20 Jan 2019 13:28:51
Hi ed001

What are your thoughts on Dejan Lovren? I personally think he is a talented defender who suits our style of play. Mentally he struggles and although he makes mistakes these are blown out of proportion and he is no way near as bad as people make him out to be. As a 3rd choice centre back I think we are fortunate to have him.

{Ed001's Note - as a back up he is excellent, his problems come when he is settled in the side and he seems to mentally relax and make silly errors.}

1.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 14:20:32
Do you think his ego would allow him to be a back up.

2.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 14:23:07
I agree. Mistakes are a part of playing in defence i’m afraid. He has one in him but people always choose to focus on his occasional ‘errors’ as opposed to his excellent performances the rest of the time. Champions League final anyone?

3.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 17:28:44
If we do manage to see the league through it will help no end to keep players like him happy on the bench. Jut need the belief that the club are not just in contention to win things, but actually getting those trophies and medals. It really is our next step now. Fingers crossed.

4.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 17:30:37
I’m not sure about Lovren. I love his determination to do well by the club and therefore I like him as a person. But I can’t help but get frustrated by his defensive play. Lovren remains a player who needs to be told what to do to keep focused. At his age and level of experience he should be the one barking orders? Also, he favours a good slide tackle instead of using his brain and that does my nut in! Couldn’t agree more with Ed’s on this one, great backup player but not in my first team.

5.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 18:04:58
He gets brain farts comes out with silly speeches that put him in the spotlight and invites pressure he’d be better off been like the other 3 and say nottin just do the job in hand! Do the Talking on the pitch and prove his doubters wrong!

6.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 19:54:58
All valid points but he isn’t first choice; he isn’t going to be perfect. Virgil Van Dijk’s are hard to come by, and even harder to find one willing to sit on the bench. The silly interviews are the managers responsibility to deal with.

7.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 22:48:10
Ed001 got it about right.

Should be a fringe player 🤝.

8.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 23:30:04
This seems like a reasonable place to put this post as we’re talking about central defenders:
What were people’s thoughts on Matip?

My mate said “he wasn’t too bad” but I vehemently disagree. Maybe I’m being harsh as it was his first league game back.

I thought he was his usual awful self. Not challenging for any balls in the air - LITERALLY not even challenging.
Palace knew this which is why Matip was left all alone for the 2nd palace goal and VVD had a man hanging onto his hips to stop him jumping.
For the first goal Matip has space between himself and the cross, Alisson has the near post but Matip decides to slide in to the near post instead of staying on his feet. So Zaha pulls the cross back to Townsend.

On the third palace goal Wickham shrugs Matip off. But instead of regaining his balance and charging down the shot. Matip decides he’s better in goal and backs off towards the goal line.

Summary: He’s a liability, he’s the worst defender we’ve had since Julian Dicks. We got ripped off on the transfer fee. I’d rather play with 10 men, he needs replacing ASAP.

9.) 21 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 23:50:54
He's one of the best defenders in the world apparently. So he should be first name on the team sheet shouldn't he? I know what my eyes have told me.

10.) 21 Jan 2019
21 Jan 2019 09:33:01
Spot on OP and AW. Lovs has come on leaps and bounds since he arrived here in 2014. He was poor cos he was playing next to the atrocious Sahko and the calamitous Skrtel cos well BR could not recognize a good CB whe he sees one. As soon as Klopp came in, did he bin Lovs? No. He binned the other two and got in Matip to steady the ship while he looked for the CB he really wanted. I mean, even Klavan had a solid career at LFC which shows you how poor Matip is. Lovs issues are mental and and not ability-wise and I think his errors are blown out of proportion as well. He is a back up now and till things change, that should be the way it is.

Ron, Matip is not our best defender by any stretch and in fact, he is fourth choice cos he is inferior to Lovs and Gomez in terms of defensive qualities and natural ability. He is too sluggish and too nice as a defender. He excels when the team is not under pressure and things come easy. Once we are under pressure, he folds. Lovs is nothing like that. He never hides. Lovs is brave and never stops fighting against all odds. I like that in ANY player regardless of talent or the odd mistake cos it shows you will not be denied. After all, there is a reason he shut down CR7 in the CL final and Harry Kane in a WC semi final. The guy is talented. His issues lie elsewhere as Ed has said.