Dejan Lovren (Liverpool > Zenit St Petersburg)

Lovren is a average player. He has proved that over his time with us. I understand people desperate to hang on to any positives but if Lovren is starting for us next season , then expect more of the same of our comical defending .

Where's the tin foil hatters to say we only gave him a pay rise so we could sell him for more money?

They wouldn't shut the F**k up about it for 5 minutes when Coutinho got a new contract.

Oh, sorry, I see the "he's not worth X amount, our money is being wasted" nonsense is being trotted out instead.
As you were.

Our maybe giving him an extra £25,000 a week instead of spending £50,000,000 on VanDijk is actually a, way of saving money! Too cynical maybe? We'll see soon enough!

Love the burden of proof chat that pops up whenever swabby is in residence.

 Yet to see 1 scenario where such a burden has ever been placed firstly at your door Swab 

Like bloody crown court in here at times!

No, I said where are all the tin foil hatters now, saying that Lovrens new contract means he'll be sold in the summer, like they did with Coutinho, then you decided to butt in and tried to make it into something else.

And I came in to say those are two very different situations, because one is a player that I assume to be in high demand, while the other isn't.

I don't personally think we've extended Coutinho's contract only to sell him for more money in the summer, but I can understand why some would think that way.

I think of Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale, Edinson Cavani - three names off the top of my head who signed big, long-term contracts only to be sold for massive money shortly afterwards.

Hardly sh*t stirring to think this could again be the case here, in my opinion, though I don't necessarily buy into it.

Lovren, on the other hand, is a player that no club that can actually afford to pay £100k a week to a defender will probably be interested. So on the basis of that, I think those are very different situations - hence to me it's painfully, ridiculously obvious why no one has come here to say we've extended Lovren's contract to sell him in the summer.

And I came in to say those are two very different situations, because one is a player that I assume to be in high demand, while the other isn't.

I don't personally think we've extended Coutinho's contract only to sell him for more money in the summer, but I can understand why some would think that way.

I think of Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale, Edinson Cavani - three names off the top of my head who signed big, long-term contracts only to be sold for massive money shortly afterwards.

Hardly sh*t stirring to think this could again be the case here, in my opinion, though I don't necessarily buy into it.

Lovren, on the other hand, is a player that no club that can actually afford to pay £100k a week to a defender will probably be interested. So on the basis of that, I think those are very different situations - hence to me it's painfully, ridiculously obvious why no one has come here to say we've extended Lovren's contract to sell him in the summer.

You can try and rationalise it any way you want, but the idea that a club gives a player a huge pay rise and long contract so that they can sell him later is absolute nonsense.

These are mechanisms to keep hold of the player, not to sell him.
It's to try and put off any potential buying club.
But you crack on and believe the narrative and fairy stories that are being created in your little echo chamber, makes no odds to me.

You can try and rationalise it any way you want, but the idea that a club gives a player a huge pay rise and long contract so that they can sell him later is absolute nonsense.

These are mechanisms to keep hold of the player, not to sell him.
It's to try and put off any potential buying club.
But you crack on and believe the narrative and fairy stories that are being created in your little echo chamber, makes no odds to me.

It can also be a mechanism to give the club greater bargaining power when negotiating the player with potential suitors. Hardly new, surprising, fantastic or any of the sort. If the extra number of years in his contract make his price go up by a considerable sum, then it can make good financial sense. I even remember reading that Coutinho's new contract terms only start in July, which would mean we're not even paying him the reported £150k yet.

Personally I don't think we're doing this with a view on selling him, but rather strengthening our position should a buyer come in for him. Then again I think we operate on the basis that every player has his price, and if a high enough offer comes, we would sell - but not that we're looking towards doing so

It can also be a mechanism to give the club greater bargaining power when negotiating the player with potential suitors. Hardly new, surprising, fantastic or any of the sort. If the extra number of years in his contract make his price go up by a considerable sum, then it can make good financial sense. I even remember reading that Coutinho's new contract terms only start in July, which would mean we're not even paying him the reported £150k yet.

Personally I don't think we're doing this with a view on selling him, but rather strengthening our position should a buyer come in for him. Then again I think we operate on the basis that every player has his price, and if a high enough offer comes, we would sell - but not that we're looking towards doing so

So, you're saying that a club is going to give a huge new contract to a player, based on the off chance that it might increase his value to a club which has not bid for him?
 

Carry on, but I won't be replying to this nonsense.
It's just a waste of my time.
I'll stick to the real world thanks.

So, you're saying that a club is going to give a huge new contract to a player, based on the off chance that it might increase his value to a club which has not bid for him?
 

Carry on, but I won't be replying to this nonsense.
It's just a waste of my time.
I'll stick to the real world thanks.

On the off chance? It does increase his value - Gareth Bale would not have cost as much if he only had a few years left his contract, for example. Signing a new long term contract hardly stops clubs from selling them, but increases their bargaining power. I don't think LFC has done that with the intention to sell, but I hardly blame those more cynical than me for thinking so. And to say it is exactly the same situation with Lovren is just daft in my honest opinion.

Now that you got an improve contract, show us that you deserve it and improve drastically.

We need stability at the back!

You can try and rationalise it any way you want, but the idea that a club gives a player a huge pay rise and long contract so that they can sell him later is absolute nonsense.

These are mechanisms to keep hold of the player, not to sell him.
It's to try and put off any potential buying club.
But you crack on and believe the narrative and fairy stories that are being created in your little echo chamber, makes no odds to me.

I think there is an element of it where the club sees it as protecting any resale value of the player Swab but agree the main reason for a new contract is to keep hold of a player the club sees as important.

I think there is an element of it where the club sees it as protecting any resale value of the player Swab but agree the main reason for a new contract is to keep hold of a player the club sees as important.

I think it's a pretty safe bet here that Jürgen has tied him up because he rates him.

It's not as though there's a queue of clubs as long as the Mersey waiting/hoping to sign him; and we're gaining leverage on would be buyers by signing him up. I highly doubt he's that sought after.

I think it's a pretty safe bet here that Jürgen has tied him up because he rates him.

It's not as though there's a queue of clubs as long as the Mersey waiting/hoping to sign him; and we're gaining leverage on would be buyers by signing him up. I highly doubt he's that sought after.

In the case of Lovren, yes - not many clubs can afford a defender that makes more than Bonucci, Chiellini, Boateng and Varane, and those that do probably are not wasting their time with Dejan Lovren; the whole discussion came up when I pointed out that the situation could be different with Coutinho.

I think there is an element of it where the club sees it as protecting any resale value of the player Swab but agree the main reason for a new contract is to keep hold of a player the club sees as important.

Yes mate, an element perhaps, the same as any other club, but this idea that it is the whole driving force behind an improved contract is tin foil hat nonsense.

So, you're saying that a club is going to give a huge new contract to a player, based on the off chance that it might increase his value to a club which has not bid for him?

I  think a new contract can serve multiple purposes, one might be to wield greater control over keeping said player. An additional reason is in the event the player is to be sold, the selling price inflates because the club HAVE greater control over keeping said player. I don't believe that's what's going on with Lovren specifically, but it's not outlandish to come to that conclusion for a player like Coutinho.

Yes mate, an element perhaps, the same as any other club, but this idea that it is the whole driving force behind an improved contract is tin foil hat nonsense.

Tinfoil hat  nonsense would be that Suarez bit that Italian cat purposefully to force a move to Barca. Thinking  Lovren got a new contract because it improves our selling price for him might be silly, but far from tinfoil hat. In fact, I for the life of me can't understand why Klopp would give Lovren such a hefty vote of confidence so I could get on board more easily with the idea that it was done to increase his selling price...although I'm not sure anyone else would want him anyway.

Tinfoil hat  nonsense would be that Suarez bit that Italian cat purposefully to force a move to Barca. Thinking  Lovren got a new contract because it improves our selling price for him might be silly, but far from tinfoil hat. In fact, I for the life of me can't understand why Klopp would give Lovren such a hefty vote of confidence so I could get on board more easily with the idea that it was done to increase his selling price...although I'm not sure anyone else would want him anyway.

Yes, because it was only the third time he'd done it.
No form in that regard at all.
A complete one two three off.

When it comes to Lovren, Klopp see's him every day in training, has masses of information that no one here does, and is recognised as an exceptional coach, so I think I'll go with his opinion.
As I've repeatedly said, Lovren's problems are between the ears, something that Klopp seemed to allude to when he spoke about his "decision making", which he also said needs to improve.

https://twitter.com/AnfieldHQ/status/858723095468756992

I know better than to trust everything I see on twitter, but if this is something he actually said, then it would go a long way to help explain what is wrong with our team at the moment.

https://twitter.com/AnfieldHQ/status/858723095468756992

I know better than to trust everything I see on twitter, but if this is something he actually said, then it would go a long way to help explain what is wrong with our team at the moment.

I saw that as well Diego and I was appalled when I read it.

Don't see all the fuss with his contact.
As a £20M defender he would have already been on a contract in the range of £70-80k per week. The consequences of him not signing on the dotted line are you move him on in the summer for a reduced fee as he has 12 months left. You then have to go out and get 2 defenders in the summer taking time and money away from other areas. No brainer we have retained him but hopefully he'll have more competition for his place next season than this

https://twitter.com/AnfieldHQ/status/858723095468756992

I know better than to trust everything I see on twitter, but if this is something he actually said, then it would go a long way to help explain what is wrong with our team at the moment.

Disgusting coming from a pro footballer who's just earned a controversial pay rise.

Just shows the mentality of the bloke. Not good enough that.

I think Lovren has to be a player who goes. Not impressed with him over the season. Lucky ref didn't send him off and award a penalty.

Don't mean to nitpick but twice today he was caught out badly against the league's worst attack. Lucky not to have been awarded a penalty against him and his head was all over the place on the restart on one of our goals.

He's our weak link in defence and I'd say the level we are aiming for next season is too far above him to reach. Not good enough for first XI

Don't mean to nitpick but twice today he was caught out badly against the league's worst attack. Lucky not to have been awarded a penalty against him and his head was all over the place on the restart on one of our goals.

He's our weak link in defence and I'd say the level we are aiming for next season is too far above him to reach. Not good enough for first XI

My guess is he will soon be our first off the bench. He'll make a decent sub.