In October, the bottom disappeared from Liverpool’s successful start to the season and Reds disappeared into free fall with one loss after another. Nevertheless, the reigning Premier League champions rose to the Champions League and ran over Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5. How was this possible? Then captain Virgil van Dijk told us what he had talked about with the rest of the team, and we knew Liverpool are not hooked on the title race in which they participate. After Aston Villa and Real Madrid, we see the captain’s and the team’s focus have paid off.
First to Van Dijk’s pep talk with the Liverpool players before the Eintracht game: “On Monday, everyone was sad because we lost to United at home. We haven’t lost many games at home during my time at Liverpool. It was tough under the circumstances,” the Liverpool captain began, according to Goal.
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-So on Monday we got together, but it was not a crisis meeting. We all know how things can change. We are only in October. Of course, we also had a proper debrief with the manager, but we also had a separate one as players. I wanted to say a few things. It’s not something I do after every game. Let’s keep it that way. The only way to get out of such a situation is to stick together, focus on the task ahead, try to improve, keep our confidence, embrace the moment,” Van Dijk continues.
-These are all things that are easier to say than to actually do, but if you want to get out of it, you have to do it. We live in a world now where there is always noise, always something to say, always someone who knows better. We have to stay focused on ourselves. Before my meeting, yes (the mood was low), but after my meeting, everyone was happy!, the captain concludes.
This is something Liverpool have taken with them into November. On Saturday they beat Aston Villa in the Premier League, on Tuesday they took a big “football scalp” in the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
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And what did the Liverpool captain say after the Real game?
“I think it was a lot of energy and a lot of hard work. They have won 14 of the last 15 – they obviously have tremendous quality. We know their strength. So we had to be perfect in everything we did. I think we executed the plan perfectly today. It’s easy to say now that we’ve won two in a row, but in a world full of chaos, you have to stay calm and see things in a bigger perspective,” Van Dijk said.
In a world full of chaos, Liverpool have stood rock solid. Now follows the result of this. This is a winning club!
