Fabinho Speaks on Being a Vocal Leader Against Ajax

The Brazilian reveals how he tried to be a vocal leader at the
back against Ajax.

Virgil van Dijk’s recent ACL injury has robbed Liverpool of much more than his defensive prowess and
penchant for towering headers. His absence also deprives LFC of
their leader at the back, and that’s not an easy trait to replace.
It takes a very perceptive player to be able to read the game and
take responsibility for not only his own positioning, but also the
positioning of the entire defensive unit.

In a post-match interview with Viaplay Fotball,
Fabinho, who filled in for van Dijk at center back against Ajax
this evening, revealed that he (with some urging from Jürgen Klopp)
took on this responsibility in Amsterdam.

“Tactically I have to always be ready for the long balls and try
and organize the team,” said Fabinho. “It’s not easy as I have to
do a little bit of what Virgil always does and talk to the team and
try and be a leader. Of course I’m not Virgil but I’ll do my
best.”

Though he makes his living as a holding midfielder, Fabinho’s
best earned him universal praise for an outstanding performance
that included an acrobatic goal line clearance to preserve
Liverpool’s 1-0 lead. Despite the individual accolades, the Reds
keeping Ajax off the board is what mattered most to the makeshift
defender.

“It’s very important for me for the team to keep a clean sheet
for the confidence of the team.”

The Brazilian then revealed that it was Klopp who encouraged him
to be the vocal leader of the defense in van Dijk’s absence.

“I try to do my best, of course the manager says I have to talk
more to the team and organize them. Sometimes I use phrases like
second ball or be ready, or tell the team to press well. I try to
do this role as well and do my best.”

Fabinho also heaped praise on Van Dijk, specifically pointing
out all of the important things his Dutch teammate does, both on
and off the field.

“Personally, when I knew Virgil was out for a long time, it was
a little bit like a shock,” Fabinho said. “I think he’s the best
defender in the world right now and most of all he’s a leader in
the team and the dressing room. He always keeps a good mood and a
good atmosphere and of course we’ll miss this.”

Virgil van Dijk is not a player whose physical or leadership
abilities can ever truly be replaced. However, Fabinho’s
performance tonight showed that much of the panic about who could
possibly fill his very large shoes may have been premature. If
Fabinho can build on this performance, it will make coping with van
Dijk’s injury absence a much easier task.

Scores of Lagosians have broken into a warehouse in the Amuwo
area of Lagos State where COVID-19 palliatives were being
stored.

Viral videos on social media on Thursday showed people packing
out bags and cartons of the palliatives which were ought to have
been shared by government to cushion the negative impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.

Also spotted in one of the videos, was a van belonging to a
joint Internal Security Operational platform, OP MESA, with people
loading the vehicle with the palliatives.

In a swift reaction, the state government has, however, debunked
reports that the palliatives had been stored in there for
months.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Akosile, in
a tweet described the comments as ‘falsehood and inciting’.

“The government didn’t lock the food packs in. They’re in
warehouse for distribution,” he said.

According to him, the governor only received the palliatives on
September 22, less than a month ago.

Akosile further explained that Governor Sanwo-Olu had used his
personal and state resources to get food palliatives for vulnerable
Lagosians even before the contributions from the Coalition Against
COVID (CA-COVID).

This is coming amid the chaos, series of destruction and looting
that has occurred in many areas of the state.

Major malls, shops, businesses and even vehicles have been burnt
down – part of an aftermath of shootings that occurred on Tuesday
at the Lekki Toll Gate area of the state.

Peaceful protesters had gathered despite a curfew imposed to end
spiralling protests over police brutality and deep-rooted social
grievances.

At the Lekki Toll Gate which has been one of the major
converging points, peaceful and unarmed protesters, however, defied
the curfew and stayed put, hours after it was to have
commenced.

The situation took a turn for the worse around 7:00 pm when the
security operatives stormed the area and started shooting
sporadically.

“It wasn’t to drive us away, it was to kills us,” one of the
protesters who said he saw the armed soldiers, told Channels
Television.

According to Amnesty International, at least 12 people were
killed in the deadly shooting.