Lovren - Initial Thoughts

[Batman]

I think this player is excellent

looks the muts nuts if you ask me

[Chez]

he had a terrific game yesterday. My MOTM.

[Stepgar]

Certainly seems to have fitted in the quickest and looks most natural in the defence. Class above everybody.

[Chez]

Like the pairing with Fonte too. Hopefully they can both sustain this early season form and give us time to find the right blend and balance in front of them. It's important the two fullbacks stay fit as well. Keeping the same back five for most of the season can only be a good thing.

Edited 16 September, 2013 by Chez

[Batman]

Like the pairing with Fonte too.

 

he and fonte and to a degree, wanyama have improved us defensively a huge amount.

shame the forwards keep fluffing chances/hitting the woodwork

[CB Saint]

Great signing. Have a croat mate who says whilst he is excellent, he does have a tendency to lose his head and pick up a ban.

 

so far, liking what I see

[Wiggles31]

Great player. Not seen him make a mistake yet. Commanding CB, great at passing and carrying it forward and Fonte looks better alongside him. Our defence is looking very secure now.

[Miltonaggro]

Looking like the player Lyon thought they had bought! You can see that he has fitted straight into the Saints team ethic, and the Prem seems to suit his style completely. Great so far!...

[Saint_lambden]

Looks very, very good so far. Commanding and no nonsense.

[davefizzy14]

Absolutely outstanding yesterday, has fitted in very well and a class above. Like the pairing with Fonte, hopefully this partnership continues to blossom

[Mystic Force]

Has looked great so far, looking foward to seeing what he can do for us against the best teams in the league.

[david in sweden]

funny I was thinking of starting this thread with one thought....but only for the over 50's amongst us

 

just once or twice on Sunday, I looked... and thought - in profile - he reminded me a little of ....(the late lamented)... John McGrath.

 

Have to say now that his game is more cultured than " Jake's" ever was, but he knows how to head a ball and he didn't miss much - did he ?

[Saint Garrett]

Looks immense, and clearly bought into the club as well. Will quickly become a fans favourite. Interview in the programme yesterday was a good read also.

[david in sweden]

Like the pairing with Fonte too.

 

YES , me too. It's not just about having two men in the centre, they seem to have separate roles in the way that Michael Svensson and Claus Lunderkvam did.

("Killer " was always out in front doing the tough tackling and Claus always seemed to be there " mop up" so well at the back).

 

Lovren isn't afraid to get in and mix it a bit, whereas - given time on the ball - Fonte shows real skill and vision.

[david in sweden]

sorry duplication.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Great signing. Have a croat mate who says whilst he is excellent, he does have a tendency to lose his head and pick up a ban.

 

so far, liking what I see

 

In fairness he's what 24? Practically infantile for a cb. Plenty of time for him to curb that yet.

 

As I would say to those laying into big vic already, it is still very early days. But so far he has done enough (easily) to suggest he can be a very good cb for us, potentially for a good few years.

 

It's nice not sh!tt!ng myself every single time the opponents have possession in our half

[Jack]

Looks a good player. Was my MOTM vs Norwich and looked solid again yesterday. Hasn't really put a foot wrong. 8/10

[itchen_dan]

Absolutely superb signing. Hasn't put a foot wrong. Very classy defender. All we need is another one of him to partner him.

[jawillwill]

If the Fonte/Lovren partnership becomes half as good as Svensson/Lundekvaum partnership we're on to a good thing IMO.

[red&white56]

Absolutely superb signing. Hasn't put a foot wrong. Very classy defender. All we need is another one of him to partner him.

 

Would you get rid of Fonte? Thought he had a good game as well, not sure he warrants replacement.

[dan abnormal]

Fonte seems to have really upped his game alongside Lovren. I think he's been excellent so far, but its still early days...

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Makes everyone around him better, which is when you know you've signed a class player. Keep up this consistency and I would make him captain without hesitation. He seems to 'get' elite football and what you need to do.

[The9]

Lovren looks solid and difficult to beat, seems to have reduced his tendency to hoof even in the short time he's been with us, very rarely makes a mistake and looks like our best bit of business of the summer so far (this may change when Osvaldo starts scoring).

 

Not hurt by the relatively weak starting opponents we've faced though.

[Whitey Grandad]

I hardly noticed him in either of the two home games, which is a good sign. I think.

[RonManager]

I think I might have a go at this trolling palaver, if I may.

 

Right here we go then -

 

'He's terrible, what a waste of money'

 

Did I do it right? If I did then I expect I will be 'shouted down' in due course.

 

I look forward to receiving my comeuppance.

[Batman]

I think I might have a go at this trolling palaver, if I may.

 

Right here we go then -

 

'He's terrible, what a waste of money'

 

Did I do it right? If I did then I expect I will be 'shouted down' in due course.

 

I look forward to receiving my comeuppance.

 

you will be 'shouted down' for being a bed wetter

[Chez]

Has looked great so far, looking foward to seeing what he can do for us against the best teams in the league.

very good point. Keeping van Persie etc quiet will be a tougher task no doubt

[SNSUN]

Lovren looks class, a really good acquisition, and Fonte has started the season well alongside him. I worry slightly about Fonte though, I always think he's capable of a massive brain fart. It's good to see he's played himself into the manager's plans though - at the end of last season it was Yoshida and Jos that were the favoured pairing. Perhaps Pochettino sees that Fonte is the better fit as partner to Lovren, who was obviously going to be first choice.

 

Still they'll all get their look in this season, I'm sure.

[wild-saint]

by the fact that we are not scoring goals against teams that according to a few we should be trouncing in our easy start, is it fair to assume we are completely overating lovren as a class act based on the fact we have been playing really poor sides?

 

surely we cant judge until we have played the top 4 home and away?

[Turkish]

Th best Centre half since Svenson. Really good player and I fully expect some of the bigger clubs to come calling for him.

[Wrensup]

In fairness he's what 24? Practically infantile for a cb. Plenty of time for him to curb that yet.

 

As I would say to those laying into big vic already, it is still very early days. But so far he has done enough (easily) to suggest he can be a very good cb for us, potentially for a good few years.

 

It's nice not sh!tt!ng myself every single time the opponents have possession in our half

 

Also apparently prone to picking up bans in more poofy euro leagues. Where as in our league the football is more robust so will probably get away with more if you know what I mean.

 

Overall I rate him, him and Fonte look good foils for each over.

[saintadjg]

Ive never been a fan of Fonte in fact quite the opposite,however Loveren is that good that he is making Fonte look good.They remind me of Claus & Killer which is good for us and bad for the rest of the league .

[eurosaint]

Makes everyone around him better' date=' which is when you know you've signed a class player. Keep up this consistency and I would make him captain without hesitation. He seems to 'get' elite football and what you need to do.[/quote']

 

Agreed, I would make him captain tomorrow as he appears to have all the attributes, plays in the right position to see the play in front of him, likely to be on the pitch for 90 mins (unlike Lallana), is vocal and leads by example !

Top signing and at 24 will only get better !!

[Pedro]

Definitely captain material, as good as we have had for years, feel totally confident with him at the back. Fonte is the surprise, certainly upped his game.

[Graffito]

An unqualified success so far. As someone says above, it will be interesting to see how he goes against the better strikers.

[benjii]

Our best player so far.

 

Two goals conceded in four games. Excellent stuff.

[Ulrich van Gobbel]

We don't like Dejan! Oh no! We Lovren!

 

I'll get my coat..

[cellone]

We don't like Dejan! Oh no! We Lovren!

 

I'll get my coat..

 

I love it.

[monosaint]

An impressive player who controls the back four. Intelligent, comfortable on the ball and passionate.

[Lord Duckhunter]

By bringing the best out of Jose, its like signing 2 new players. I always think Jose gets over looked when people talk about signings , the million odd we paid for him was great value.

[rooney]

He looks the business and agree plays very well with Jose Fonte.

[austsaint]

Looks as good as any CB in the Prem so far. Good in the air; fearless in the tackle, looks comfortable on either foot and is prepared to take the ball forward. As others have noted, he looks to have hauled Jose along another peg as well; I'm a big fan of Yoshida but I can see why Jose is maintaining his spot.

[Charlie Wayman]

Excellent. Probably be gone to Arsenal / Chelsea next summer if we don't progress. Want to see him with Yoshida, too similar to Fonte.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Looks excellent. Good to see Fonte back in who needs a dominant, leading centre half next to him, similar to Claus when Svensson was around. This was why Fonte was dropped when playing Hooiveld as neither of them had leading qualities and it just ended up in a mess.

 

I think they will form an excellent partnership.

[Give it to Ron]

Think we underpaid for him.

[Saint Garrett]

Think we underpaid for him.

 

Agree, if you swap transfer fees for him and Wanyama and it's probably not far off about right.

[bender]

Excellent. Probably be gone to Arsenal / Chelsea next summer if we don't progress. Want to see him with Yoshida, too similar to Fonte.

 

But weve conceded 2 goals in our opening 4 games.

[Avenue Saint]

Excellent player.

 

Great find.

 

Top business at what £8m? Absolute steal

[Ziggy]

Excellent signing. Been to three of the four games and have been impressed with him every time.

[melmacian_saint]

Fonte was not dropped, he got a bad injury which kept him out for 2 months.

Fonte has been an undisputed starter for almost all our managers after preseason, which is when you start to draw up your starting 11.

Fonte is also a reasonable leader when called upon, having had good performances when given the captaincy.

 

Yes, having Lovren alongside him has definitely helped his game, as it to any defender, but I can't seem to find the reason why our fan base fails to give Fonte credit for the defender he is, and whenever he has a good performance it's always because of better company!