Van Dijk: Liverpool's New Defense Needs Time to Gel

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has stated that the club's reshaped defense will require a period of adjustment to function cohesively. Despite welcoming new signings Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet, Van Dijk stressed the importance of on-field experience for the defensive unit to develop strong partnerships.

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By playing games. I won't say it's the only way, but games are totally different than training.

Recent departures and an injury to Joe Gomez have necessitated a defensive overhaul for the Merseyside club. Uruguay international Ronald Araujo has joined on a season-long loan from Barcelona, while French defender Jeremy Jacquet was signed earlier in the summer. Both players featured in Liverpool's recent 2-0 friendly victory over Como, with Jacquet also scoring a goal.

When asked about forging connections with his new defensive colleagues, Van Dijk highlighted the irreplaceable role of competitive matches. "Games are totally different than training," he told reporters. "It's pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and take a bit of time. But it's, in my opinion, absolutely normal."

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Obviously, Jeremy's English is, I would say, a bit better than Ronald, but at the end of the day, we all pretty good footballers and we can see and smell some moments, how to defend certain situations.

Van Dijk noted that while Jacquet's English is slightly better than Araujo's, both are skilled footballers capable of understanding defensive situations. He expressed hope that the team can quickly establish the necessary chemistry. Liverpool is set to begin their Premier League campaign against Newcastle United on August 23, following a fifth-place finish last season.

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It's pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and take a bit of time. But it's, in my opinion, absolutely normal. But hopefully, we can get that going as quickly as possible.