Dejan Lovren (Liverpool > Zenit St Petersburg)

Sorry mate watching that again he sees Aguero early on and still doesn't do enough in my eyes.

Yeah Mignolet was at fault too, his starting position was poor and shouldn't have got beat at his near post so easily.

He's watching Aguero. He had to try and stay close to him because if he had gone over to close the space then Skrtel would have been too far away to get to Aguero and if Lovren had tried to quickly step up then he'd have still been onside through Skrtel and Johnson.

There I am looking at Gerrard to read the situation better. If you watch it closer up to around the 0:06 mark then you can see Gerrard has a perfect view of what will unfold, he can see the huge gap between Moreno and Lovren and given that Navas had slowed down and was looking for the pass, there was nobody coming in behind Gerrard so he could have gone across more and could well have cut the pass out or at least influenced it in some way. That goal is very harsh to blame on the defence IMO. Moreno has done his job by going out to defend his side of the pitch and Lovren is doing his by watching Aguero and you can see that there is nothing Lovren could have done there without either getting done for pace or leaving Aguero in a load of space.

I think everyone is going to have some cock ups throughout the season. The hope is that most of our players aren't cock up machines ala Glenno.

I know everyone keeps talking about the 3rd goal but to be honest, I was more upset about the first two.

Not seen anything so far to suggest he's better at defending than Skrtel or Sahko. He passes the ball better but his basic defending looks to be error prone.

Not seen anything so far to suggest he's better at defending than Skrtel or Sahko. He passes the ball better but his basic defending looks to be error prone.

Early days yet in a completely new back 4. Let's see how he along with his comrades progress over the next half a dozen games.

Sold agger to quickly

Last yr the problem with our defence, WASNT the defence. It was the midfield.
And to a lesser extent, the keeper.

This yr we have two inexperienced but talented fullbacks.

The overwhelming fact is that players are better at 24, 26, 28 than at 19 or 20.
This all smells of buying players on a budget with a view to selling them on.
Great for a "business". NOT great for winning things.

As BR says, "one third of the budget of our competitions". And we sure as F**k showing a turnover MUCH BIGGER than one third.

Back to Lovren specifically, I like the player. The concern is the overal mix in the team.
AND WTF was Dagger sold for such a ridiculously low fee for?

The overwhelming fact is that players are better at 24, 26, 28 than at 19 or 20.
This all smells of buying players on a budget with a view to selling them on.
Great for a "business". NOT great for winning things.

Have similar suspicion as well. Unfortunately in football business has come in first place, and the owners are Americans 

But to increase value you also need to win something so i found consolation in that 

Sold agger to quickly

Agree wrong player though, comment should be in the Sakho thread.

Agree wrong player though, comment should be in the Sakho thread.

Didn't realise it was Sakho who gave away the goal!

Didn't realise it was Sakho who gave away the goal!

I don't think any one player "gave away the goal" but Sakho did needlessly give away the corner which led to it. No worries about Lovren though, he's a proper centre half. Sakho will be too IMHO.

Lovren has been good so far in my opinion, but he for now just can't have a game without mistake.

But I belive in time he will fix this as well and we will have brilliant CB.

The thing is though, our defence has been dreadful since the likes of Steve Clarke left the club. It can only be the training that they receive if a change in personnel doesn't seem to be the cure for the problem.

The thing is though, our defence has been dreadful since the likes of Steve Clarke left the club. It can only be the training that they receive if a change in personnel doesn't seem to be the cure for the problem.

That's pretty much the exact same thing I said this summer, and was lambasted for it.  I think it's pretty clear that they're not being coached correctly, if at all.  The fact that Rodgers said you can't coach defence, it's just an issue of decision-making, seems to be all the evidence needed that they aren't be coached.  I'd put money on the table and just get Steve Clarke back ASAP. 

But as for Lovren, might be a crazy idea but I think he'd be an excellent DM.  I know, we didn't pay an absurd fee just to play him out of position but part of the problem with the back four is that they have no cover in midfield, Stevie is too old to be mobile enough to play as a DM, Henderson and Coutinho are more CM/AM types, just look at the Ludogorets goal, they blew past our midfield in one pass and Stevie was left jogging back.  Can's best position is DM but he's out for a while apparently.  So why not try Lovren in there?  He's fast but also quick, he's strong, he knows how to times his tackles, he's physical, and he also has an eye for a pass.  Skrtel will definitely be coming back in at the weekend, so why not try Lovren in front of them?  He sure as hell would be a better DM than Lucas ever was, and we stuck with him for years.  why not give Lovren a go?

That's pretty much the exact same thing I said this summer, and was lambasted for it.  I think it's pretty clear that they're not being coached correctly, if at all.  The fact that Rodgers said you can't coach defence, it's just an issue of decision-making, seems to be all the evidence needed that they aren't be coached.  I'd put money on the table and just get Steve Clarke back ASAP. 

But as for Lovren, might be a crazy idea but I think he'd be an excellent DM.  I know, we didn't pay an absurd fee just to play him out of position but part of the problem with the back four is that they have no cover in midfield, Stevie is too old to be mobile enough to play as a DM, Henderson and Coutinho are more CM/AM types, just look at the Ludogorets goal, they blew past our midfield in one pass and Stevie was left jogging back.  Can's best position is DM but he's out for a while apparently.  So why not try Lovren in there?  He's fast but also quick, he's strong, he knows how to times his tackles, he's physical, and he also has an eye for a pass.  Skrtel will definitely be coming back in at the weekend, so why not try Lovren in front of them?  He sure as hell would be a better DM than Lucas ever was, and we stuck with him for years.  why not give Lovren a go?

Big assumption there Fed that he would be a better DM than Lucas. I am no great fan of Lucas but to suggest somebody who has never played that role can just step in is a huge gamble and looking at the fragility of our defence probably too big a gamble imo.

Big assumption there Fed that he would be a better DM than Lucas. I am no great fan of Lucas but to suggest somebody who has never played that role can just step in is a huge gamble and looking at the fragility of our defence probably too big a gamble imo.

I guess my point is, it looks like he's going to sit the bench with Skrtel coming back.  Stevie doesn't (and can't) play every game now.  So who would come in for him?  Normally Joseph would but he's out injured.  Can might be second in line but he's out injured for a while.  So Lucas would probably be next in line.

I don't think it's some controversial statement to suggest that Lovren would be better at DM than Lucas.  Forget one, Lucas has lost TWO steps over the last couple of years or so since his injury.  He gives the ball away like it's going out of style.  He doesn't contribute anything going forward.  He makes silly fouls (and loves to grin after doing so).  Lovren is fast (Lucas isn't), physical (Lucas isn't), has a good touch (Lucas doesn't anymore), and Lovren can catch up with an attacker who is in front of him (Lucas couldn't even dream of doing that).

I don't see why anyone thinks that Lovren would be worse than Lucas at DM. 

I like fed's idea re try Lovren in SG's position when we need to rest Stevie and left Skrtel with Sakho as CBs. He could be David Luiz with much better defense

£20 million Leader? I think not.

He's not the first and he won't be the last. How come a defender can be a rock for his club but then as soon as they sign for us they go to pot? I'm not saying I'm not happy with his signing, just the fact that he isn't looking as defensively strong at the moment as he was at Saints.

He's not the first and he won't be the last. How come a defender can be a rock for his club but then as soon as they sign for us they go to pot? I'm not saying I'm not happy with his signing, just the fact that he isn't looking as defensively strong at the moment as he was at Saints.

You reckon he could be feeling the pressure with Brendan alway saying hes the leader?

You reckon he could be feeling the pressure with Brendan alway saying hes the leader?

It wouldn't be a shock if that's the case. He has been signed for a relatively big fee and instantly seen as the one to sort out our defence whilst still adapting to the club and it doesn't help when things like Sakho getting in his way and having a clash of heads happen.

Lovren somehow gets away with a lot more than Sakho. I love both of them and think all they need is time and a more experienced keeper behind them!

He's not the first and he won't be the last. How come a defender can be a rock for his club but then as soon as they sign for us they go to pot? I'm not saying I'm not happy with his signing, just the fact that he isn't looking as defensively strong at the moment as he was at Saints.

Are you positive he was a rock for his club(s) before us?

Are you positive he was a rock for his club(s) before us?

More so than what he has been for us so far.