When one thinks of the towering colossus that is Virgil van Dijk, one of the first things that may come to mind is the No.4’s presence and defensive ability.
One other trait that certainly hasn’t gone underappreciated amongst Liverpool fans is his passing range – a skill understudy Jarell Quansah showcased during the Reds’ meeting with Royal Union St. Gilloise.
“A lovely diagonal ball from Jarell Quansah. Very Virgil van Dijk-esque,” Emma Sanders and Emlyn Begley reported for BBC Sport. “It’s controlled nicely by Ben Doak, who is out on the left tonight as opposed to the right-hand side he often prefers.”
The Merseysiders face the Belgian outfit (at the time of writing) safe in the knowledge that they have not only secured passage through to the Europa League Round of 16 but also topped their group with a game to spare.
Whilst the Champions League anthem is greatly missed at a European powerhouse like Liverpool, we can’t overlook the opportunity presented.
How many games might Quansah have missed out on, one wonders, had we qualified for the top four in 2023/24?
That’s not to suggest it’s a reality we wish to get comfortable with for the foreseeable future, of course! Though, there’s no denying it has offered more opportunities for developmental minutes as opposed to recent seasons.
Our 20-year-old centre-back is most certainly a beneficiary of that.
#Ep97 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones
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