incredible defending.
That's bollocks lads. The fact that top ex-pros on every single football show reviewing that game are talking and salivating about that piece of defending demonstrates just how good it was. it would be more about how Spurs fucked up a 2 on 1 if it was anything other than other worldly.
You cannot possibly know that either of those two things would have happened.
The chances that they would far outweigh the chances that they wouldn't.
Pat, when you're in a hole, stop digging FFS.
Yes it was, and the point you blindly ignore is that that is entirely typical of his play near goal.
Hahaha. Someone else just listened to the blood red analysis podcast I see!
Jesus Christ, mate... Are you just arguing for the sake of it now? I do not get you, at all.
Anybody who understands the game knows that, given the situation, the stakes and the time in which he had to react, that was played just about perfectly by Virgil. The two players baring down on him are pros too - Unless Sissoko falls over, somebody was going to get a shot in, and Virgil made sure that it wasn't the bloke behind him - who would have scored - AND that the bloke who he ensured would have to shoot - when all of planet earth knew that he really didn't want to - would have to do so on his weaker foot. The goal was always going to be threatened from that position - Virgil made sure that the least worrying option would occur.
Honestly mate, if you can't see that, I don't know what else can be said.
When is it time for a new song about having the best defence in the world?
With big Virg, Trent, 50p head and Andy Robbooooo
With big Virg, Trent, 50p head and Andy Robbooooo
He averages 1 goal every 40 games for Spurs, so actually yeah, it would have been a huge shock had Sissoko buried it.
TAA still worries me a lot when it comes to the defensive aspect of his game... His jogging back while Lucas Moura powered beyond him to score on Sunday had me screaming at the TV.
I don't think anyone thinks it would have been a huge shock had he scored. That's the point Pat. It should have been a goal. They had a two on one and VVD still managed to control the situation. That's why it's so impressive. I know Sissoko isn't a renowned goal scorer but whatevs, he's played over 50 times for France. He should be scoring from there but VVD had other idea.
And only scored three goals with his left.
Aye I'm sure he will have got a huge bollocking though!
Well I'm a coach, in a group of coaches and most of us agree, that his decision making was world class. It was perfect decision making.
But his execution of that decision wasn't perfect; he was perfect right up until the penalty area. At this point, he needed to start coming across, because if the ball was now played to Son, you'd expect Alisson to be off his line and smother the shot (as there was not much space now for him to cover).
But as he was coming across, he was put off balance by Sissoko's feint and it meant he was half a second behind, and unable to block the shot. That loss of balance, stopped me from giving him 10/10 in that situation. But the fact he turned 70% chance into a 20% chance gives him that 7/10 for me. Basically it was 10/10 decision making; 7/10 execution of that decision.
He was perfect up until 1m 34seconds - that switch to his left foot from Sissoko - Virg took an extra step to his right and hand to run around to try to block the shot. Had he not taken that step, and been on balance, he would have got across.
But these are small, small details admittedly.
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I think you're right, which is why he slightly injured himself when trying to change direction and block the shot – normally he would be very much in control of his body and have no need to over-exert. But this also shows the extreme difficulty of his assignment: he was faced with 2 top-class footballers making their own split-second decisions and having to read their intentions and adjust to slightest movement all while running at top speed, at a key point of the game. Under the circumstances it was breathtakingly good.
Even during today's Spurs game, the commentators were still talking about it, which tells you something.
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Sorry but I have to disagree. 'Small small details', as you say, are worth the dropping of a near 10/10 down to 7/10 ?
Without doubt VvD's greatest concern, rightly, was preventing the ball getting to Son. He prevented that happening with near perfect positioning, over a distance of near 50m, all through the attack. Secondly he then, at the last moment to ensure the ball was not slid or flicked across to Son for what should then have been a simple tap in, moved in to prevent Sissoko moving the ball onto his stronger right foot.
I agree with Rurik and the bevy of ex-pros and commentators (which should be indicative) who all thought his play was breathtakingly good. That defending was world class and there is no way any aspect of it is even close to 7/10 (i.e. just basic good defending that can be seen week-in week-out). There is analysis and training ... and then there is application, the application was near perfect.
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