Ben Foster meets Virgil Van Dijk 🔴 | Liverpool, facing the BEST forwards & more!

he's a center off he's a number four I'm always shouting and if you would ask them like how many times I shout their names during the game or they will get sick of me watch him defend and watch him score listen people forget that we have a very good free kicker in the team wi Trent he's not bad yeah he's not bad he's very good obviously you remember I one or two mate one or two he'll pass the ball as you like obviously at Liverpool you know we we play out but we not like you said as well we're not silly we're not going to play out for the sake of we have to play out you know we when we under pressure we can also go Direct's vir he's [Music] virgin go on see what you got go on hey that's H how are you mate are you uh brilliant mate brilliant thank you for having me here today before we get started right I want to know what is Virgil Van dijk's dream start to a football match for a goalkeeper it is coming for a cross like first minute of the game you know what I mean congested box taking the ball above everybody what is Virgil Van Dykes win the first header yeah long B from the goalie and I'm just winning the first challenge to Big physical Striker up against yeah I don't really need it to actually get going I think just pass me the ball and we'll get going and that's all you need that's all I need yeah all right sweet well I want to talk about some different style of Strikers today yeah because in my book I think there's there's probably right let's have a little pop as well we're talking by the way I've got nothing honestly I've got absolutely nothing no of you it looked so in my book right I think there's two probably different type of forwards players right you've got you kind of you're out and out Strikers the did you see that um got like the har canes the the earling Harland yeah and then you've got all these like this new read you know what I mean of the the little Whipper Snappers the ones that love to carry the ball get into those little pockets cutting inside running along the lines yeah let's start with them first all right the the the cold Palmer the the Phil foden the Bernard Silvers um how do you deal with defending against players like that obviously it's never easy uh it's about organizing what's in front of you of course and I think um if you are if if I think if you are compact as a team that makes a lot easier because normally if you are compact he comes in spaces where a lot of other players are as well but it's never easy because if you thinking about stepping in then the space you leave behind could be dangerous so yeah it's interesting because every game like you said is a different challenge like I would say if you play against then City Holland is an unbelievable finisher it's strong it's fast as everything so if he gets the service it's a goal but then against Arsenal for example you play against this season more or less than havs who's dropping a lot more or uh Jesus obviously is the same and it's also a difficult challenge as well well you have to be ready for any chall what's what becomes really important then is is communication then really important do you know mean when you've got to almost like pass it on to another Defender you don't want to pass it on but you have to be communicated because obviously when he coming to a different position and you have your six there that can cover when we come across then obviously it makes it a lot easier so communication is definitely a big thing but if you have to do the job yourself you have to be ready to do that and when you're and then okay let's talk about the out out Strikers and your Harry kanes you're Harland this might sound crazy but do you find it almost easier to defend against those guys than the ones that are love to just sort of roam all around the place I won't say easy is not the right word to say is it it's different yeah it's different but if the forwards are pressing the way we always been pressing then it makes life much easier for all of us because the ball won't even reach our yeah so when there will eventually be a moment that they will kick it long you have to be ready to challenge you have to be ready or the ball in behind you have to be ready to Sprint you have to read the situation if the ball is free with for example against City with Kevin Brer if he plays that ball behind and you're not ready to Sprint back you're done so you have to read and you have to think about so then are you are you aware then that you know that you have to be like on it like crazy on it every Split Second so you it it might not even be watching the ball you're watching body language you're watching his eyes at times as well yeah I think you watch the you watch the game you watch the guy on the ball you watch the body position of the guy on the ball a lot um but you have to be ready to adjust and to adapt on what's the striker doing yeah and it's an interesting game but you're trying to be ahead of what's coming um coming next and um it's nice it's nice it's a nice Challenge and if you're not ready you're going to be done yeah you're going to get punished yeah and it's it's a split second all right I want to I want to sort of like poent this is a goal over there right shoot a three point for me quickly yeah very quickly and then I want to pretend this is the goal that's the first one he's made by the way that's the first they're all day there when you think Virgil Van djk right ingrained in my mind anyway is you being almost left to a One V one defending right and it's you doing your sort of crabbing world class crabbing as well you're watching the player you're watching his body language you're watching everything about it you you reading the situation the other night I watched it and you drove him wide you did your job you slowed it down you drove him wide and it got to a point where he was so wide that I it's almost like you were happy for him to get a shot off you were happy for him to take a shot because you know you got Allison in goal behind you and it's such a tight angle it was like I'm not even going to really try and block it too much cuz I don't want to get in front of Aly yeah is that how it was eventually when you one to one you want to bring him like give him a side to go to but if he then eventually go to that side you have to take him but when you play against World cast Strikers and you try to do that and still try and block it it's not like I want to have him a sh give him a shot but because obviously you play against world class Strikers they could get a shot you have to try and limit the power you have to try and limit the accuracy with your body position with with strength and delaying that moment as well I think if you step in too quickly you give them the opportunity to make a decision and I think that's not something I really stands for it's basically trusting your own defensive qualities are you aware of Strikers at the minute where they're almost looking for that gap between your legs in the past it it it was that's too much of a detail I think that was left to look too much I think it's got to the point now where Strikers they especially playing against you they know that you're going to be over them on top of them they're going to be looking for that Gap instead it's the quality isn't it it's like that's the level now yeah because players know that if you if they move a certain way your OPP will move a certain way as well so if you can then use that Advantage by giving a little nutmare or whatever play through the you know just pass them then they would use it and I think that's the that could be the beauty of the the highest level in in the game and and the difference as well when you watching football on the Telly there could be a Premier League game on are you watching Defenders and you're thinking don't don't don't don't nibble don't nibble you're asking for it every defender on is have a different style of Defending in the Box you have to be careful you can't be as rush and making silly tackles or or or give him the give the ref or or the V the opportunity to give a penalty I think you have to definitely be aware of that okay I got I want to ask about your relationship Alison in a second I want to ask about this all right and I want to I want to know the communication between you guys as well first of all though this is something I don't think people quite understand outside of being in football what it what it is right the corridor of uncertainty yeah okay can you explain to everybody what it is and how you try and defend the corridor of uncertainty what is the corridor of uncertainty do you right so this is this is the bit okay is if I'm Allison yeah God I'd love to be Allison if I was Allison right and you're Virgil Van DK and they're about to whip the ball across okay yeah that area there just there is the corridor of uncertainty what happens in this it's a corridor of uncertainty there you go there you go how do you defend about against that then communication yeah massive and um if I'm here here and the cross comes in from there if Ali is shouting then I have to I have one job only is trying to protect him making sure that you know he doesn't get pressure from any direction and obviously I can only do so much but that's how it is if he doesn't shout anything then I'm I have to make sure that I'm in the right body position to clear the ball it's a difficult one it is horrible you only have to clear it and flip it or whatever and it goes in your own go so that's a situation that you have to be very concentrated with is this is this where experience plays a massive part in it yeah maybe because when when there is a when there's a One V one on the side or when there is a moment of you know fullback coming through you know there's cross coming in so you have to try and body yourself body position yourself in the right way in order to clear the ball that doesn't guarantee that you be able to clear it perfectly because it can still go you know left right on goal that we don't no one's hoping for because the cross you have no idea how the cross will be cross can also be like half High can be like driven in so it's difficult to adjust it anyway but I think it's the communication and your body position is very it's a good name for it though isn't it it's a very good name it's a good name very good name okay um let's talk about your relationship with Ali then um for me best goalkeeper in the world has been for a few years now um how how nice is it to know that there's going to be times where a position are going to get shots off they are but that guy behind you is going to pull out a Wy or he's going to come and take you AC Cross or his distribution is going to be world how nice is that it's nice I want him to not have anything to do yeah you know I think that's that's my personal feeling but obviously you know we play on the highest level we playing against good teams good Strikers and and there could be moments that he has to do his job and I'm very very happy that he's very good in this job as well um so yeah you know I think him you know me and and the rest of the Defenders we we we we live and dream of of clean sheets and that's what we um that's what we aim for but my relationship with him since the moment he walked in at the club has been special obviously C didn't it yeah but exactly like we've we've we've played so many games together we won obviously everything together and um you know he's a he's an incredible incredible goalkeeper by the incredible human being as well love that um and how much conversation actually goes on between you two cuz I don't think people understand the extent of what players talk in games and is there much conversation you have to do it and can you even hear each other yeah yeah no obviously he's he's communicating to me a lot um I do the same to him and obviously it's the rest of the team but that's something else but um you know it's it's it's the small details you know um body position in possession how where he positioned himself um obviously if he needs me to do certain things like corners for example how we defend and organization and it's all small things but they make a mess at different in order to hopefully get the win and clean sheet and um yeah he's he's in my eyes what you said as well I think he's the best goalie in the world and playing out from the back obviously being Dutch it's something that you should be kind of you know what I mean you're born with that you're bred with that that's what you grow up on um obviously gringham Celtic Southampton and then the step up to Liverpool has it has it become more of a demand on you is it something that you're fully aware of that that you're kind of expected to do and is there instances as well where you kind of go no Alli mate just kick it we're under the C here 100% um I think obviously that that grew over the years uh I wouldn't say that obviously we have been in Holland for example we have definitely been playing uh growing up and doing a lot of possession games and passing exercises and stuff and um actually you know building up wasn't really a strength of mine if I'm actually honest but that obviously GW I grew into that and I think i' it wasn't really a strength of mine because I was never playing up until Celtic playing for a club that really did it really was always dominant and and um and always win games and was always a bit a struggle and U but at Celtic obviously we had the ball 70% of the game uh that of 70% the ball U during the game and it's different demands and different things that will happen and then at Southampton obviously working with Kuman was a big big step for me and learning a lot and go into that and obviously at Liverpool you know it speaks for themselves so is that just practice then so if like say if you're not comfortable well I was comfortable with the ball but it's it's about different and I'm comfortable the well but it's different demands what what's been asked and like obviously at Liverpool you know we we play out but we not like you said as well we're not silly we're not going to play out for the sake of we have to play out you know we when we under pressure we can also go direct and and win the second ball or or the third ball in that in thata in that case as well but we have the players to play and when you play and and when you find the right spaces um then it could be a massive advantage of course and Center back Partnerships then okay um it's never guaranteed that you're going to get the same one every Saturday every Saturday how much does that affect you or how much work has to go in to making sure that when you are on that pitch it's still just seamless you don't notice that it's a change you know with the amount of games we've played like you said there will be changes but at Liverpool for example we have basic principles that you know we we all know so what to do if there's a long ball from the goal how to be organized in protection what to do if the ball goes to the to our left back or to their right wing or what to do come across there there are so many principles that we just have that everyone knows and we have to follow and then apart from that aside of that then obviously we have to maximize our qualities and um you know for example over the last couple of years I've played with mati I played with Joe Gomez Cor now with Yan Kwanza you know all of them have different qualities and um and obviously also some weaknesses like everyone will have them and you try to sort of blend them in together in order to be the perfect partnership so say you just mentioned Quanza there so young lad coming up doing really well fantastic is that your job then to sort of almost keep an eye on him in the game as well for sure and know that what his frailties might be and almost kind of preempt that and and try and cover for it as well 100% uh but it doesn't does doesn't only because he's young but it's it's I could also say that for over the last couple years about mati or about Joe Gomez or gate you know that I'm always communicating like I'm always shouting and if you would ask them like how many times I shout their names during the game or they will get sick of me but um it's only because we have one goal is trying not to concede and and the organization has to be solid to get obviously the two Center halves and and the number six that's the defensive structure that we have and the rest can do whatever they want and score goals in this case with with jel I'm definitely in his ear all the time and even outside of the pitch and before training if we have a tactical session of of a game and we play against players that he doesn't he's never play against you seen them on TV I will definitely speak about what they what they good at what they normally do how they you know uh what they do in the game how they approach you maybe what they try to do and get in your head or things like that you just small bits that they can help him and anything in order to not lose the game is he listening as well when you speak to him is he listening yeah yeah I think so of course of course you should be big Virgil was talking um and it's fair to say that in training every day you're you're training against some of the best sort of attackers forward players in World football it's as simple as that moal you got D Nunes in the past it might have been mané uh firminho them sort of players does that kind of make it I was going to say easier it's nothing makes it easier but that sets the standard for what you know know you're going to come up against most Saturdays in the Premier League well the thing is that people forget is that you know these sessions that we actually train properly on preseason and maybe a little bit um still in the the first part of the Season where you don't play every three days but in my case then when the games come tick and fast you just play game you have recovery you have a tactical session and the next day you play again so you don't train against each other that much you just play learn play recover learn and go again it's a cycle that just keep going and I like that cycle to be absolutely honest because playing games is the is the best that's your favorite yeah definitely keeps you ryth them as well physically it's it's tough It's it's um not easy traveling um but I'm doing everything each and every day in order to be at my best um with my team around me is your Chef um I won't say psychologist but people that I speak to in order to be tunel Vision go in and make be the best I can right Virgil that was world class um should going pipe a few more free pointers yeah come on let's see what you got mate you you want to see yeah go on then you haven't I don't think you've hit one yet but what oh my goodness right I got two questions okay all right this first one is my question all right forget about the producers and all that kind of stuff right when are we going to see Virgil Van back slapping free kicks like I'm talking gringham Celtic free kicks yeah when are we going to see that again I don't know you know listen people forget that we have a very good free kicker in the team wi Trend he's not bad yeah he's not bad he's very good obviously you know I think you could you remember I but one or two mate one or two you know when something is good don't change it that much so I want to I feel like obviously you have to practice that you have to get into that and I left it for now because Trent is amazing in that I want him to be more consistent but you show him with the numbers and the goals he scored that he can be very very good I think if he misses a couple in the game I think he W was in your rights here get him a little headlock pressure little man stay there for a second okay and then try and try and do it I want to see one of them W and I hit the wall yeah well what's he going to say he ain't going to say nothing is he um and then finally to finish off um obviously Jurgen klopp farewell um what's the one moment about joggen klopp that sticks out for you most obviously for me meeting him personally for the first time sticks out for me you know you have expectations you have you see obviously um him on TV you see him watching the warm- up um when I played with Southampton um last time at mfield it it was good and and the things he said you know to me and and wanted from me eventually everything became reality as well and and and I'll forever be grateful for that and uh he's been a very important man and and coach and in my career but definitely my life as well I know forever hold a close mind well class mate um how daunting is it when he watches you on the halfway line it's horrible isn't it it's so bad it's horrible right come on three point awful yes he he went that's the best ending ever oh well done brilliant that was honestly beled mate well done Paul thank you very much man don't forget you can watch big Verge in the Premier League and Champions League next season exclusively live on Prime video for