Thatâs a really good piece. The only problem Iâd have with it is how broadly Rory Smith name drops other players who carry the same aura. It really is rare at this level to have a player whose presence is big enough that even other top Pros feel it. There are maybe 2 in the league at any one time.
Agreed. Some rather awkward mentions there.
Agree with both of you, but Iâm just thrilled to have high-quality soccer coverage in a mainstream US publication!
Eddie Hearn has a podcast called âNo passion, no pointâ. In todayâs release, heâs chatting to Virgil.
Some good stuff in there from Big Virg:
I think staying at the top is the hardest thing to do. Everyone wants to see you fall when you reach the top. That is what life is about, especially these days. For me I want to give everything I got until I retire and then have no regrets after.
Virgil played the first 45 mins of the Netherlands friendly against Mexico this evening. The coach downgraded to Ake at HT.
Hope itâs not serious but knee injury - if not just a knock - the least serious would probably be something similar to what Ox and Hendo had.
Virgil is the last person I would want to miss in the mid term.
And I am dead serious when I say without him we will only fight for a Top4 finish if we miss him for more than 5 weeks.
Honestly, this doesnât look good. If itâs a knock he plays in midweek, but the way that I looked I would be incredibly surprised to see that.
Especially with that clown between the sticks.
Nice. 
I think we should brace ourselves for some bad news, that tackle looked awful, damaged ligaments is what I suspect.
had never heard of rhys williams until about four weeks ago
decent chance heâs going to play in the league before christmas now
Jurgen Klopp: âVirgil, it is not good. He plays on with pain, he never misses a game. I donât know how bad it is but it is not good. Then when we were talking off, Thiago tells me he thinks he was injured. We will have to see.â
I hope itâs not longer and more serious than two monthsâ absence but without him and Alisson, this defence looks shot. I think the team are now going through the same injury issues Man City faced last season and it cost them the title early on.
Even with VvD in the side. Confidence of Gomez and Adrian is gone. We are back to the era of Sakho, Moreno, Mignolet.
Stop being a drama queen. Alisson is back soon. We donât know how bad Van Dijk is. Gomez will find his form again.
Jesus, @Mascot. Just because people donât agree with you doesnât mean their wrong. I get it, itâs your messageboard, you can do whatever you want but youâre acting fascist when someone is out of step with your views.
Have a think about what âfascistâ means, then go for a walk out somewhere.
Think van Dijk has a serious injury too and could be out for months. The only thing we can do is pray for a speedy Becker recovery, that will help to get the confidence level of Gomez back up.
Until then we are back in the first two seasons of Klopp, we score goals but we will receive plenty too.