Topic: Ragnar Klavan

[SerbianScouser]

My only question mark about him is considering how often we flood the opposition box these days is will Klavan have the legs (considering his age) to hold the high-ish defensive line with Lovren because when the move breaks down and we have a lot of players in the final third it is essential for our CBs to keep us compact and be in the best position possible to contest the second balls and stop the counter-attacks.

I`ve noticed on couple of occasions that he dragged us back a bit but also saw him out-sprint somebody like Alexis. It will be interesting to see how much courage both him and Lovren will have to push up when we are pressing high up the pitch because it will be all in vain if our CBs keep our shape too stretched vertically on the pitch.

[thekitkatshuffler]

Klavan was brought in as cover though, Klopp spoke of this prior to signing him.

I thought Jurgen said the opposite of that.  Something about Liverpool fans watching Klavan play this season and it becoming obvious he's good enough to start for us and not just here as back up.

Can't find the quote though, so entirely possible I've dreamt it.   

[Ratboy3G]

I thought Jurgen said the opposite of that.  Something about Liverpool fans watching Klavan play this season and it becoming obvious he's good enough to start for us and not just here as back up.

Can't find the quote though, so entirely possible I've dreamt it.   

I recall Klopp saying something along those lines

[SC04OCT]

Yeah, Klopp did say something like that, but to be honest, at the end of the day, when all fit, the CB pairing will most likely be 2 of Sakho, Lovren and Matip.

[El Lobo]

Yeah, Klopp did say something like that, but to be honest, at the end of the day, when all fit, the CB pairing will most likely be 2 of Sakho, Lovren and Matip.

Yeah Klopp did say something like that....but you believe something else, so its likely what you believe is correct...over what Klopp said? Right?

[rocco]

“I've heard that people have been talking about (Ragnar) Klavan as our fourth option (at centre-back). Wait and see him play and then tell me again that he should wait until all the others are injured or something," said Klopp to the Liverpool Echo.

[Red-Soldier]

“I've heard that people have been talking about (Ragnar) Klavan as our fourth option (at centre-back). Wait and see him play and then tell me again that he should wait until all the others are injured or something," said Klopp to the Liverpool Echo.

It's nice to have some serious competition between good cbs for a change 

[Warks Moustache]

It's nice to have some serious competition between good cbs for a change 

And on merit too. I liked Rodgers but I was growing sick of his favouritism rather than picking the best players in form.

[SC04OCT]

Yeah Klopp did say something like that....but you believe something else, so its likely what you believe is correct...over what Klopp said? Right?

We'll see who tops the appearance table at the end of the season. I feel Klopp was just bigging him up because everyone was calling him 4th choice.

[El Lobo]

We'll see who tops the appearance table at the end of the season. I feel Klopp was just bigging him up because everyone was calling him 4th choice.

Not quite sure why people are so keen to disbelieve what the manager says 

If Klavan keeps performing well in a winning team, I'd be pretty confident he'll stay in the team. If others get the chance to play and perform better, I'm sure they'll play more often.

[SC04OCT]

Not quite sure why people are so keen to disbelieve what the manager says 

If Klavan keeps performing well in a winning team, I'd be pretty confident he'll stay in the team. If others get the chance to play and perform better, I'm sure they'll play more often.

No shit, Sherlock.

Where were you in the Moreno thread, btw?

Not everything Klopp says is gospel. He said Mignolet was perfect for us, only to buy a new GK a few months later.

[Adeel90]

So I know nothing about the lad, and haven't seen any of pre-season. How has he been getting on? What are his main strengths and weaknesses? From early indications, how does he rank with respect to our other centre backs and are we expecting him to be first choice this season?

[El Lobo]

No shit, Sherlock.

What d'you mean no shit, Sherlock? You literally posted a couple of posts up that despite what Klopp said about players earning their place and Klavan not coming in as 4th choice, that you thought it was likely he'd be 4th choice

And what Moreno thread? I dunno?

[telekon]

Watched the Arsenal game again. He really had a great game. On the front foor when needed and always kept a good deeper position otherwise. Good and sure distribution, and great awareness in tight situation. Wasn't extremely tested due to the single threat of Alexis in the middle, but a very good performance overall. He also showed he still has some good acceleration for being over 30.

[SC04OCT]

What d'you mean no shit, Sherlock? You literally posted a couple of posts up that despite what Klopp said about players earning their place and Klavan not coming in as 4th choice, that you thought it was likely he'd be 4th choice

And what Moreno thread? I dunno?

Like I said, Klopp also said Mignolet was perfect for Liverpool, then bought a replacement a few months later. Not everything he says is gospel. It doesn't take a genius to realise that Klavan is a back up option, despite Klopp hyping him up.

[SerbianScouser]

Only seen him two times in an official game for us so it`s impossible to know how actually good he is but the early signs are very worrying as he was really horrible for their second goal, having had two chances to clear and was to weak and also being even weaker when Gray just brushed him off afterwards. And all this was practically all the defending he had to do today. He has everything to prove till the end of the season.

[classycarra]

Only seen him two times in an official game for us so it`s impossible to know how actually good he is but the early signs are very worrying as he was really horrible for their second goal, having had two chances to clear and was to weak and also being even weaker when Gray just brushed him off afterwards. And all this was practically all the defending he had to do today. He has everything to prove till the end of the season.

utter hyperbolic crap. we didn't lose today because of our central defenders. it was lost in front of them

[SerbianScouser]

utter hyperbolic crap. we didn't lose today because of our central defenders. it was lost in front of them

They stepped in to our half two times the entire match and we conceded twice.

[Djimi Smicer34]

They stepped in to our half two times the entire match and we conceded twice.

That's not solely down to the centre-backs though.

He needs time, the same as all of the other new players.  I would like to see Matip get a chance but I'm not going to be too criticial of Klavan just yet.

[SerbianScouser]

I'm not going to be too criticial of Klavan just yet.

Me neither as I need to see much more to see how good he is but I`m very worried by the early signs.

[classycarra]

They stepped in to our half two times the entire match and we conceded twice.

conveniently forgetting the frequent times lovren and klavan intercepted their balls forward. they were the biggest reason they only got at us a couple of times. their high line defending against a very pacy player was pretty cohesive

[SerbianScouser]

conveniently forgetting the frequent times lovren and klavan intercepted their balls forward. they were the biggest reason they only got at us a couple of times. their high line defending against a very pacy player was pretty cohesive

Please don`t talk rubbish, they had 20% possession, had two attacks the entire game and scored two goals. Our defence had nothing to do the entire game and they still conceded customary 2 goals. This should have been 0-0 at worst.

[classycarra]

Please don`t talk rubbish, they had 20% possession, had two attacks the entire game and scored two goals. Our defence had nothing to do the entire game and they still conceded customary 2 goals. This should have been 0-0 at worst.

i'm sorry you're upset, but it's you that's talking rubbish.

it's easy to say the defence had nothing to do but there's a reason for that. it's because they were proactive and they cut out almost every ball forward.

there were a couple of times where our attack was so shite, we were at risk of being countered but klavan and especially lovren even coped with that despite being much slower than gray

find a different scapegoat

[AaronSingh25]

Caught out badly today.

Genuine question, but is he an upgrade on Toure?

[SerbianScouser]

klavan and especially lovren even coped with that despite being much slower than gray

Yeah, they handled him brilliantly well for his goal where he beaten more players than Ox last week.

[Funky_Gibbons]

Yeah, they handled him brilliantly well for his goal where he beaten more players than Ox last week.

Henderson was a bigger culprit before Klavan there.

[Fiasco]

I thought Lovren was atrocious for their second goal, turning his back on the ball in a half-arsed attempt to block the shot. It doesn't exactly inspire confidence when the player who was signed as a 'leader' is scared of a bit of leather. He done it against Arsenal last week, he done it against Roma in pre-season and he's done plenty of times before (see Vardy's goal away in the 2-0 loss last season as one example).

I'll see the argument that he's avoiding the handball but it's not just that. He genuinely seems scared of getting hit by the ball. Sakho on the other hand will dive head first if it means blocking the shot, the same kind of last ditch defending that John Terry made a career from and the type that has just gotten Ashley Williams a move to Everton (not a huge move, but he's a good pure defender).

[classycarra]

Lovren was by far and away our best player today. reading that it just sounds like you already had a preconceived view of him and found a way to fit some criticism in around that

[AaronSingh25]

I thought Lovren was atrocious for their second goal, turning his back on the ball in a half-arsed attempt to block the shot.

He has that annoying habit of turning his back on shots, almost being sideways on, when a shot comes in. See some goals from last season, and Arsenal's second goal last week. Needs to man up and take a few shots in the face or midrift.

But at least his own game today was decent - made no mistakes himself.

[Fiasco]

Lovren was by far and away our best player today. reading that it just sounds like you already had a preconceived view of him and found a way to fit some criticism in around that

Not really. He won plenty of headers and didn't get into positions where Gray could use his pace against him. But for the second goal he's just as culpable as anybody. Look at how he 'tries' to block the shot. It's not good enough.

[10 years on]

http://www.balls.ie/football/ragnar-klavan-liverpool-brian-kerr/343511

[killer-heels]

Should have won that challenge against Defour.

[Djimi Smicer34]

http://www.balls.ie/football/ragnar-klavan-liverpool-brian-kerr/343511

Well if Brian Kerr is saying it then it has to be true...

[Caligula?]

Caught out badly today.

Genuine question, but is he an upgrade on Toure?

Only slightly it would seem. But then again he wasn't bought to be anything else.

[SwordInYourGut]

Caught out badly today.

Genuine question, but is he an upgrade on Toure?

Yes he is. Watch how calm he is on the ball and how he always picks out a forward pass. Kolo was a pure hoofball merchant for us, completely unsuited to how we want to play. Klopp spoke about this when he replaced Kolo with Lucas in one of our games last season.

[newterp]

He didn't close down Vokes quick enough on the first, and then like everyone else - Gray cut totally destroyed him on the second - the second was a comedy of errors by several people.

He played fine otherwise in terms of at least being proactive with the ball and then what little other defending was needed.

[OOS]

He's lucky to have Lovren beside him today. Saved his arse a few times.

[Phil M]

He's come here as cover having let Toure and Skrtel go. Once Matip is judged to be match fit he'll be on the bench. He is what he is, an experienced squad 3rd choice CB who's been thrust into the first team due to injuries to players ahead of him. Did quite well at the Emirates, is a game lad who seems to have settled in very well and he comes across very well in his interviews but unfortunately had a miserable afternoon today. He'll be an important player for us this season when called upon. Two games into his PL career he'll have soon realised that making a mistake at this level and you get punished.

[farawayred]

He's lucky to have Lovren beside him today. Saved his arse a few times.

And vice-versa. He made a few mistakes and saved us a few times. He's behind Matip and Sakho in the pecking order, remember that. I think that he's arguably the best 4th choice CB in the league.

[Sajets]

http://www.balls.ie/football/ragnar-klavan-liverpool-brian-kerr/343511

That Kerr dude is just lying. Faroe Island has never scored 3 goals against Estonia. Yes, they once beat Estonia 2:0 but Klavan didn't play in that game because of bookings. Not that I think he had a good game on Saturday, but just to put the record straight.