During Liverpool's recent pre‑season friendly against Como, a seemingly minor incident slipped past most of the Anfield crowd. The match, which ended in a 2‑0 victory for Andoni Iraola's side thanks to a debut performance by Jeremy Jacquet, featured a brief but telling dispute in the first half between midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai and captain Virgil van Dijk.
Szoboszlai pressed high, only to see the ball slipped past the Dutch defender into the space behind him. Frustrated, the Hungarian winger gestured angrily, questioning why Van Dijk had not stepped up to narrow the gap. Fast‑forward just a few weeks, and the same scenario resurfaced in Liverpool's opening Premier League encounter with Newcastle United. Within the first five minutes, Newcastle's Anthony Elanga embarked on a blistering 61‑metre run that culminated in a goal.
While the highlight reel celebrated Elanga’s pace, former Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher pointed out on Sky Sports that William Osula had been able to feed the ball to the winger without any defender—particularly Van Dijk—closing down the space. Carragher remarked, "Virgil van Dijk should have been higher initially; if he had been, he could have made the challenge there." He added a note of caution, noting that Van Dijk is now 35 and entering the twilight of a career that has already cemented his status as one of the finest centre‑backs of his generation.
Carragher drew a parallel with former Chelsea captain John Terry, recalling Terry’s reluctance to chase high‑pressing balls under Andre Villas‑Boas. "You have to play to the strengths of a player at that stage," he said, suggesting that managers need to adapt tactics to accommodate the evolving physical capabilities of veteran defenders.
In the same vein, Carragher argued that Liverpool not only need to shield their midfield but also protect Van Dijk himself, noting that this could be the first season where the Dutchman requires assistance rather than providing it. The underlying question is whether Andoni Iraola’s high‑pressing philosophy will clash with Van Dijk’s current athletic profile.
Iraola, who earned plaudits during his three‑year spell at Bournemouth for constructing an exciting, aggressive side, now faces a different set of demands at Liverpool. Bournemouth’s defensive record last season revealed the highest "direct speed against" metric in the league, meaning opponents were able to move the ball up the pitch faster than any other team.
This statistic underscores the risk inherent in a high‑press system: when the press is bypassed, there is often a large swathe of space left for the opposition to exploit behind the defensive line. At Liverpool, this vulnerability was on display when Milos Kerkez failed to keep up with Elanga’s sprint, a scenario that does not play to Van Dijk’s traditional strengths.
In his prime, Van Dijk combined aerial dominance, composure on the ball, and a remarkable passing range that allowed him to initiate attacks from deep. However, as players age, certain physical attributes—most notably top‑end speed—tend to wane. Data from Van Dijk’s Premier League career shows that his highest recorded speed came during his debut season with Southampton, shortly after his move from Celtic. His fastest sprint while wearing the Liverpool jersey was logged during the club’s title‑winning campaign under Jürgen Klopp, a period that now feels distant.
Over the past three seasons, Van Dijk’s top speed has shown a gradual decline, suggesting that the defender can no longer rely on raw pace to recover against rapid counter‑attacks. Instead, he leans more heavily on his strength, reading of the game, and positional intelligence. While these qualities remain world‑class, they become increasingly strained when the spaces he is required to cover expand, especially if the midfield unit in front of him pushes high and leaves gaps. The brief tension between Van Dijk and Szoboszlai during the Como friendly seemed to evaporate quickly.
After Van Dijk later converted a penalty to secure a point at Newcastle, he praised Szoboszlai’s leadership, stating, "He is here to take over." Yet the underlying issue—whether Van Dijk can consistently adapt to a system that demands him to step up and press—remains unresolved. This concern is amplified by the broader changes within Liverpool’s midfield. Mohamed Salah’s role has evolved dramatically this season, and the midfield’s ability to shield the defence is becoming a point of scrutiny.
If Iraola insists on a high press, he may need to adjust his defensive structure to provide Van Dijk with the cover he needs. Options could include deploying a defensive midfielder who drops deeper to shield the centre‑back, or pairing Van Dijk with a more mobile partner capable of covering the spaces left behind when the press is bypassed. Alternatively, Iraola might consider a hybrid approach—pressing high in certain phases while allowing the back line to sit deeper when facing teams with swift forwards.
In conclusion, the combination of an ageing yet still elite defender and a manager whose tactical blueprint emphasizes relentless pressing creates a potential friction point for Liverpool. While Van Dijk’s experience, leadership, and technical ability remain invaluable, his decreasing speed may limit his effectiveness in a system that expects the back line to push up aggressively. Monitoring how Iraola adapts his strategies, whether by tweaking the press, adjusting personnel, or offering additional protection to Van Dijk, will be essential for Liverpool’s defensive stability throughout the season.