I know Liverpool supporters would rather forget that 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Anfield, but there is one moment from that game that deserves a closer look.
Antoine Semenyo is ridiculously quick.
The Manchester City forward reached 35.74 km/h during the match, making him the second-fastest player in the Premier League this season so far.
But that isn’t actually the most impressive part of the story.
Because chasing him was Virgil van Dijk.
And the Liverpool captain, at 35 years old, reached an astonishing 34.94 km/h himself.
That is a difference of just 0.80 km/h.
Think about that for a moment.
Semenyo is one of the quickest players in the league, yet Van Dijk was almost matching him stride for stride — and still managed to win the challenge. The Premier League’s published speed rankings confirm Semenyo’s figure, while the recovery sprint data puts Van Dijk right behind him.
At 35, Van Dijk is still doing things that should make us appreciate him even more.
People are far too quick to write him off
I’ll be honest: I’ve seen plenty of criticism of Liverpool’s defence this season, and some of it has been deserved.
The defeat to City was poor. Liverpool were beaten comfortably, and there are questions for Andoni Iraola to answer about the team’s structure and how easily opponents have been able to hurt them.
But I don’t think that means we should start questioning everything Van Dijk brings to the team.
The man is 35. He’s played at the highest level for years, captained Liverpool through title-winning seasons and dealt with some of the best attackers in world football.
And yet, when a forward gets away from the defence, the assumption can sometimes be that Van Dijk is finished or no longer has the legs to recover.
This clip tells a different story.
Semenyo has explosive acceleration and frightening pace. He gets moving, Van Dijk turns and chases, and the Liverpool captain reaches nearly 35 km/h in his attempt to stop the attack.
He doesn’t just give up and accept that the forward is too quick.
He gets back and wins the challenge.
That is the part I love.
34.94 km/h at 35 is remarkable
Let’s put those numbers into perspective.
Semenyo’s 35.74 km/h is currently the second-highest top speed recorded in the Premier League this season, behind Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola, who reached 35.93 km/h against Ipswich.
Van Dijk’s 34.94 km/h is only 0.80 km/h slower than Semenyo’s recorded maximum.
Of course, there is a difference between a player’s maximum recorded speed and how quickly they accelerate in a particular situation. We shouldn’t pretend one sprint proves Van Dijk is as fast as he was five years ago.
But it does show that he still has serious recovery pace.
And that matters enormously for a centre-back.
Defenders don’t always get the luxury of facing an attacker from a standing start. Sometimes they have to turn, chase and make a decision in a split second.
That is exactly what Van Dijk had to do against Semenyo.
And he got the job done.
Liverpool need more moments like this
The frustrating thing is that Liverpool have looked vulnerable defensively at times, and Iraola clearly has work to do to get the team functioning consistently.
But Van Dijk shouldn’t have to solve every problem on his own.
Liverpool need better protection in front of the defence, more control in midfield and fewer situations where their centre-backs are left chasing dangerous counter-attacks.
Even the best defender in the world will eventually be exposed if his team keeps allowing opponents to run at him in space.
That’s why I don’t look at this clip and conclude that Liverpool’s defence has nothing to worry about.
I look at it and think that Van Dijk is still giving Liverpool an awful lot, even when the team around him isn’t getting everything right.
He’s still capable of making recovery runs, winning physical battles and dealing with attackers who have extraordinary speed.
Now Liverpool need to make sure they’re not relying on those interventions quite so often.
I wouldn’t write off our captain just yet
There is a bigger point here, too.
Football moves quickly. One bad performance can lead to questions about a player’s age, form or future, particularly when that player has been at the top for so long.
Van Dijk is not going to be able to play forever. Nobody expects him to.
But I don’t think we should confuse getting older with suddenly losing the ability to perform.
35 years old. 34.94 km/h. A recovery sprint against one of the fastest players in the Premier League. And he wins the challenge.
That deserves recognition.
Liverpool’s defeat to City was disappointing, and there are plenty of things the manager needs to put right.
But amid all the criticism, this was a reminder of the quality and athleticism Van Dijk still possesses.
I’m certainly not suggesting one sprint makes everything perfect.
I’m simply saying that if people want to question whether our captain still has what it takes, they should watch this moment again.
Because Antoine Semenyo is seriously quick.
And Virgil van Dijk, at 35, was still quick enough to catch him.
Never write off our captain too soon.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
Leave a Reply