Dejan Lovren

[Mr Pink]

No **** - of course we’re expected to do worse when we have to play our squad players.

Based on your epic insight here, we need to replace our 4th choice defender with someone at the same level as our first choice pairing, which is a bit ridiculous when you think about it for more than a few seconds.

When did I say that?? I think we need to replace our 4th choice defender with a younger player who isn’t one of the top earners in the squad.

I also think we need to move him on before his contract runs out and he goes for free.

[Mr Pink]

I agree with Mr Pink that Lovren is our 4th best central defender. The question is whether he has dropped beneath a threshold that being 4th-best requires. We would need to replace him...but a youngster would likely make errors too...so another older, experienced head would be more prudent. How much would they cost and would they come to us to warm the bench? Don't know....

Honestly, I think he play’s at a good enough level to be a 4th choice player at a top club. But when you factor in his age, his salary and the fact his contract expires next year, it would be a good move, to move him on in the summer.

[Assassin]

Honestly, I think he play’s at a good enough level to be a 4th choice player at a top club. But when you factor in his age, his salary and the fact his contract expires next year, it would be a good move, to move him on in the summer.

Lovren was wanting away earlier this season, but Mr Klopp convinced him to stay. IMO, he will be off at the end of this season

[dom9]

Lovren was wanting away earlier this season, but Mr Klopp convinced him to stay. IMO, he will be off at the end of this season

Yeah, I don't see him staying beyond this season either.

It'll be interesting to see who, if anyone steps up. Because aside from our cyborg - VvD, none of the rest of our CBs seems capable of playing a whole season without injury. That goes for most of the rest of the team too. Front three and full backs excepted. And even the front three have all been injured at some point this season.

[Cormack74]

I think Lovren's biggest weakness is his own head. His overly boastful pronouncements seem to mask an insecurity he has.

If he makes a mistake you can see the internal battle he has in his own head which leads to more and more shaky play. If he genuinely believed he was the player he says he is in public (and he has most of the tools to be that player) then he'd be a fantastic defender. I don't think he genuinely believes it though.

Also he has this mad idea that if there's a big lump to battle with then he's the best person to do so, which you could see the big lump Deeney relished.

I've no idea if this is true (although the last para certainly seems to be) but I quite like the analysis

[frank the tank]

So since Klopp has stated

"If anyone blames Dejan Lovren for our defeat, I can't help these people..."

can we we officially place Mr Pink (and his pseudonym frank the tank) into the 'can't be helped' bin?

Didn't even make the bench in the next game. If Klopp said what he really thinks - that Dejan is a cluster**** of a defender and can't be relied on to do the basics - then it wipes out some of his transfer value.

I think Gomez is good. But I don't think he is as good as everyone else. I think being next to Virgil makes him look better than he is. As does Matip. But Dejan is such a ****in car crash that convention goes out the window.

For me, if we can get a left footed defender that could be back up to Robbo and also full in as 4th choice CB, then it is a big improvement

[McDermotX]

Lovren

You ******* !!!

[leftpeg]

Lovren

You ******* !!!

He was woeful tonight. Completely disappeared!

[McDermotX]

[Kenneth]

What I would say about Lovren, he was really crap against Watford - and he's one of them players that needs a run to show his *best* form.

Saturday was a ****show because he was bullied by Deeney and those players around him affect by Dejan's lack of composure and game time.

So can we put to bed this nonsense about Lovren unsettling the other 10 players by his very presence now? Ditch the idea that a CB can just to opt out of a battle with a physical striker, apportion responsibility for missing chances to the attackers not the centre back, and hold the midfield accountable for being outmuscled and outpaced an outpassed without inventing the concept of a ****ness more contagious than the corona virus?

[frank the tank]

Yes you are right.

Lovren is a top class defender who had an off day. End of story

[Kenneth]

Which wasn’t my point at all. Scapegoating individuals and even using them to excuse the poor performances of others is illogical.

[Mr Pink]

So can we put to bed this nonsense about Lovren unsettling the other 10 players by his very presence now? Ditch the idea that a CB can just to opt out of a battle with a physical striker, apportion responsibility for missing chances to the attackers not the centre back, and hold the midfield accountable for being outmuscled and outpaced an outpassed without inventing the concept of a ****ness more contagious than the corona virus?

Can’t speak for any of the other critics of Lovren, but I never blamed him for any other players bad performance last weekend, don’t know if anyone did tbh?

[Kenneth]

Lots, including the post I quoted.

[Maxiedge]

Sorry, still think he could have come in fresh and helped us through this mini slump with a solid performance but instead he made poor decisions and gave sloppy passes. Fabinho has been woeful too.