‘What Klopp should have done; why does he persist with Lovren?’

Liverpool fans react to Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United. Dejan Lovren is in the firing line and where was Jordan Henderson? Our forum…

 

Join in the debate here…

 

That hurts

Oh boy! That hurts doesn’t it? Two goals scored by a young Mancunian in the face of a young Scouser.

We sorted through the pieces of our shattered emotions as we discussed:

1. Bad day at the wrong office – deconstructing Doh!
2. Should Dejan Lovren be banned from interviews…or just banned? Permanently?
3. Dont cry for me Alex Arnold…but is there a way back in for Clyne?
4. Do we really expect subs like Lallana, Gini, Solanke to change a game?
5. How damaging is this loss to us and empowering to United?
6. Taking the L and looking ahead to next fixtures and the CL draw on Friday.

https://hearthis.at/1801089/

FOAR – Fields of Anfield Road

 

Predictable

Predictable day at the office.

Lovren is a bench player, nothing more.
TAA is inconsistent & not a starter.

We have sh*t depth which will only improve sufficiently if we get in C/L again.

Hopefully the loss won’t be the beginning of a downturn in form for us but. I doubt the win will give them great confidence, they have at least 3rd sewn up, probably 2nd.
We can’t afford any more losses until we play chalski or top 4 will probably be gone.

Number8wasgr8

 

Another centre-back needed

Think I’m in a minority by looks of it but wouldn’t be surprised to see us get another cb in.

For me still need a better defensive option in midfield and another cb.

Bob-Notts 

 

Lovren too slow?

I’m with you Bob, never been in the Lovrens all right just because he’s played a few good games…I’ve admitted he has played some good games but I’ve ALWAYS maintained that we need an upgrade regardless if his form. One podcaster today remarked that he is too slow, reactive rather than proactive and a bad decision maker when the going gets tough.

mwake

 

‘Anyone would struggle against Lukaku…’

Any defender would struggle against Lukaku. Lovren had the short straw yesterday & needed some help from his teammates. Lets not be too hard on him for that. Whether he is the long term partner for Virgil, I doubt, but he won’t be up against Lukaku every game & though prone to a clanger is not a bad defender to have in the squad.

Sanj1

 

Why does Klopp persist with Lovren?

When you look at teams that have good defences like Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City, would Lovren get into those teams? No.

So if Lovren wouldn’t be good enough for teams like Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City why would he be good enough for us, why is he seemingly first choice for us even?

Most of Lovren’s best periods have come when paired with a superior defensive partner in good form such as Sakho, Matip, VVD…very rarely has Lovren had sustained periods whereby he has been better than his defensive partner.

Also, I find it weird that Klopp is able to man-up and drop Mignolet but persists with Lovren. Mignolet must be wondering why the same level of criticism and minimum standard isn’t applied to Lovren. Whilst Lovren gets a pay rise to 100k, migs has to start looking for a new club!?!? I need someone to explain this lol

mwake

 

Painful defeat

Painful defeat, as it was to our biggest rivals, but far from a disaster.

However there are 3 very simple things Klopp could have done better and he must learn from them – Don’t start TAA in the big games, use Van Dijk to mark the biggest strikers (like Lukaku), and move Salah to the centre or left if he’s being man-marked out of the game.

On to the next game which we must win, there’s still everything to play for in two competitions

Songman

 

Referee under fire

I agree with Sanj, Notorious and others re: the ref.

I counted 3 penalties that should have been given (I refer back to the Spurs game when we had two given against us at Anfield for very minor offences). One has a handball and the last one was as clear to see.

We made 3 mistakes in defending, bit apart from that we are as tepid as they were in the first half.

Im fed up of dodgy refereeing decisions going against us. TBH, we outplayed Man U in at least 4 out of the last 6 times we have met. The tide is turning and Jose is acting like he won the cup. I remember the days we used to do that 🙂

Gul

 

Pawson is a ***, plain and simple. That’s 5 points the cheating ***has cost us this season. For next season. We so need Naby in that midfield and an enforcer to replace Can. Front line is fine but we could do with stronger attacking options from the bench and something different i.e. big target man if we can’t unlock a team the way we usually do. Another top CB is a simple must have. Lovren is sh**e and Matip has lost his confidence.

I think Karius has been doing really well this last while but truth is we probably need a top keeper in. We simply must improve the bench as well. We need to have something to bring into a game to change it or save it like we needed yeasterday. Huge summer coming up and if FSG end up in profit again we are rubber ducked.

shanksy

Mane and Salah should have swapped

When it was obvious Salah was being man marked Klopp shoulda swapped him and Mané over.
And then did it again and again and again. Give their fullbacks something to think about.

When we were throwing the kitchen sink in for the equaliser our options on the bench were poor. We need stronger and perhaps different attacking options on the bench.
I also felt we need to change tactics for teams that out so many players centrally to defend. What’s wrong with attacking from the sides of the box. Our best chances came that way the few times we tried it, even the goal came from it.

Gingerlfc

 

Liverpool midfield need ‘an overhaul’

Razor great assessment mate (2 pages or so back!)

I agree TAA is not a right back but at least he has being played out of position as an excuse, what is lovrens excuse? Lovren isn’t a Top 4 standard player yet he is our first choice?

Klopp should have swapped lovren and vvd and also salah and mane.

Generally that midfield is dry. No dynamism and players like emre can being played as dm.

Klopp is a good organiser and motivator but when we play teams with a higher calibre the imperfections and compromises in our team can be exposed badly.

That midfield needs an overhaul. Can is good player but not as a DM. Henderson shouldn’t be first choice. Milner is a good professional but is ageing.

I know we’ve been on a great run but I really do attribute more of it to Klopps great ability as a manager rather than as an indication of how good or team really is overall. Good teams like Spurs, manu, Chelsea man city have shown us in periods that our team lacks player quality and balance in key areas. To resolve that issue fsg has to help klopp again in the summer and provide him with money to get top quality additions to replace some blatant gaps and mediocrity.

mwake

 

What Klopp should have done…

Here’s what I would have changed:

Switched to a diamond 442.

Brought on Henderson as the 6 and moved Bobby to 10. Up front Salah left and Mane right. That would have taken care off Young’s assignment of negating Mo’s effectiveness.

Henderson and Firmino then flanked by Can (right) and Wij (left).

Brought on Matip for Lovren and moved Virgil right centre back to properly match up, physically, that area. TAA also needed help on that side which clearly he wasn’t getting from Lovren.

I indicated on my initial game post that this game would be won and lost in midfield and it was. Milner and Mane repeatedly gave the ball away, Can, who was telling everyone to calm down was flinging himself all over the place and Ox was totally ineffective and I had to idea what role he had yesterday. United controlled proceedings because we looked mostly devoid of ideas.

Bad match ups all around and United deserving winners as much I hate saying that. They did their homework and passed the test and we didn’t and failed. You don’t perform, I don’t care who you are, you don’t deserve success.

Onto Watford at home next week for 3 points (altho Deeney will get his customary goal against us).

Rob Fort Worth TX

 

Where was Hennderson?

I just don’t get why Henderson was not on the field, he would have been in the face of the ref from the get go, he wouldn’t have allowed that kind of muckering about from the ref, Can protested a bit but everybody just played into some kinda pathetic gamemanship that benefited Utd.

Klopp learns from his mistakes, we needed that extra bit of temper for the derby, Jordan would have been up for that or got himself sent off for arguing with the ref.

NotoriousBingo

 

Liverpool game management is odd

I’ve said it before but despite a few occasions Klopp rarely changes things during a game.

Our game management is odd at best, many posts have been put up on what we could & maybe should have changed but it’s like Klopp doesn’t like to admit he got it wrong to start with & just keeps bashing the head against the wall doing the same thing despite it not working. This is where other top managers have it over Klopp, if they see it not working they change it pretty quickly. Maybe he just doesn’t have the players yet but I agree with those saying we needed to change things during the game.

Number8wasgr8