http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2253895-dejan-lovren-reliving-lyon-nightmare-at-liverpool When Dejan Lovren gesticulates frenziedly at his Liverpool team-mates, he is desperately attempting to revert back into the commanding, dominant and elite centre-back at Southampton. Dismally retrogressing into an erratic, undependable and panic-stricken defender, Lovren is recreating his Lyon ordeal at Liverpool. Arriving at Lyon from Dinamo Zagreb as a prodigious defensive prospect in the 2010 January transfer window for â¬9.4/£7.4 million, Lovren was designated to be a Croatian version of Edmilson, who once scored an overhead kick as a centre-back for Brazil against Costa Rica at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Lovren began his Lyon career as a utility player, starting at right-back in a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain and at left-back in a 0-0 draw against Toulouse. "My preferred position is in central defence, but I have no qualms [with Lyon] about playing on the right or the left," Lovren said, per Ligue 1's official website. "If I had to, I'd even play as a goalkeeper." Lovren's initiation at Lyon was taxing as manager Claude Puel had doubts. At one point, Cris, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Mathieu Bodmer and Jeremy Toulalanâa central midfielderâwere Puel's preferred centre-backs over Lovren. Playing a multifaceted role for Lyon also wore thin as Lovren started and finished eight Ligue 1 games on the bench during his first season. "The first six months [at Lyon] were really, really difficult for me. I didn't speak the language [French] so I didn't understand anything [from Puel]," Lovren said, per Jim Lucas at Southampton's official website. "[The French] journalists were killing me, asking why the club played millions for a player who didn't have enough experience." A lack of experience did not hold back Miralem PjanicâLovren's team-mate at the timeâscoring six times, registering 10 assists and appearing in 37 league games. There were 11 players born in 1989 or later who played more than 2,000 minutes in the 2009-10 Ligue 1 season. If you were good enough, age was not relevantâLovren was barely Ligue 1 standard. "Imagine being 20 [years old] and reading [harsh criticisms about you from the French media]," Lovren said, per Jim Lucas at Southampton's official website. "You start to think that is the truth." But it was the truth because Lovren was unreliable. - Lovren did not speak French and was unable to communicate effectively with his teammates. - He gave away possession 27.7 percent of the time he attempted a pass, thus was ineffective in Lyon's build-up play. - He was a nonexistent entity from an attacking point of view as a full-back. Averaged 0.3 key passes per game (pass leading to scoring chance) and failed to score or create a goal in 683 minutes. Incompetentâas opposed to inexperiencedâwas the prevailing adjective to describe Lovren. Liverpool centre-forward Mario Balotelli's catch phrase is "Why always me?" Lovren spent his Lyon career thinking "Why always me?" every time he incurred another daft red card. Clattering into then-Auxerre right attacking midfielder Dennis Oliech while booked, Lovren received two yellow cards in 22 minutes. Leading 1-0, Auxerre were gifted a one-man advantage and scored three further goals to win 4-0 against Lyon. "It's a big slap of course. A match to forget," Puel said, per AFP (h/t FIFA's official website). "The goal we conceded was stupid [and Lovren's] red card [was] stupid as well." Post-Puel in a Remi Garde era, Lovren's inclination for red cards continued. Despite being booked, Lovren hacked Lille centre-forward Nolan Roux from behind, who was dribbling away from goal. Lyon spent the next 25 minutes (20 minutes plus five minutes of stoppage time) defending a 2-1 lead with 10 men against Lille. Lovren half-heartedly accepted culpability. "I agree with the second yellow card, but not the first," Lovren said, per Lyon's official website. "I'm not in the best form of my life and I'm very disappointed at being suspended." In his final season at Lyon, Lovren's inability to retain standard positional discipline heavily factored into him being sent off three times in league play. "I was thinking: 'Oh my God, what am I doing?'," Lovren said, per Paul Doyle at The Observer (h/t The Guardian). "[Lyon] didn't have the time to wait for me." Southampton signing Lovren from Lyon for â¬10.9/£8.5 million in the 2013 summer transfer window was as bizarre as Alaeddine Yahia saying hello and bye to the Saints. The idea of Lovren transforming from train-wreck defender to a wall for Southampton would be akin to Iago Aspas registering 10 assists from corners in La Liga on loan at Sevilla this season (currently has zero). Lovren achieved a feat in the Premier League he had not accomplished since the 2009-10 Ligue 1 season: did not get red carded in league play. He experienced a career-best season at Southampton but still brazenly maintained he was not a liability at Lyon, pointing the finger at Ligue 1 referees. "I was the same player in France and I think now I'm showing the quality to everybody and proving, even to myself, that I was not so bad in France," Lovren said, per Paul Doyle at The Observer (h/t The Guardian). "It is just that in England the referees are different [and more lenient]." As soon as Liverpool came calling, Lovren showed his true colours. He abandoned Southampton, the club which rescued his career. "When I decided to go to Southampton, many people were surprised ... [now] I realised I've got no business staying at Southampton," Lovren said, per Sportske Novotni (h/t Joe Rimmer at the Liverpool Echo). "Frankly, my head is already at Liverpool." Liverpool signing Lovren for â¬25.6/£20 million was a routine inflated Premier League transfer. "[Lovren] is still relatively young, so his peak years are ahead of him and I believe he will improve and progress even further with us," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said, per James Carroll at Liverpool's official website. "He is a commanding and powerful presence and clearly has leadership skills, which is important." Contrary to Rodgers' masterful public relations spin, Lovren's psyche is not that of a natural leader. Lovren is not an efficient organiser of the back line, let alone a leader, which is why Liverpool's defence is in disarray. Liverpool have conceded more goals (13) than Stoke City (12), Swansea City (10) and Southampton (five). Lovren is a "do as I say, not as I do" centre-back. Liverpool did not put much stock into Lovren's powerlessness to work his way out of a rut at Lyon. "[I'm] disappointed by certain people [at Lyon]," Lovren said, per Sportske Novotni (h/t Ian Holyman at ESPN FC). "[Management are] killing [my] calm and joy at going to training." Lovren attempting to revise his history at Lyon, the persistent red cards and the diva-like behaviour gives you an insight into how mentally fragile he can be. He is bringing back his Lyon misery at Liverpool: He never recovered from his mentally scarring start at OL. Lovren probably wonders to himself every time Liverpool concede: "Oh my God, what am I doing?"
He played well last season for Southampton so we know what he's capable of, we just need to get him back to that kind of form.
Granted the article is very negative, but his time at Lyon was a disaster and the fans were glad to see the back of him. Soton bought him cause nobody else was willing to take the risk on him, they used him as a hard man/warrior type CB along side another CB that would tell him what to do. We bought him as a leader what he'd failed at with Lyon. We already have the hard man type CB with Skrtel so spending £20m an similar player was stupid (unless Skrtel was supposed to be sold). The scouting got this one wrong if they wanted a CB commander who would tell the rest of the team what to do. Will Lovren fail at Liverpool? Yes unless we buy an actual organizer to play along side him who will tell him what to do. On a personal note, wasn't too impressed we signed him (especially not for £20m!) we needed better, someone who would be an improvement on what we had not just an addition.
Funny as well that he was up for an award in 2010 while with Lyon, for best young world player with the likes of Neymar, Hazard, De Gea, James Rodriguez and Kroos. I know the saints fans were getting hung up on the word 'leader' and Rodgers did say he has leadership qualities, maybe it's that tag that's messing with his head, I don't know. He just needs to start playing well and be consistent but that article, like saintanton says, is a good old hatchet job. Actually just re-read and the article opening paragraph - '' ... he is desperately attempting to revert back into the commanding, dominant and elite centre-back at Southampton.''
In Lovren's defense it mentions he often played LB for Lyon. He's really not build for full back, much like Skrtel for example. Positions can make or break a player. I think Lovren has the technique but I get the impression he also has a lot of self doubt that he needs to get over.
I think Lovren would make a decent DM. He loves to attack the ball and he's not bad on the ball either. I'm not suggested we should play him there though.
He is pretty poor on the ball. He just looks like an orthodox player so it gives the impression that he's comfortable on the ball but but he panics, concedes possession and often ends up hoofing. I'm not a Lovren fan but I rather see him and Toure playing together rather than Skrtel. At 24, he still has time to improve and develop. But we spent £20m on a supposed leader who should have come into the defence and sorted it out. Awful buy from Rodgers.
I wonder if Lovren is on the wrong side. All CB's have a preferred side. They may say Lovren is comfortable on both sides but he doesnt look comfortable to me. We've all seen the difference changing sides can make on a CB with Skrtel. The psychological difference it can make can be huge.
He's naturally a LCB - which makes his signing so bizzare considering we had Sakho and Agger there already, 2 superior players. He's actually looked better on the right hand side with Sakho as his partner.
I know they need time, but I wasn't overly impressed with Lovren and Sakho together, tbh. I seem to remember the times they did play together they kept going for the same ball all the time. I'm not writing them off, but so far I don't see them as the ideal pairing that others seem to.
As opposed to Skrts and Lovren... who go for the same ball How about Sakho and Skrts playing together until Jan when I hope we buy a proper CB. The fact that Lovren has a £20m price tag shouldn't mean he automatically starts, needs time out anyway.
If Lovren & Sakho go for the same ball and Skrtel & Lovren do too, wouldn't that suggest the same would happen with Skrtel & Sakho...? It would be a S&S partnership though We need Toure back in there to organise.
Hey may be young but if you are looking for a RCB with brilliant technique and pace we have one who is forgotten i.e. Ilori. He was pretty decent for Granada and has played a few games for Bordeaux. His passing range is impressive the only thing he suffers from is injuries and inexperience. There are a few youngsters in Wisdom, Origi ,Ibe , Ilori and Luis playing games on loan and I think it is important we give them a look in before signing further 20 million pound defenders/Strikers/Wingers. I want to believe they can be no worse than what we currently have.
Ilori has a lot of potential - he could be a Varane type defender, perfect to play alongside Sakho. He's impressed in France but hampered by injuries. They hadn't played much together - as a 2 man defence so there will always be teething problems. But using the Spurs game as an example - once Sakho realised that Lovren is going to for everything, he stayed back and swept up and covered for Lovren. That is a sign of an intelligent defender, something we don't have with either Skrtel or Lovren.
Sakho struggling with our language http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014...sakho-admits-struggles-with-language-barrier/ Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho opens up about his struggles with the English language. Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has admitted that he is still struggling with communication problems. The France international centre-back joined the Premier League outfit from French giants Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2013 for a reported fee of £15 million. The 24-year-old has yet to establish himself as a regular first-choice defender for manager Brendan Rodgers and has also struggled with injuries. Sakho has now revealed that language barrier still remains a problem for him, but insists that he is gradually coming to terms with it. âI am still in my learning phaseâ, the Frenchman told the Champions Magazine. âLittle by little, Iâll start to open up even more because when you donât speak a language well enough, itâs difficult to communicate. âBut it will come, little by little. Iâve improved my English. I understand a lot better, especially the local Scouse accent. Iâm still workingâ. SEE ALSO: 100% shot accuracy, but Liverpool starâs major weakness exposed Sakho is currently sidelined with a thigh injury and is likely to be out for the next two weeks. The Frenchman arrived in English football last summer with a strong reputation, but he has yet to justify the money that Liverpool paid for him.
