Dejan Lovren (Liverpool > Zenit St Petersburg)

He was playing pretty well right up until the penalty shout, then he became a bag of nerves and was basically trying to hard, is how it appeared to me.
He wouldn't stick to his zone at set pieces and was trying to win every ball as he became more and more nervy.

There's a good player waiting to come out, but he needs to start thinking more and playing with a bit less emotion.

He was playing pretty well right up until the penalty shout, then he became a bag of nerves and was basically trying to hard, is how it appeared to me.
He wouldn't stick to his zone at set pieces and was trying to win every ball as he became more and more nervy.

There's a good player waiting to come out, but he needs to start thinking more and playing with a bit less emotion.

Just about exactly as I saw it (and in fairness that could almost sum up Lovrens each and every appearance for us). Just trying a bit too hard at the moment, but there IS a good player waiting to come out, and he's shown enough already to demonstrate that he does settle, he's going to be an excellent defender (and probably an excellent captain too).

Just about exactly as I saw it (and in fairness that could almost sum up Lovrens each and every appearance for us). Just trying a bit too hard at the moment, but there IS a good player waiting to come out, and he's shown enough already to demonstrate that he does settle, he's going to be an excellent defender (and probably an excellent captain too).

The biggest problem he has right now is his lack of concentration, and his tendency to drift left all the time because he prefers that side even though he is right footed.
Sort those things out, and he will "improve" dramatically.
I put "improve" in quotation marks, because unlike some I don't think he's crap and it really is a case of small adjustments to his game. Of course, saying that, he has to be prepared to accept those changes and work on his game.

main issue is we have paid 20mil for him so unless we are offered 15mil minimum he wont be going anywhere, best we as a club can all hope for is he does a mingloet and turns it around sorts his head out and starts to command the back and play well as they will puch Sakho,Skrtel to raise their game also

It's not that he made 1 or 2 errors it's the manner of errors he makes and how costly they are/could be in a game. Those 1 or 2 errors he made against Newcastle could and in another game would have given the opposition two goals. And remember it was only Newcastle we were playing, at home, if he was playing against a good attacking side away from home those 1 or 2 BIG errors would multiply and we would most certainly be punished for them. A top centre half doesn't make 1 or 2 big errors against weak opposition. That's the difference. The thing with Lovren though seems to be more psychological in that he seems to lose his composure and panic at critical moments. He lack composure. In other areas he is quite strong, he is good in the air, passes quite well and has a bit of pace. He needs to work on his mentality and add composure to his game if he wants to keep his place in the squad long term.

Rio Ferdinand made lots of errors against weak oppositions, Sami Hyppia too and so did Carragher, did that make them poor defenders? He didn't commit any BIG errors like you said he did, he made one that almost cost us a penalty that's all, other than that I didn't see him losing the ball ala Glen Johnson all the time.

Still awaiting to see Dejan the center back, as of yet, he's been anything but Mustard.

Rio Ferdinand made lots of errors against weak oppositions, Sami Hyppia too and so did Carragher, did that make them poor defenders? He didn't commit any BIG errors like you said he did, he made one that almost cost us a penalty that's all, other than that I didn't see him losing the ball ala Glen Johnson all the time.

That is all? It could have cost us points. I agree that he didn't do much else wrong but it's not the amount of mistakes made, its more so the severity of the one mistake. He's done it a few times this season where he's gone diving in without a seconds thought in the 18 yard box. If Aguero had kept his wrong going and not turned inside then Lovren would have given away a penalty a few months ago against City. Him sliding in also gave Aguero the opportunity to shoot.

It's not that he made 1 or 2 errors it's the manner of errors he makes and how costly they are/could be in a game. Those 1 or 2 errors he made against Newcastle could and in another game would have given the opposition two goals. And remember it was only Newcastle we were playing, at home, if he was playing against a good attacking side away from home those 1 or 2 BIG errors would multiply and we would most certainly be punished for them. A top centre half doesn't make 1 or 2 big errors against weak opposition. That's the difference. The thing with Lovren though seems to be more psychological in that he seems to lose his composure and panic at critical moments. He lack composure. In other areas he is quite strong, he is good in the air, passes quite well and has a bit of pace. He needs to work on his mentality and add composure to his game if he wants to keep his place in the squad long term.

According to your rationale then Sterlings blatant point blank miss from 5 yards with the score at 1-0 is just as critical and costly.

Had Newcastle got the penalty at 1-1 you would expect Sterling to convert that chance and put as back in the lead.

Whilst he was far from perfect I don't think he deserved for people to jump on his back the way they have.

That is all? It could have cost us points. I agree that he didn't do much else wrong but it's not the amount of mistakes made, its more so the severity of the one mistake. He's done it a few times this season where he's gone diving in without a seconds thought in the 18 yard box. If Aguero had kept his wrong going and not turned inside then Lovren would have given away a penalty a few months ago against City. Him sliding in also gave Aguero the opportunity to shoot.

And if "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas.

See my post above with regards to Sterlings "error" in the form of a point blank miss with the goal at his mercy, could have been just as costly.

According to your rationale then Sterlings blatant point blank miss from 5 yards with the score at 1-0 is just as critical and costly.

Had Newcastle got the penalty at 1-1 you would expect Sterling to convert that chance and put as back in the lead.

Whilst he was far from perfect I don't think he deserved for people to jump on his back the way they have.

The differnce is though Sterling scored a worldy to put us in the lead Lovren made a clanger that should have cancelled out Raheems worldy only for blind luck.

I actually thought Lovren had an ok performance I have already stated this. Much better than rubbish Johnsons. I'm just calling it like I see it. Lovren lacks composure at critical moments in the box I've seen it numerous times this season. He is pretty good in other areas but he needs to sort his head out he can't panic every time a player runs at him in the box. Top centre halves don't panic in these situations.

Still awaiting to see Dejan the center back, as of yet, he's been anything but Mustard.

Not bad Beer.

The differnce is though Sterling scored a worldy to put us in the lead Lovren made a clanger that should have cancelled out Raheems worldy only for blind luck.

I actually thought Lovren had an ok performance I have already stated this. Much better than rubbish Johnsons. I'm just calling it like I see it. Lovren lacks composure at critical moments in the box I've seen it numerous times this season. He is pretty good in other areas but he needs to sort his head out he can't panic every time a player runs at him in the box. Top centre halves don't panic in these situations.

This!

And if "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas.

See my post above with regards to Sterlings "error" in the form of a point blank miss with the goal at his mercy, could have been just as costly.

And I don't disagree about the Sterling miss. Both errors were equally as bad as each other for different reasons. In regards to Sterling's miss...

And if "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas.

Personally i don't care if we spent $50, $25 or $1 million on the player...honestly...i am yet to see a 90 minute display where i feel he isn't utterly on edge of a nervous breakdown, wide eyed and a step behind what is happening around him.
It's bizarre?
I actually believe he can get there...maybe it's first season jitters but he is a fella i had hugely high hopes for and still kinda do.
I just wonder if, and i hope we do, revert back to a 4 at the back that we could play him and Skrtel....used to love Sakho but feel he is so accident prone and unreliable regardless of his spirit

His best game for us today, not much competition mind, but I thought he did alright.

His best game for us today, not much competition mind, but I thought he did alright.

Apart from when he and Can let Delph waltz through and missed two sitters from just outside the 6 yard box.

Apart from when he and Can let Delph waltz through and missed two sitters from just outside the 6 yard box.

Like I said, his best game.

Like I said, his best game.

 

Future captain

Can definitely see this happening some day, every game he plays makes it more and more glaringly clear to me.

Wait... we are talking about the Titanic, right?

Far from our biggest problem today.

Far from our biggest problem today.

I agree, but that's not really saying much.

Far from our biggest problem today.

Agree Si.

I thought it was his best game for us in a while one lapse in concentration though and it has cost us a place in the final.

One of many players that should have done better for the Delph goal I don't know why or how he reacted so slowly that entire play from when Delph was played in to box was in slow motion.

Ridicolous stuff there from him.

Agree Si.

I thought it was his best game for us in a while one lapse in concentration though and it has cost us a place in the final.

One of many players that should have done better for the Delph goal I don't know why or how he reacted so slowly that entire play from when Delph was played in to box was in slow motion.

Ridicolous stuff there from him.

It was almost like everyone was in slow motion on that play. He was the last man, but looked to me like he was far from solely at fault. I had thought he had a better game for the most part. Seems that he's gaining some more confidence. Be great if he starts putting it all together because I think the sooner we get Emre Can out of defense and into midfield the better.

It was almost like everyone was in slow motion on that play. He was the last man, but looked to me like he was far from solely at fault. I had thought he had a better game for the most part. Seems that he's gaining some more confidence. Be great if he starts putting it all together because I think the sooner we get Emre Can out of defense and into midfield the better.

It was a very soft goal to concede.

Agree on the Can comment too he was trying to bomb on into their final third and forgetting his defensive responsibillities.