Dejan Lovren

[Lecter]

It would be madness, but you may be right. It is a treatment that a few other players could go knocking on the managers door to complain about having not been offered similar opportunity after mistakes.

The problem is, I don't even think Lovren is playing badly (to clarify, for his capabilities). What we have seen is what you get with him. I don't think he has it in him to become the player we need him to be.

[Muddled]

It is poor squad management. I don't really see how you can argue to the contrary.

Rodgers made the decision - rightly or wrongly - to go with a Skrtel, Lovren partnership from the first game of the season. From that game on, it was going to be the same back five in future games. The question mark now is how Ridgers will react to Lovren's performance and whether he's dropped.

Sakho's lack of minutes is not poor squad management.

[The_weatherman]

Rodgers made the decision - rightly or wrongly - to go with a Skrtel, Lovren partnership from the first game of the season. From that game on, it was going to be the same back five in future games. The question mark now is how Ridgers will react to Lovren's performance and whether he's dropped.

Sakho's lack of minutes is not poor squad management.

Oooorrrrr, you don't think it's poor squad management?

[RichC]

It's not poor squad management - there has been 4 games this season how on earth has sticking to a preferred back 4 poor squad management? You could argue perhaps it was a poor decision but poor squad management gives the impression the poster doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

[Exiled_red]

Rodgers made the decision - rightly or wrongly - to go with a Skrtel, Lovren partnership from the first game of the season. From that game on, it was going to be the same back five in future games. The question mark now is how Ridgers will react to Lovren's performance and whether he's dropped.

Sakho's lack of minutes is not poor squad management.

I think Rodgers will take the view that it was just one mistake and won't change his plans on the basis of one mistake.

[Daniel 7]

A few things spring to mind

Sakho isn't the absolute answer to the defensive issues we've seen since Rodgers took over - while Sakho is undoubtedly the better player, parachuting him in to replace Lovren won't solve the greater problem. The Skrtel problem will remain. The system will remain.

Maybe Skrtel can't play alongside Sakho. There must be a reason why Rodgers's default position is to play Lovren alongside his number one choice at central defence. Factor in as well the focus on partnering those two together in pre season, training and matches - to think you can just drop in Sakho and see an improvement might lead to disappointment

Sakho has a **** injury record and can't be relied on. We have never seen him consistently chosen, and thats as much down to his poor fitness record as Lovren arriving.

[RichC]

A few things spring to mind

Sakho isn't the absolute answer to the defensive issues we've seen since Rodgers took over - while Sakho is undoubtedly the better player, parachuting him in to replace Lovren won't solve the greater problem. The Skrtel problem will remain. The system will remain.

Maybe Skrtel can't play alongside Sakho. There must be a reason why Rodgers's default position is to play Lovren alongside his number one choice at central defence. Factor in as well the focus on partnering those two together in pre season, training and matches - to think you can just drop in Sakho and see an improvement might lead to disappointment

Sakho has a **** injury record and can't be relied on. We have never seen him consistently chosen, and thats as much down to his poor fitness record as Lovren arriving.

All fair points - Sakho coming in to replace Lovren isn't the magical answer.

I think he should have been first choice CB myself this season like almost everyone else but he's not and I think this will be one of the key decisions BR has made that will determine how his season progresses.

[Daniel 7]

It is poor squad management. I don't really see how you can argue to the contrary.

Not sure about that - the clean sheets in the first 3 games gave him a mandate to keep the same back 4. Even though the clean sheets were in spite of having a ****ing clown playing in a key position.

[RichC]

Not sure about that - the clean sheets in the first 3 games gave him a mandate to keep the same back 4. Even though the clean sheets were in spite of having a ****ing clown playing in a key position.

Exactly.

Agree with it or not once we'd kept those 3 clean sheets there was no way it was being changed.

[Buzzo]

Ironically, whilst watching Swasea yesterday, Ashley Williams looks like absolute bedrock in comparison to our hapless 2.

Which kind of says it all.

[The_weatherman]

It's not poor squad management - there has been 4 games this season how on earth has sticking to a preferred back 4 poor squad management? You could argue perhaps it was a poor decision but poor squad management gives the impression the poster doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

Sakho had to fight for his place last season only to lose it over the summer and start from scratch, I think it could be categoried as poor squad management.

[captainfog]

It's not poor squad management - there has been 4 games this season how on earth has sticking to a preferred back 4 poor squad management? You could argue perhaps it was a poor decision but poor squad management gives the impression the poster doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

I don't remember him playing much in preseason though. He's not primed and ready to go.

[Daniel 7]

Yeah, but Williams would probably look every bit as ridiculous in our defence as well

[The_weatherman]

A few things spring to mind

Sakho isn't the absolute answer to the defensive issues we've seen since Rodgers took over - while Sakho is undoubtedly the better player, parachuting him in to replace Lovren won't solve the greater problem. The Skrtel problem will remain. The system will remain.

Maybe Skrtel can't play alongside Sakho. There must be a reason why Rodgers's default position is to play Lovren alongside his number one choice at central defence. Factor in as well the focus on partnering those two together in pre season, training and matches - to think you can just drop in Sakho and see an improvement might lead to disappointment

Sakho has a **** injury record and can't be relied on. We have never seen him consistently chosen, and thats as much down to his poor fitness record as Lovren arriving.

Not but he solves 50% of the Skrtel/Loren conundrum and there are statistics that say that Sakho is the one of the best if not the best CB in starting attacks and moving the ball forward, we should use that. And last season we saw improvement when dropping Lovren for Sakho so I don't think it'd be extraordinary if the same thing happened again. The fitness record is **** I grant you, but Lovren is just basic **** so I'd be willing to take the chance.

[The_weatherman]

I don't remember him playing much in preseason though. He's not primed and ready to go.

So if he makes a mistake he'll likely be taken straight out of the team again, which makes it difficult for him.