Topic: Joël Matip (Job Joël André Matip)

[saoirse08]

The way he moves on the ball. A centre back who is as smooth as silk. We've seen that at Liverpool before.

Looks a class act so far. Love his weight of pass forward too. We've had some good and very good centre backs since Hansen retired, but none have come close to Jocky's ability on the ball nor his reading of the game. Anyway, if Matip can achieve half of what Hansen did during his Anfield career, then we're gonna enjoy the next few years. 

[gatcliffe]

Who would you say was/is a better header of the ball ? personally think it's a close one.

[jboy14]

According to Dave Hendrick from Anfield Index he is average. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Is it to early for Dave to eat humble pie ?

[saoirse08]

Who would you say was/is a better header of the ball ? personally think it's a close one.

Yeah, on the evidence so far I'd agree Matip looks stronger. But Hansen, by his own admission, said he used to try and avoid heading the ball whenever possible. 

[Chalky Boots]

Is it to early for Dave to eat humble pie ?

Only if you force fed him it, the guy is never wrong if you ever listened to him.

Who would you say was/is a better header of the ball ? personally think it's a close one.

Compared to Hansen? Matip is much better in the air than Alan.

[gatcliffe]

Only if you force fed him it, the guy is never wrong if you ever listened to him.

Compared to Hansen? Matip is much better in the air than Alan.

That is my feeling too.

[Hazell]

Signing of the season so far for me.

Vital cog already.

So far, that's a good shout. He's settled in seamlessly and he has that rare ability in that he seems to be good at everything. And he looks great doing it too. I particularly love this description about him:

He's the Thierry Henry of defenders.

[Medellin]

Apologies if this has already been posted.

<a href="https://youtube.com/v/dOjOOq2KeFU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://youtube.com/v/dOjOOq2KeFU</a>

[beardsleyismessimk1]

Telling how he has always played centre back. The only position he knows.

[hesbighesred]

Telling how he has always played centre back. The only position he knows.

Apart from when he's played at DM, of course.

[beardsleyismessimk1]

Apart from when he's played at DM, of course.

Yeah because that is what he said in the video interview. When he thought he was the second coming of Patrick viera. And a hybrid of viera and Zidane.  I missed that . Glad you cottoned on though. You super fan you.

[ThePoolMan]

For all the praise of Matip - which he deserves - let's wait just a little longer before proclaiming him as the best CB the club has had since Hansen. We must not also forget how good Hyppia and Agger were in their pomp.

[redbairn]

Matip has so far been excellent but still relatively early days, I think most peoples praise comes from years of watching bombscare Skrtel.

[Medellin]

Another clip with Gio i ain't seen before.

<a href="https://youtube.com/v/a5fj45KBiqI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://youtube.com/v/a5fj45KBiqI</a>

[SwordInYourGut]

For all the praise of Matip - which he deserves - let's wait just a little longer before proclaiming him as the best CB the club has had since Hansen. We must not also forget how good Hyppia and Agger were in their pomp.

Depends on whether you are judging him on his 10 odd games for Liverpool so far or his career as a whole. He had already shown how good he is at Schalke, we knew we were getting an exceptional defender before he played a single game for us.

[Kekule]

Depends on whether you are judging him on his 10 odd games for Liverpool so far or his career as a whole. He had already shown how good he is at Schalke, we knew we were getting an exceptional defender before he played a single game for us.

The fact that people are even willing to hint at having a debate about this just shows what an upgrade he is on what we've had recently. I'm not one to dig out any of our long serving players but Martin Skrtel's ability was never mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Hyypia and Hansen unless the words "is nowhere near as good as" were used at the same time.

[hesbighesred]

The fact that people are even willing to hint at having a debate about this just shows what an upgrade he is on what we've had recently. I'm not one to dig out any of our long serving players but Martin Skrtel's ability was never mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Hyypia and Hansen unless the words "is nowhere near as good as" were used at the same time.

To be fair I think it's also that Matip is 26 and has already been excellent for a good long while at Schalke in a division that's either as good as, or very nearly as good as the Premiership. He's not the unknown that Hyppia and Hansen were at the start, but came to us as, if not quite the finished article, certainly far enough into his career that it's hard to imagine him suddenly going backwards having shown what he has. And on the basis of what he has shown I'd say he's definitely a more complete defender than Hyppia, he has everything that Hyppia has to a comparable level (well, Hyppia was absolutely peerless in the air to be fair, while Matip is merely exceptionally good) plus is miles better in terms of pace and on the ball. Hansen was before my time, sadly, so I can't sensibly compare.

[Keita Success]

Stuart Pierce saying he's a shit footballer who's lazy and can't pass the ball. 

[WidnesJon]

Stuart Pierce saying he's a shit footballer who's lazy and can't pass the ball. 

The American stream I've got has Tony Gayle saying he's the one they want to have the ball as he's not comfortable with it at his feet....Errm yeah, whatever you say!

Cheers
Jon

[Kopenhagen]

The American stream I've got has Tony Gayle saying he's the one they want to have the ball as he's not comfortable with it at his feet....Errm yeah, whatever you say!

Cheers
Jon

Unbelievable how much shite he's spewing here today!

[Yorkykopite]

Gorgeous on the ball. He's actually doing Hendo's job at the moment.

[Djimi Smicer34]

Best centre-back in the PL, he's been absolutely immense.

[FlashGordon]

Tony Gayle has quite clearly never seen him play a minute of football before today. A colossus today, years gone by Anichebe and Defoe would cause us problems, didn't really get a sniff today though.

[vallapureddy]

He had Defoe in his pocket today most of the day!! Well whenever he came into Liverpool half 

[rawcusk8]

How was he today? Thought he would be tested by the yard dog Anichebe. Another clean sheet for him and the defence, great stuff.

[gerrardisgod]

How was he today? Thought he would be tested by the yard dog Anichebe. Another clean sheet for him and the defence, great stuff.

Anchibe was in his standard left wing and try and bully a full back, away at Anfield, Moyes position.

Matip was sound again, won everything, stepped forward with the ball when needed, kept the ball for the most part. One slip in concentration to give away a corner but nothing serious.

[Ken-Obi]

Such a smooth operator.

[deano2727]

Best centre-back in the PL, he's been absolutely immense.

That's Van Dijk for me, but he is certainly up there.

[Desert Red Fox]

And we got him on a free. Bargain of the decade.

[newterp]

The American stream I've got has Tony Gayle saying he's the one they want to have the ball as he's not comfortable with it at his feet....Errm yeah, whatever you say!

Cheers
Jon

It was high comedy

[thekitkatshuffler]

The American stream I've got has Tony Gayle saying he's the one they want to have the ball as he's not comfortable with it at his feet....Errm yeah, whatever you say!

Cheers
Jon

That was incredible.  Matip had brought the ball out of defence to within 30 yards of the Sunderland goal about 3 times by the time he said that.

Money for old rope.

[DangerScouse]

The American stream I've got has Tony Gayle saying he's the one they want to have the ball as he's not comfortable with it at his feet....Errm yeah, whatever you say!

Cheers
Jon

Criticising his positioning too at one stage, which was faultless today. Gayle is a moron.

[Dim Glas]

That's Van Dijk for me, but he is certainly up there.

really, the whole league? I know he's good, but I've only seen southampton maybe 4 or 5 times this season, so not enough to see if he's that special. 

Matip is great though, happy with how our whole defense is shaping up, not just him. It's all looking so much more solid, organised and confident, from goalie on out.

[FlashGordon]

really, the whole league? I know he's good, but I've only seen southampton maybe 4 or 5 times this season, so not enough to see if he's that special. 

Matip is great though, happy with how our whole defense is shaping up, not just him. It's all looking so much more solid, organised and confident, from goalie on out.

Yeah it's almost as if we actually have defensive unit now, not just a load of players thrown on to the pitch and let do whatever they want.

[Anfield Ed]

What an immense signing and superb centre back. I can only think of 3 in the entire division who are better. (Alderweireld, Van Dijk & Koscielny).

Matip has added a much needed calming influence to the defence and provides confidence to the rest of the back line and to Karius. Not to mention his pressing and passing ability plus an aerial threat at both ends. Tremendous player.

[AnimalMasch]

To be fair I think it's also that Matip is 26 and has already been excellent for a good long while at Schalke in a division that's either as good as, or very nearly as good as the Premiership. He's not the unknown that Hyppia and Hansen were at the start, but came to us as, if not quite the finished article, certainly far enough into his career that it's hard to imagine him suddenly going backwards having shown what he has. And on the basis of what he has shown I'd say he's definitely a more complete defender than Hyppia, he has everything that Hyppia has to a comparable level (well, Hyppia was absolutely peerless in the air to be fair, while Matip is merely exceptionally good) plus is miles better in terms of pace and on the ball. Hansen was before my time, sadly, so I can't sensibly compare.

Sorry to be pedantic, but he's 25.

[whtwht]

Since he's been here there's been a lack of keystone cops like defending.Crucial player.

[Nobody cares what phone you have and that you are using the free version of Tapatalk]

[WorldChampions]

Love the way he strides forward with the ball and tries to force the issue. Anyone else think we should get him on shooting practice, at times he's on the edge of the opposition box with a bit of space, lets get him spanking them in the top bin!

[Robinred]

It was high comedy

I had to switch the sound off on my stream - for the umpteenth time this season.

When is a broadcasting corporation going to have the gumption, and foresight, to recognise the fact that the majority of these old lags are garbage at analysis, and very poorly prepared? When he was in the team, Sakho got the same nonsense aimed at him, totally erroneously.

Money for old rope indeed. It needs to change. If we were to compile a list of the usual suspects, it would be a very long list.

[rscanderlech]

To be honest, while people are saying that Van Dijk is better than him, I think Matip is better for our team, not least because of his height, which we generally lack in our side.

The other two mentioned above--Alderweireld and Koscielny--are both at least a couple of years older than him and he has every chance of reaching their level in due course.