Jamie Carragher has taken aim at Virgil van Dijk after Liverpool’s disastrous 5-2 defeat against Real Madrid tonight.
Van Dijk and co capitulated at Anfield, shipping five goals for the first time ever in a European night at Anfield. And speaking on CBS Sports via journalist Ben Jacobs on Twitter, Carragher didn’t hold back in his assesment.
“That was shambolic from Liverpool. Embarrassing. We’ve made excuses for them all season, but that was a disgrace in that second half. To lose that half 3-0 when you’re attacking the Kop at 2-2 and in a knockout game. Shambolic,” blasted the former Reds centre-back.
And addressing Van Dijk in particular, Carragher claimed that he’d even start over the Dutchman right now.
“Virgil van Dijk said I wouldn’t get in that back four a few months ago. I think I’d take his place at the moment…”
In fairness to Carra, it’s hard to imagine he’d have let standards drop as far as they did this evening. No leadership at the back, no confidence throughout the side.
Carragher gives Liverpool some home truths
After some fairly placid punditry analysis on BT Sport this evening, it’s good to hear Liverpool get both barrels from Carragher.
Quite frankly after what they served up this evening, they deserve every bit of it. As high as this team have taken us as Liverpool fans over the years, this was almost as low as it gets.
The 7-2 to Aston Villa showed that this team well have it in them to capitulate completely. When things aren’t going their way they have a tendency to give up the ghost. There’s no question of Van Djik’s Anfield legacy – the £75m will always be revered at Liverpool no matter what. But the £75m man was in the side that night, too.
Against Villa, it was verging on pathetic, but at the very top level against the European champions, tonight was arguably even worse. Where’s the professional pride from Jurgen Klopp’s men?
Having won two European Cups on their head in the last five years, they turned Anfield into their own personal playground. If that stung every player out there as much as it stings the fans, that would never be allowed to happen.
That’s why, although his criticism may seem extreme, this is a welcome comment from Carragher. He’s hurting just like the rest of us. We have to go to Madrid and win, no matter the score. If it’s by a goal, two or three, Liverpool need to get some pride back.