Lovren, Alderweireld or van Dijk?

Alderweireld is still the best CB to have ever played for Saints. He's also continuing to prove his ability on a regular basis for Spurs. Coincidentally the missus had a bet on him at 50/1 for next scorer on the weekend (I was on Betfair and he was only 35s so she put it on with Sky). It wasn't Clint Hill levels of awesomeness (65/1 and I had a tenner on that one), but 50/1 is not to be sniffed at.

 

Van Dijk is a very good CB, Alderweireld was a completely different class.

All your opinion of course.

Alderweireld is still the best CB to have ever played for Saints. He's also continuing to prove his ability on a regular basis for Spurs. Coincidentally the missus had a bet on him at 50/1 for next scorer on the weekend (I was on Betfair and he was only 35s so she put it on with Sky). It wasn't Clint Hill levels of awesomeness (65/1 and I had a tenner on that one), but 50/1 is not to be sniffed at.

 

Van Dijk is a very good CB, Alderweireld was a completely different class.

Wow!

Not even convinced he was the best CB last season, let alone ever!

Very good player, didn't think as good when he was played at RB.

I think VVD is better in most aspects of his game, certainly more commanding, better in the air, better dribbling out of defence and attacking.

Presumably you have to factor in somewhere each players fitness/injury record too? Although TBF Alderweireld appears to have played more games this year than last.

You also have to factor in Lovern and Toby had the benefit of Morgan playing in front on them while at saints which VVD hasn't.

VVD mustard again today...

You also have to factor in Lovern and Toby had the benefit of Morgan playing in front on them while at saints which VVD hasn't.

good point, well made.

Depends what you want out of a CB, VVD is better in the Air and more goals about him, Toby is better playing out of defence and quicker.

VVD is, IMHO, foooooking awesome.

Depends what you want out of a CB, VVD is better in the Air and more goals about him, Toby is better playing out of defence and quicker.

really? I'd say VVD is both quick and very good playing out of defence.

I cited Toby as he was quality for us but Toby it getting level now. He's been immense.

Wow!

 

Not even convinced he was the best CB last season, let alone ever!

 

Very good player, didn't think as good when he was played at RB.

I think VVD is better in most aspects of his game, certainly more commanding, better in the air, better dribbling out of defence and attacking.

Yeah, there were a lot of deluded people about what made Fonte good last season. Alderweireld is also proving he's a top 4 CB this season alongside both Vertongen and the practically unheard of before a month ago Wimmer. Most of our problems at the end of last season came from Schneiderlin being injured and Alderweireld having to move out of the back line. We went from clean sheets on a regular basis to conceding 2 a game for the best part of 2 months - and both those players not being in their best positions caused it.

Depends what you want out of a CB, VVD is better in the Air and more goals about him, Toby is better playing out of defence and quicker.

It was Alderweireld's speed of thought, positioning and incredible reaction time that made him outstanding for me - if a second ball dropped in the box he was always there to get to it first.

You also have to factor in Lovern and Toby had the benefit of Morgan playing in front on them while at saints which VVD hasn't.

That's a completely fair point. Especially about Lolvren.

Alderweireld looked ropy in the first month for Spurs and was quoted as saying he needed a DM in front of him because he wasn't used to it, before Dier was used there and Alli became a regular.

Think I was in the Toby camp but after today, wow, how good was VVD! The goal aside, which the striker did well to be fair, he dealt with everything and it really looked like 'everything'!

Think I was in the Toby camp but after today, wow, how good was VVD! The goal aside, which the striker did well to be fair, he dealt with everything and it really looked like 'everything'!

Indeed. It's not often a player consistently beats Peter Crouch in the air.

I must have imagined him losing his man for their goal. Good yes, wonder performance no.

Alderweireld is a better player than Lovren, but I thought Lovren had a better season with us in 13/14 than Toby did last season. Love Virgil, but think he's been at a level just slightly below the other two. I'll probably vote him player of the season, but he's not without his faults. He's quite error prone. Can only imagine the reaction if that had been Yoshida losing out to Arnautovic for the Stoke goal yesterday. Ditto both Chelsea goals the other week.

It was Alderweireld's speed of thought, positioning and incredible reaction time that made him outstanding for me - if a second ball dropped in the box he was always there to get to it first.

And there was I thinking it was his haircut!!

Lovren has peaked, so it's between Ald and Van Dijk.

For me, the latter is improving so fast and has so much more to offer, including leadership, he get's my vote

I loved Alderweireld whilst here, and I often didn't really notice him in games which as a defender I think is a positive thing. Whereas Lovren I always felt was the sort of defender that gets fans on their feet with last ditch sliding tackles and the like, which is why I actually think he's been let down at Liverpool by having to play alongside the (in my opinion) woeful Skrtl, because he has a similar all guns blazing approach, where Lovren needs a cool, calm Fonte-type alongside him in order to allow him to run around a lot and clean up. But I think Van Dijk shades it for me, mostly because i'm just astounded by how good he really is, and I absolutely love the way that he can pick it up in his own penalty area and then end up in the oppositions half in a matter of seconds, having beaten a player or two along the way, just sheer class on the ball.

vvd

Defensively Toby gets it for me, an absolute beast of a defender. He did his job so well you never really noticed him yet we hardly conceded any goals when he was playing. A Rolls Royce player.

Offensively VVD gets it for me, a real springboard for attack with a pretty good goal instinct. He's also a very decent leader in the back line with great aerial ability.

Overall Toby shades it but VVD is a class defender and has come on leaps and bounds this season. If we can keep him next season we've got a hell of a CH on our hands.

I know one thing is for sure Toby and Vvd have been arguably the 2 best centre backs in the league this year !?

4k :badger:

I wish VVD would take more free-kicks for Saints. I know JWP is supposed to be the 'specialist', but he's never scored one yet.

I wish VVD would take more free-kicks for Saints. I know JWP is supposed to be the 'specialist', but he's never scored one yet.

WBA at home, Dutchie

I know one thing is for sure Toby and Vvd have been arguably the 2 best centre backs in the league this year !?

 

4k :badger:

Toby and Vvd have definitely been the best two in the league this season but unfortunately the toty will probably consist of Toby and one of the Leicester cb's.

Mark Wright was as good as anyone.

WBA at home, Dutchie

Right, of course!

Toby and Vvd have definitely been the best two in the league this season but unfortunately the toty will probably consist of Toby and one of the Leicester cb's.

Wes Morgan and Robert Huth.

Five words there, which really sum up how truly incomprehensible and incredible Leicester's league position is.