He could have indeed but the fact he hasn't suggests he thinks Ilori isn't up to it or needs to develop more. He seems a talented kid but defending is more than just raw talent. It's about concentration and mentality too.
He's very slight. I think klopp knows that you have to have the physique as well as talent. The good thing is this caulker deal has shown klopps not all about big lumps. He's backed the actual club assets in lovern and sahko and they've given him back improved performances at this point. Are they good enough... hmmmm but they have done thier jobs now they are fit.
Been reasonably impressed with Lovren. He's playing on the front foot. Seems much more comfortable - looks like they've been told to get the ball away and worry about starting attacks if they have time/space. He looks much better smashing it away than having his Messi moments. If this continues, we'll have three decent CB options with none being genuine quality. But at least it patches a priority area until we sort out GK, LB and CM.
Its surprising what happens when Skrtel is taken out of the equation, the defending has looked slightly better and even Lovren has improved. Sell Skrtel in the summer while we can still get something for him.
I've said consistently even as he's been slaughtered he is a front foot defender unlike skertl who runs away and drops deep as even the sight of a fast player in the prematch handshake. I like how klopps told them to get get it away too. i totally agree with it. pass it when its there to be passed but when your job is clearing danger and you half clear it thats where we cough up goal after goal. sahko managed two bad clearances last night btw. one header failing to eave pen area. we still can do better in this regard. solidity is about doing the simple things well and consistently not being flash. no mistakes is the aim, make players do something brilliant to score not gifting them chances. the english prem is so riddled with errors that when we come to europe we get an awful shock i feel. team don't only get 4/5 chances a game they must create those chances and they are not gifted 10 chances a game by bad defence I do feel however midfielder interaction with back 4 has to improve. Last night there was more than one occasion where a CB wandered. Sahko did so very prominently last night late on but he did so twice before in game but it wa sonly when joe allen came on that a CM dropped in to CB to cover his run. can and henderson have to learn this. They need to either be clear with sahko he's not to get forward or let him do it and cover as their job requires. Klopp needs more time with the first team players to make this routine. they can all learn from him still.
dunno if we will. it will be interesting to see what klopp does. if we stay injury and suspension free i would be surprised to see skertl bacc in this season. next season will be determined by preseason efforts i think.
Think we have a glaring lack of quality and composure in midfield. Hendo is average/good and a runner. Allen the type we need but average. Can shows flashes but is very careless and a runner. We need real ball players.
yes i totally agree... the gulf in class generally across the prem compared to the european game is just massive in terms of midfield ability.
Yeh PSG a great example. Started from scratch and have a midfield now of Verratti, Motta and Rabiot. Better than any prem side. EDIT: And Matuidi
Helps when you can say 'come here and you're guaranteed a lesgue medal every year and play in CL every year and we'll pay you wages only matchless by Madrid, Barca and city'.
yup. and look at the talent the real madrid fans turn their noses up at in their stiffs. Its all kick and rush and players trying to position themselves to run forward fast in the prem. we see can and henderson both want to be 10/15 yards further up so they can join the attack. we see players like barkely, alli, whilshire etc be lauded but they have zero tactical nouse. As much as it annoys reds fans paul scholes was the best british midfielder of his generation as a pure midfielder. Lamaprd was a just run forward get in box late merchant and gerrard wanted two guys behind him so he could do what he liked. Scheoles would sit in and pass and controll it and not get beyond the ball so he was always in the game. now our game is so kick and rush the midfielder want to be further up so they can keep up with it. Often couthino is deeper than can or henderson for us! its not just us that has this issue. every prem side has it.
same for juve... they do value the type of player though... but yes PSG has made the french league deeply uncompetitive and dull.
They're not Gerrard, Alonso, and Mascherano that's for sure. Our old backup to those three, Sissoko, would improve our first XI dramatically. (pre injury momo of course)
Well i felt sissoko was a terrible passer of the ball. alonso was a worldie. nobody seems to appreciate the game he player and how he covered everyone and favoured gerrard charging about. I would love LFC to go get 2 really good CMs and then say hey no need to rush forward here guys. lets not make it easy for the opposition.
I wouldn't call him terrible at it. His strength was definitely in breaking up opposition attacks though. He was a lot worse after the injuries. Before then looked like he could be a rising star.
