Virgil van Dijk ‘understands’ Liverpool doubts as training ground talks revealed

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admits he can understand why some supporters are concerned by Jurgen Klopp’s squad ahead of new season

Virgil van Dijk understands the growing concerns of Liverpool supporters ahead of the new Premier League season – as he detailed the discussions being held to help solve the Reds’ ongoing defensive frailties.

Jurgen Klopp’s side begin their top-flight campaign at Chelsea on Sunday having concluded their warm-up programme with a 3-1 win against Bundesliga side SV Darmstadt at Preston on Monday.

While another demonstration of the Reds’ firepower – they netted 18 goals in five friendlies this summer – another failure to keep a clean sheet highlighted the worries about a backline that conceded 11 times during the same period.

Liverpool are without a proven defensive midfielder following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia and Southampton’s steadfast refusal to budge from their £50million valuation of 19-year-old Romeo Lavia.

As a consequence, a section fans have become worried at the team’s immediate prospects with transfer business having stalled following the arrival of £95m midfield duo Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szobozslai.

And asked if he understood those concerns, Van Dijk said: “Yeah, I can definitely understand it in some ways. But I’m not a very negative person, so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that.

“But obviously when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving, and at the moment there are only two incomings, and the way we have been playing – in possession really good, but defensively when you concede goals it’s not as good – I can understand some people having doubts.”

The Liverpool captain added: “But the most important thing as we’ve seen over the years is the consistency, as a group, everyone in the squad. Let’s see if more players are coming in, and then we have to be ready again for a long season.

It will be very tough if we look at the teams around us, but we want to be up there again, we want to be challenging again, and the only way to do it is with the consistency that we’ve shown over the previous years, apart from last year which was very disappointing.

“We have to be confident, we should be confident and we should still be learning each and every day. We should be excited. I’m very excited, so let’s give it a go.”

Van Dijk believes Liverpool have recruited well in Mac Allister and Szoboszlai but admits the departures – James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also left in the summer – have left a sizeable hole in the squad.

“The players who left us were big characters in the squad, on and off the pitch,” said the Holland international. “That is something we all have to fill in again. The boys who are coming in are of a world class level in my opinion. We see Macca and Dom and it is incredible how they operate especially with the ball and try and get used to the way we defend as well.

“That is a work in progress but there are roles to be filled and taken over and everyone has to do it in their own way, and I am very confident that will happen. There have been players leaving who have played a big part in the success, but others have to step up. That’s a nice challenge, in my opinion.”

Nevertheless, Van Dijk refuses to entertain the notion the disruption of implementing a new midfield should excuse the goals Liverpool have conceded this summer, and explained lengthy talks have taken place over the weekend to address the defensive issues.

“We defend all together,” he said. “It is not just the midfield or the strikers or just the defenders, it is about the way we try and put the opponent under pressure. If they are under pressure they cannot play the ball in behind so easily and you are prepared for it.

“If you watch it very black-and-white then obviously when you concede goals it is the defenders or the goalkeeper’s fault. But the way in which we conceded the last couple of goals, the balls in behind were not defended well and we discussed that.

“Especially on Sunday and the day before, we had a long video meeting and looked at the last line. It was very helpful, the way you are positioning and you have to be ready for the balls in behind and when teams smell the danger is there they will go for it. It was a good meeting the other day, very clear and very direct and that is what we need in order to be successful.”