02 Sep 2017 08:17:40
If we look at the outs and the ins from the summer window, it clearly shows that we have added depth to the squad and did not weaken our current squad.

Out: Sakho, Stewart, Wisdom, Lucas, Fulton, Origi (loan)

We only brought in one defender, Robertson and there rest of the players were attacking. My only guess here is that Klopp planned on going out all attack if he could not land his no 1 target VVD.

You know, the way our fans carry on about not signing a CB is just becoming ridiculous.

If we did sign VVD would that have been the end to our set piece defending problems? Would VVD on his own been able to sort out our entire set piece defending issues?

I doubt Klopp was going to spend a record amount on a defender just to leave him to take the fall if set pieces continue to go wrong as then VVD would get the blame.

Klopp did not want another CB other than VVD so we can look at him as a luxury signing otherwise another CB would have been signed. VVD would have been a massive risk if our defensive issues continued.

1.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 08:32:30
Good point, wonder if the Karius saga has made him cagey. If he spent big money on a player and had to pull them out of the firing line then the abuse would have been massively more.

2.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 08:45:39
The best centre back available (available is the key word) to deal with set pieces we sold to Crystal Palace.

There's not much out there that's is better than what we have and available in terms of CB.

3.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 08:50:38
This is not so much about the abuse VVD would have received if our defensive issues continued. I am just making a point that VVD would have been the fall guy when it comes to our fans as they are the ones who have been crying out for a CB.

It does not matter which other options there were when it came to CB's. It would be utterly daft to expect our defensive issues to disappear if we did sign another CB.

Klopp wanted VVD and if he could not get him then that was that. Klopp did make mention plenty of times before and during the window that he was happy with his CB options.

VVd = Luxury = Risk otherwise Klopp could have gone to sign a CB at less than half the price VVD would have cost and that would have been no guarantee that our defensive issues would have been resolved. So good on Klopp for making the decision to not just buy for the sake of it.

4.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:00:57
Sakho is awful at defending set pieces!

He has a 50p head. You never know what direction the ball will go in.

5.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:13:23
Sakho goes for balls he has no chance of winning, and leaves his CB partner exposed.

Not good when playing a high line. He is suited to staying compact and getting cover from FBs playing narrow and a DM.

So if we played him that would mean 2x new FBs, buying a DM and changing the whole way we play.

Really?

6.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:14:20
Since Klopp arrived, in the whole of Europe and our domestic leagues, there has been no CB better than either Lovren?

Sorry I just don't buy that.

7.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:16:35
OK we conceded less goals last season than any of the 3 seasons when sacko was playing, I think it's our of sight out of mind, or a mild case of amnesia, the guy was a bang average defender, abs no better than what we've got, but a hell of a lot less professional, so he's gone. Also not strengthening this area will again be the reason we miss out this season, it's baffling how it wasn't sorted,

8.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:17:28
I agree with Adam. Sakho was awful at heading the ball but still a better defender than Klavan and Lovren, but that ship has sailed. To say that there are no better CB's than the 2 i have mentioned is plain crazy in my opinion. Maybe top quality CB's are rare but to suggest that we can't find better players than Lovren and Klavan is deluded.

9.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:22:25
Sakho was pretty good at playing the ball out from the back but agree, at set pieces he made no difference.

Sakho for me is better than Lovren though but it still does not fix our problem at set pieces.

Which brings me to the point, would VVD on his own have been able to fix things?

Klopp and the coaches will need to find a solution now for us to defend better at set pieces and it surely starts with our players not switching off in those situations?

Height is a bit of an issue in our squad but that is no reason for us to be one of the worst teams when it comes to defending set pieces. Lack of concentration and communication seems to be the major problems.

10.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:32:38
Irish, Klopp could have signed another CB at probably less than half the price it would have cost to bring in VVD. It is quite funny that you think Klopp did not look at other CB's as that is what you are implying? I think it is quite clear that if VVD was not coming then Klopp did not want anyone else.

Ed001 and Ed002 made mention of the other CB's we had a look at. Does not mean Klopp wanted them and Klopp did also make mention he was happy with the CB's he has. You just need to add 1+1 in order to figure out that it was either going to be VVD or nothing otherwise we sit in another Brendon situation where Liverpool add players for the sake of adding players.

11.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 09:33:46
Please can people actually look at our defensive record when matip-lovren played together. it's actually quite good. 2 clean sheets out of 3 games thus season so far.
Oh and in the Watford game it was matip who was terrible not lovren.

The key is 1) keeping those cb fit 2)karious playing, and living up to his billing. A gk who can organise, communicate and command will make a defence look 10x better. imo there is no point in buying defenders until the keeper is sorted. Time to leave migs behind for good and let the 2 other fight over the number 1 shirt.

12.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 10:48:24
Spot on, Max. People thinking VVD would have solved all our defensive issues have a very myopic way of watching football. Our defensive issues are more complicated than that. We have spent over 100m on CB's in 5 years and the problems persist. What does that say? It says that the whole defensive setup has to be looked at including getting a GK who inspires confidence in his defence, individual players not switching off and attacking headers in the box and the defensive setup itself on set pieces so Firmino is not in a position to pick up a tall CB which is a pathetic mismatch all day.

If you think VVD would fix all these issues then I fear for your football knowledge or lack thereof. Klopp wanted VVD and no one else and that is fine by me instead of getting some secod rate CB in a la BR and then having to sign another one next season cos this one is crap. Klopp does not settle for players and would rather work with what he has than get players he thinks are not good enough to help us.

Statto, you are having a laugh. Would that CB (who could deal with set-pieces) we sold to Palace be the same one who was here as a starter for 3 seasons where we conceded 150 goals and many of them from set pieces? Would that be Sahko? If true, then your post is comedy gold. Ever tried stand-up comedy?

13.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 10:48:37
Irish rover. It's irrelevant that there are other CB out there better than loveren and klavan. Klopp only wanted VVD and he wasn't available. That's the way it is so stop twittering on about our defence. Klopp has made it clear time and time again that he knows who he wants and has excepted it is his responsibility to coach and develop the players he has. He is a coach not a property developer or second hand car sales man. Get behind the team. There is plenty of talent in defence coz defending is about the whole team not the centre backs. 7 clean sheets in the last 9 premiership games. What more do people want!

14.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 11:02:09
Nicky no one is saying there haven't been better CBs but that doesn't automatically make them for sale. Also the club isn't going to run around making bids for every CB in the world knowing they'll be rejected and potentially hack off clubs they need to do business with on other deals. Also clubs put out feelers without telling the media and fans every detail. This isn't like your average Facebook user letting people know their every bowel movement. So generally it is getting a bit tired now people moaning about there being millions of better CBs as though that means anything in the context of LFC not signing one. You might as well point out that Hansen and Lawrenson were a much better pairing than Matip and Lovren, it really has no less relevance to the situation. Yes there are better ones out there but then again this isn't are pure science, some players may have been available but the gain v cost didn't add up. Ultimately we didn't buy a CB and no one else bought a top quality CB either so maybe there is more to it than Klopp being the an obstinate idiot.

15.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 11:12:41
Pieman, maybe you should read all of the posts and put your brain in gear before replying. I was commenting on Statto's post that "There's not much out there that's is better than what we have and available in terms of CB. " Which in my opinion is nonsense. In future RTFP.

16.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 11:50:35
Gomez is the answer. He can cover RB and CB and looks back to his best. Personally believe we took a look at other backs and decided he was our best bet for this season. With Clyne coming back we have 9 potential defenders (Robertson, moreno, Milner, lovren, matip, klavan, Gomez, TAA and clyne) . Personally feel pretty comfortable with our options despite not getting a CB through the door.

17.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 12:35:29
Freshst.

How many player get bought when they are "not for sale" or not available " Lallana was t "for sale " if you cast your mind back?

You are taking pure garbage if you think, that during klopps tenure, there have been no CB's out there better than Lovren and Klavan? Im not eve taking world class, just better than those two.

Now I'm really sorry you're tired of reading about our defensive deficiencies but that's the reality. Do you listen to the radio Merseyside phone in after the games? You'd be throwing the radio in the bin knowing how tired of these comments we are.

You need to wake up and smell the coffee because history tells you you won't win the league with s crap defence.

I'm very fortunate to have a season ticket, 22 rows up to the left of the goal as you look at the Kop. The last game of the season against Boro, we were extremely fortunate not to concede a number of times as they attacked the kop end. Their striker ( can't remember his name) got goal side of Lovren at least 3 times and should have scored!

Would you have been so forgiving had we not won that game and ended up 5th?

I don't think so.

18.) 02 Sep 2017
02 Sep 2017 13:57:48
So Irish rover u think we should have kept sakho. Amazing! Cannot head, no pace, cannot play a high line, no better than lovren, completely disruptive . need I go n
On.