A more confident and relaxed approach to his responsibilities has allowed Dejan Lovren to make an impressive start to the season, according to Brendan Rodgers.The Liverpool centre-back has turned in three solid performances at the outset of 2015-16 to help the Reds navigate 270 minutes of football without conceding a goal.
Keeping consecutive clean sheets has been the foundation of Rodgers’ side taking seven points out of nine so far, with the same back four fielded in each fixture.
Lovren’s form at the centre of that defence has especially caught the eye after a testing debut campaign for the Croatia international following his move last summer.
Rodgers said: “Like a lot of players, it was difficult in the first year coming in. There was a lack of stability in the overall group. It was a case of reassuring him that he’s still a top-quality player.
“What has really helped him has been the full-backs on either side – how quickly they close the game when we lose the ball, that transition, either to get the ball back or close the space.
“You saw examples from the other night. When the pitch was open we tried to play and when the game breaks down, how quickly it’s closed.
“[Nathaniel] Clyne and [Joe] Gomez on the sides really help the centre-halves.
“For him, he’s much more patient in his game. He has got the stability of playing. He is now in the team and he’s in the team because he had a good pre-season.
“He’s in good condition fitness-wise and you’re seeing someone that is focused but a little bit more relaxed in his position.
“We brought him here because we believe he can be a top-class defender; at this early stage, that partnership between him and Martin [Skrtel] is proving that.”
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/192820-brendan-you-re-seeing-a-different-dejan Too relaxed and too confident for such a bag of sh*t. Feels more of the same, Brendan.
