Liverpool FC Forum

I hope this fella's organisational skills can do something with our back line, in pre season we've conceded goals against Preston, Brondby, Roma and City and every one of them was cheap.
The goal against Preston was from a bog standard corner, Jones even managed a decent save but it dropped to a Preston player 2 yards out in acres of space who had a simple tap in. Our defence stood around like statue's.
Against Brondby a player slalomed through the middle of our defence like Maradona to fire it past our keeper, except he wasn't Maradona, he was just an average player which is very worrying.
Against Roma we conceded the type of late own goal that you'd expect to see on a park somewhere. Awful goal to concede.
The 2 last night weren't much better than the Roma one, 2 of the scruffiest efforts you'll ever see.

Last season conceding cheap goals probably cost us the title, even the collapse against Palace was caused by us going gung-ho in an effort to claw back some of the goal difference against City.
With less than 3 weeks to go until the start of the new season we still seem to be making the same mistakes and letting in the same cheap goals that we did last season. Let's hope the introduction of Lovren can do something to address the problem.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:43 pm wrote:I hope this fella's organisational skills can do something with our back line, in pre season we've conceded goals against Preston, Brondby, Roma and City and every one of them was cheap.
The goal against Preston was from a bog standard corner, Jones even managed a decent save but it dropped to a Preston player 2 yards out in acres of space who had a simple tap in. Our defence stood around like statue's.
Against Brondby a player slalomed through the middle of our defence like Maradona to fire it past our keeper, except he wasn't Maradona, he was just an average player which is very worrying.
Against Roma we conceded the type of late own goal that you'd expect to see on a park somewhere. Awful goal to concede.
The 2 last night weren't much better than the Roma one, 2 of the scruffiest efforts you'll ever see.

Last season conceding cheap goals probably cost us the title, even the collapse against Palace was caused by us going gung-ho in an effort to claw back some of the goal difference against City.
With less than 3 weeks to go until the start of the new season we still seem to be making the same mistakes and letting in the same cheap goals that we did last season. Let's hope the introduction of Lovren can do something to address the problem.

Hey, don't call Ferhan Hasani average 

I agree though, I don't think we have conceded a goal that wasn't cheap in this preseason, nothing like the ones we scored yesterday for example. They all look like fluke goals but they can't be since we've been conceding these kind of goals for a season or two now. But I honestly doubt that a player can solve these problems, regardless of how good his "organisation skills" are. The more I think about it the more I realize that the problem is probably down to the manager and not the players.

Dejan Lovren can be Liverpool's next captain according to Kop legend Jamie Carragher


He penned a five-year deal with the Reds and is set to be a regular in the heart of Kop boss Brendan Rodgers' defence this season.

Rodgers is looking to patch up his leaky back line that let in 50 Premier League goals last season, which cost them their first title in 24 years.

The Northern Irishman sees the Croatia defender as the leader he has been missing since Kop legend Carragher retired last year.

And Carragher agrees with his old boss as he backed Lovren to take over when current captain Steven Gerrard hangs up his boots.


“You look at him and he has the potential to make a big powerful impact at the back and that's what Liverpool need”
Jamie Carragher
He said: "Centre-backs normally make great captains.

"If Lovren establishes himself in the team became a top player by showing the same form he has at Southampton for Liverpool, then in the next few years when Stevie does decide to call it day he will be in contention.

"You look at him and he has the potential to make a big powerful impact at the back and that's what Liverpool need.

"Jordan Henderson is another who could possibly be in contention and there will be more who arrive in that time that could be up for it as well.

"But if Lovren can come in and produce that sort of form then I am sure he will be in the running for it."

Lovren moved to the south coast in 2013 to revive his career after being left on the scrap heap by Lyon.

The Croatia defender put in a number of inspiring displays last season for Saints including a winning goal against Liverpool and commanding performances home and away against Manchester United.

Those showings caught Rodgers' eye and made him determined to make Lovren the club's record defensive signing.

And Carragher believes the new signing has the qualities to ensure he does not get star struck on the big stage.

He said: "I saw him at Anfield when Southampton travelled there and I saw him against Manchester United as well and he was outstanding in both games.

"He looks like an organiser and he looks like a leader.

"There are a lot of good centre-backs out there and they'll have different qualities but you don't get many of that type and that's what I saw in those games.

"At Old Trafford in particular he was communicating so well and hopefully he'll bring that to Liverpool and I think that is certainly something that is needed.

"It is bigger stage and there will be bigger players around him so maybe he will find it a little tougher to organise those around him but that's what it will be about.

"In that position he was as good as anyone in the first half of the season.

"He did suffer with a few injury problems in the second half of the campaign and that coincided with Southampton tailing off a touch, but definitely in the first half he was playing as well as anybody in his position.

"He was aggressive and he was organising and that's exactly what you want in a centre-back."

Him and Sakho have the qualities to become the best CB partnership in the league. That said, our system isnt really one that offers CBs that much protection so they will most likely not get the credit regardless of their individual qualities.

I was a fan of his last season and imo he's the best move we've made in the market thus far by quite some distance. I just hope Rodgers gives the Sakho-Lovren partnership a few games early on so they can establish some understanding because at least on paper that seems to have become our strongest area of the pitch.

I'll take a Skrtel-Lovren partnership, and I suspect Rodgers would too

SouthCoastShankly » Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:24 pm wrote:I'll take a Skrtel-Lovren partnership, and I suspect Rodgers would too

id go with that 

SouthCoastShankly » Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:24 pm wrote:I'll take a Skrtel-Lovren partnership, and I suspect Rodgers would too

You think BR will bench Sakho after the stupid millions we paid for him last year? If he did, he'd look a total muppet to his bosses. No chance.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:43 pm wrote:I hope this fella's organisational skills can do something with our back line, in pre season we've conceded goals against Preston, Brondby, Roma and City and every one of them was cheap.
The goal against Preston was from a bog standard corner, Jones even managed a decent save but it dropped to a Preston player 2 yards out in acres of space who had a simple tap in. Our defence stood around like statue's.
Against Brondby a player slalomed through the middle of our defence like Maradona to fire it past our keeper, except he wasn't Maradona, he was just an average player which is very worrying.
Against Roma we conceded the type of late own goal that you'd expect to see on a park somewhere. Awful goal to concede.
The 2 last night weren't much better than the Roma one, 2 of the scruffiest efforts you'll ever see.

Last season conceding cheap goals probably cost us the title, even the collapse against Palace was caused by us going gung-ho in an effort to claw back some of the goal difference against City.
With less than 3 weeks to go until the start of the new season we still seem to be making the same mistakes and letting in the same cheap goals that we did last season. Let's hope the introduction of Lovren can do something to address the problem.

I do think he's quality Yakka, been on about him for a long while before he signed for Saints for absolute buttons...

However, I think if we're expecting him to be the answer on his own we're in for a rude awakening. Maybe if he plays next to Agger and Enrique the defence will improve but the right back issue is huge as is the goalkeeper. Johnson is at best a conference player and Mignolet is at best a mid table premier league keeper so he will have his work cut out. Hopefully Rodgers has seen sense and will partner him with Agger, failing that Sahko and bin Skrtel off goodstyle as he's proven over the last 5-6 years he's simply awful and nowhere near upto it. Lovren defends in exactly the opposite way to Skrtel, which makes me think he'll be an excellent signing.

I do honestly think we will struggle to get the best from Lovern while we play him along side Skrtel, MS is a good defender but his awareness is severly lacking, he tends to concentrate so much on his own job he forget that sometimes he needs to help out his team mates 1st.
Now the issue Lovern has is he is a right footed player playing LCB. This means his body position puts defenders running inside of him on his blind side.  As a result his RCB partner needs to let him know if there is any danger developing inside.
Perfect example happend for Aguero's goal, SA makes the run between Lovern and Skrtel as its Lovern's blind side, he isnt aware of the run until the ball is played, Skrtel clearly sees SA's run but his only concern was his own postioning and at no point warns Lovern.
Its a fault with MS's game one which will be exasperated by partnering Lovern.
I do also feel that having a right footed LCB slows up our build up play, when Lovern passes to the LB (using his right foot), the LB will always have to let the ball come to him and will need to take a touch to get moving up the pitch, but if the ball is played by a left footed player in allows the LB to move on to the ball, provding him with that extra bit of momentum to move up the pitch.
I understand why we bought Lovern, his ability to organise a backline was clear at Southhampton, I just hope we can see him move to RCB and allow Sakho to come in at LCB.

red187 » Thu Aug 28, 2014 2:11 pm wrote:I do honestly think we will struggle to get the best from Lovern while we play him along side Skrtel, MS is a good defender but his awareness is severly lacking, he tends to concentrate so much on his own job he forget that sometimes he needs to help out his team mates 1st.
Now the issue Lovern has is he is a right footed player playing LCB. This means his body position puts defenders running inside of him on his blind side.  As a result his RCB partner needs to let him know if there is any danger developing inside.
Perfect example happend for Aguero's goal, SA makes the run between Lovern and Skrtel as its Lovern's blind side, he isnt aware of the run until the ball is played, Skrtel clearly sees SA's run but his only concern was his own postioning and at no point warns Lovern.
Its a fault with MS's game one which will be exasperated by partnering Lovern.
I do also feel that having a right footed LCB slows up our build up play, when Lovern passes to the LB (using his right foot), the LB will always have to let the ball come to him and will need to take a touch to get moving up the pitch, but if the ball is played by a left footed player in allows the LB to move on to the ball, provding him with that extra bit of momentum to move up the pitch.
I understand why we bought Lovern, his ability to organise a backline was clear at Southhampton, I just hope we can see him move to RCB and allow Sakho to come in at LCB.

No I do not. I see a Skrtel/Lovren partnership as the best we can offer. In my opinion Skrtel offers more to the team than Sakho or Agger (due to injuries).

Additionally despite the fact that I rate Lovren, his awareness and positioning was awful against City, he was far worse than Skrtel.

The partnership needs, but I believe it will work very well.

See thats the joy of football, I just cant see what Skrtel offers, that Sakho doesnt. Sakho seems to divid opinion, either you rate him or you dont but he is a better partner for Lovern.

Look at the Southhampton goal, Skrtel doesnt move across when Lovern goes to the ball makes Loverns postion look poor.

Same for the 2nd City goal, Skrtel is looking at Lovern and Moreno pushed up, he holds his line. again making Loverns postion look poor.


He defends with an individual mentality all the time, its all about his own immediate concerns. He very rarely sees the big picture

Red, you should post more often. Agree with your last 2 posts and not just because I'm a Sakho fan either.

red187 » Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:58 pm wrote:See thats the joy of football, I just cant see what Skrtel offers, that Sakho doesnt. Sakho seems to divid opinion, either you rate him or you dont but he is a better partner for Lovern.

Look at the Southhampton goal, Skrtel doesnt move across when Lovern goes to the ball makes Loverns postion look poor.

imagesCA7YX9FN.jpg

Same for the 2nd City goal, Skrtel is looking at Lovern and Moreno pushed up, he holds his line. again making Loverns postion look poor.

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He defends with an individual mentality all the time, its all about his own immediate concerns. He very rarely sees the big picture

I disagree with the city goal.

In that position on the pitch with the pressure from city you do not play a high line level with Lovren. Skrtel is in the correct position, Lovren chases the ball and leaves a hole on the back four. Moreno position is a red herring as he is caught high up on the pitch after losing possession.

I agree with SCS on this one, Lovren had no reason to be caught in no man's land so high up the pitch. If you look at the replay, it all happened really fast, Skrtel had no time to react, nor was he instructed anything by Lovren. Had the partnership had more game-time together though, I think this wouldn't have happened.

However, Red does make some good points about Skrtel. Especially about his individual mentality and not seeing the bigger picture. I'm still unsure about which partnership would be the best for us but I hope Rodgers just picks one which he thinks is the best and sticks with it until they gel.

As usual, as soon as someone makes a mistake in the backline, always blame Skrtel in the end....