Liverpool centre-half Virgil van Dijk has explained what he thinks about the common stat that he hasn’t been dribbled past. It’s safe to say it doesn’t mean much to him.
The Reds captain is known for one stat since joining Liverpool – he never gets dribbled past. It’s one that pops up regularly and at one point, the Dutchman hadn’t been dribbled past for 65 games.
It’s impressive, of course, but also a stat that requires context. Van Dijk is certainly difficult to dribble, given he’s bigger and faster than most players, but he’s also a defender who backs off and forces forwards to make the first move.
That deliberate lack of aggression will naturally mean he’s not getting dribbled. Then there’s the fact that Liverpool’s defence doesn’t get run at all that often.
But Van Dijk doesn’t pay attention to the stat for a different reason – it doesn’t actually mean much. It’s not, he says, like it brings Liverpool any extra points.
“I’m not a big fan of statistics,” he told France Football.
“So, frankly, it didn’t change anything for me.
“I never started a match by saying to myself: be careful, the record could fall today. I arrived on the field wanting to do my job as best as possible.
“Nothing more. This statistic has never brought us points or victories. Really, I never felt any pressure around it. And then, you know, I love pressure. For me, it’s a real privilege. I’m not just saying this for the sake of it.”
And that really sums it up. It’s hardly something to even boast about, let alone proof of someone’s quality. Instead, it can be held up as an example of Van Dijk’s style of play – and it’s an incredibly successful style of play, of course.
Beyond that, though, it’s not one that keeps Van Dijk motivated.
