Liverpool's Van Dijk admits 'mediocre' season at Reds last year

Liverpool began last season coming off the back of a year in which they fell two games short of a historic quadruple, losing the Champions League final and the Premier League title on the final day. Despite high expectations, the Reds failed to live up to them and ended up outside the top four in the domestic competition and eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League by Los Merengues. 

One of Liverpool's key players for the 2021/2022 season was Virgil Van Dijk, who was considered by many to be the most in-form centre-back in the world. However, the Netherlands international was heavily criticised last season for underperforming for Klopp's side, something he addressed in an interview with Dutch media outlet 'Alegemeen Dagblad'.

"I take some criticism seriously, but not all. I know very well when I play well and when I don’t. Last season was just mediocre, sometimes even bad. As a team we also struggled to find a good rhythm at Liverpool. The Nations League with the Dutch team was also not good," admitted Van Dijk.

"I have thought and talked about it (last season's issues) a lot to be able to turn that around. That worked, I think. Things have been going very well again since the summer," he added.

"My injury was very serious, it is not surprising that you have to get to know your knee again, so to speak. But now I don’t notice it anymore. I haven’t had to change much in my way of playing, I have the feeling that I can do everything again," concluded the Reds captain.