Virgil van Dijk

The best centre half I have ever seen in a Saints shirt and I don't say that lightly as I have seen quite a few.

We must hold on to him at all cost and build around him,he's a rock in the defence and a threat when he comes forward.

He's good but he's not as good as Mark Wright was, he could end up being better though.

Calum Davenport for me.

Personally I rate Alderweireld as slightly better, but Van Dijk is very, very good and I love watching him play.

The best centre half I have ever seen in a Saints shirt and I don't say that lightly as I have seen quite a few.

We must hold on to him at all cost and build around him,he's a rock in the defence and a threat when he comes forward.

We won't hold on to him 'at all costs' as there will be a price point which becomes the right number for the board. It will be a huge number though due to age, length of current contract and of course his outstanding ability.

Mark Wright was excellent for us and who could forget his performances during the season when came runners up.

Virgil is so strong and I do feel he is even more influential than Mark.

Personally I'd say Svensson and Toby were as good. Lovren too in the first half of his season. Couldn't chose between them in all honest.

Svensson was good but not so influential,Toby was class but not so strong,Lovren was again good but could make some howlers.

Svensson was good but not so influential,Toby was class but not so strong,Lovren was again good but could make some howlers.

I'd say the difference between our 02/03 defence (best outside the top 4 I think) and 04/05 defence (worst in the League) shows how influential Svensson was. There were other factors admittedly but the defence looked hopeless without him.

Killer was immense.

VVD is a very, very good footballer and that shades it for me.

Dave Watson was ok

I think he's superb and possibly better than Mark Wright who until Virgil moved to the next level this season was the best saints CB I've ever seen, and we've had some great ones. He's like a David Luiz who can actually defend.

Have you all forgotten about Tony Knapp?

Err... OK.

Virgil is potentially better than all those mentioned as a centre back. However, like Bale , I think he could also play further up the pitch. I like the way he brings the ball out of defence and occasionally stays upfield during an attack, if for example we retain possession after a corner set piece has broken down.

A beast and technically very strong with a good football brain, I really hope we can keep him for a couple more seasons.

Toby is good but he doesn't grab a game by the scruff of the neck like Vvd imo!

I will agree with the original poster, I'm 42 and have been a saints fan since I was 8. Virgil is a player we really should be hanging on to, he's captain material NOW and as said above he has the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck, he's a leader! I scoffed when I read above that he's not as good as Mark Wright, that to me is a bonkers statement. We've had some great CBs over the years, Watson, Wright, Claus (yes him) Killer, Jose and Toby, but right now I think Virgil is the best of the lot. If we are to reach the next level then hanging onto him and making him captain is a great start!

Toby is a fantastic defender, and maybe if you studied the defensive ability of Virgil and Toby it's possible Toby would come out on top (perhaps not though). But Virgil is a match winner. He showed last night, if we aren't winning, he'll do something about it. Not just scoring goals but bursting through and getting attacks going. Absolutely incredible athlete, i had a mate sat away from me last night who is a Chelsea fan and i rang him at half time to discuss the game and his exact words were "I can't take my eyes off Van Dijk, i've never seen anything like it".

He is superb and gave a captains performance yesterday, IMO took the second half by the scruff of the neck and made sure we won it. Killer was great also but in the "alehouse days" big John McGrath was a giant, different era admittedly.

VvD is our talisman. To have a centre back as talisman shows how good he is. Top class.

Imagine if we had Alderwierld and Van Dijk, which was the plan. Surely the best pair in the world not just the premier league.

Anyway, both of them are absolute class but van Dijk just shades it for me, defensively both very good but I think Van Dijk is better on the ball. An absolute rolls Royce of a player

Imagine if we had Alderwierld and Van Dijk, which was the plan. Surely the best pair in the world not just the premier league.

 

Anyway, both of them are absolute class but van Dijk just shades it for me, defensively both very good but I think Van Dijk is better on the ball. An absolute rolls Royce of a player

Del, those two would be unbelievable. World's best pairing without a doubt. I'm not sure who's the best of the two but probably Toby is the best defender and Virgil the best footballer. Flank them with Clyne and Bertrand or Shaw and you've got the best back 4 in the league by a mile.

Yes I know we have to sell and rebuild but we buy and build squads, for a profit, better than anyone.

Have you all forgotten about Tony Knapp? Err... OK.

well it might have got a few laughs ...or even queried looks from those who never saw him play, but Tony Knapp was one of the best team captains I've seen, and stood out as a real leader during his time (in the early 1960's). Went onto a good managerial career, too.

In those Euro games where VvD has been captain (in lieu of Fonte) he's been an outstanding figure and looks a totally different player in the leadership role. I wouldn't want to see Fonte disappear quite so quickly, but Virgil has all the qualities to be able to replace him... (if/when)

NOTE; I also think Yoshida has looked a much better player when he's played alongside VvD, hardly put a foot wrong on Thursday.

I would say Killer just edges it still, not only was he a good defender but he also got Claus to stop being distracted by the pretty Butterflies that often fluttered across his side of defence , thus turning them into a potent defensive force.

I would say Killer just edges it still, not only was he a good defender but he also got Claus to stop being distracted by the pretty Butterflies that often fluttered across his side of defence , thus turning them into a potent defensive force.

In all seriousness, this is an important part of the debate; a defence needs someone to quietly organise the rest to make a truly effective unit and killer was so good at this he made Claus look top class. Which he never was alongside anyone else. I think it's a part of Jose's game that is seriously underrated too. Lovren, vvd and Toby have all looked world class alongside him. In fairness to Toby and vvd they probably are anyway, but lovren has been laughably crap since. So thanks Jose for those millions from Liverpool.

So my choice would be one from killer and Jose, and one from vvd and Toby (sorry to mark wright, just about old enough to remember him, but not to form a fair opinion). I'd go for killer as I think he' was a better defender than Jose. As for the other, I'm torn. Vvd makes the odd mistake (including inter's goal the other night where he got the wrong side by half a yard, having already played a man onside for their first chance when Romeu gave the ball away, and no the goal was definitely not a foul, if anything he fouled their player), whereas I genuinely don't remember Toby making a mistake all season for us.

On the other hand, as has been mentioned above, vvd's presence and the way he brings the ball out means he has the ability to impact the game and his team mates in a way Toby never could.

I really could make a case for either, so because I can't decide I'll go for Kevin Moore.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/manchester-united-eye-transfer-swoop-9201361

'£30million rated' double that..

what are the lyrics to his chant?

We've got van Dijk.....

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/manchester-united-eye-transfer-swoop-9201361

 

'£30million rated' double that..

Far too good for Man U

So he has gone from wanting Fonts to now wanting Virgil.I think Vvd is quite intelligent and realises that staying with us will lead to bigger things than Utd.

Talk ****e mention that that Van Dijk wanted by Utd and speaking as if almost a given. No mention of Saints at all. ****ed me off. It's as if Saints are a non entity.

Play hardball and say £60million not rocket science has to be one of the best Def in the prem...

The best CBs I've seen since starting watching Saints are Dave Watson, Mark Wright, Deano, Killer, Toby and VvD.

Of those Killer, Toby and VvD are my favourites - Killer was the destroyer, Toby was the reader and VvD is the ball carrier.

I've been lucky to see all of them.

Talk ****e mention that that Van Dijk wanted by Utd and speaking as if almost a given. No mention of Saints at all. ****ed me off. It's as if Saints are a non entity.

The article started in the Sunday Mirror...its just "journalism" by numbers..made up nonsense. The journo is also a Utd fan I believe.

The best CBs I've seen since starting watching Saints are Dave Watson, Mark Wright, Deano, Killer, Toby and VvD.

 

Of those Killer, Toby and VvD are my favourites - Killer was the destroyer, Toby was the reader and VvD is the ball carrier.

 

I've been lucky to see all of them.

If you saw Big Dave Watson and Wrighty, I can't imagine how you place the other 3 above them. Just goes to show football is all about opinions!

Fonte is very underrated

Mark Wright would be absolute class in the modern game

Mark Wright would be absolute class in the modern game

Now I don't agree with much that you post on this site, but that is bang on the money.

If these rumours of Man Utd coming for him are true it's time to send a clear message to our owner and Boardroom that we have had enough of selling our best.

Something that says we support them and our current ownership provided this policy of selling our best stops. If not sell up and go.

Something that shows our support for JvD.

I suggest a round of applause in the 17th minute at the next home game. A positive two minutes applause for JvD and a warning to our Boardroom we support them but have had enough of selling the best. 17 = JvD.

Presumably you mean VvD?

Presumably you mean VvD?

Nope, Jelle Van Damme. Who's gonna tell Robbie the bad news?

Presumably you mean VvD?

He has no idea

He has no idea

An obvious skate wum is SaintRobbie

Virgil is starting for Netherlands tonight. Live on Chesea TV (free access) Sky channel 421.

Clasie also in after 15 minutes. 1-0 against Belgium at 56 minutes.

Football Leaks: VVD gets £1k for every goal he scores. Is that a usual arrangement for all players, or just him? Can't think he really needs it, since it'll only give him a few thousand extra a year.

Football Leaks: VVD gets £1k for every goal he scores. Is that a usual arrangement for all players, or just him? Can't think he really needs it, since it'll only give him a few thousand extra a year.

Well apparently Tadic gets 2.5k for every goal, 5k after 10 goals, 10k after 20 goals and 15k after 30 goals. Pelle was getting 2k for every goal.

Apparently the club has a pretty complicated bonus system as well with bonuses up to 3k for all players on the pitch winning a Premier League match.

Interesting times with this new giant leak.

Absolutely the best centre back we have ever had and I have seen them all. He'll stay for a while especially if we can pay him what he's worth and forget about expensive signings to cover it. Let's use our money wisely.

Such a good player that he could comfortably play in any position on the pitch. I genuinely believe he could get in any side on the planet including Barca, Real, Bayern and the like. Beast.

Such a good player that he could comfortably play in any position on the pitch. I genuinely believe he could get in any side on the planet including Barca, Real, Bayern and the like. Beast.

Likewise. Which is why it'll be bloody annoying if he goes to anyone in the Premier League.

Fonte is very underrated

By who?