Dejan Lovren’s shocking performance against Watford should be the final nail in his coffin at Liverpool.
The 30-year-old made his first Premier League start since December, coming in for the injured Joe Gomez.
There was understandable concern when the starting line-up was named, and unfortunately, that was fully justified by the time the final whistle blew at Vicarage Road.
Lovren produced an awful showing on a depressing night for anyone of a Reds persuasion, proving to be the catalyst behind Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat, due to his all-round negative influence. He was only able to win six of his 12 aerial duels against the Hornets.
Putting sole blame on the Croatian is deeply unfair – almost every other player was woeful, too – but it is no coincidence in the slightest that the Reds’ unbeaten record went up in smoke with him back in the side.
Everything about Lovren was erratic on Saturday night, whether it be shanking clearances, giving away needless fouls or finding himself at the scene of the crime for both of Ismaila Sarr’s goals.
Perhaps his worst attribute is that he spreads panic, with those around him suddenly looking far more fragile. Virgil van Dijk had one of worst games for Liverpool, in my opinion, and the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fabinho also looked far less convincing alongside Lovren – not one Liverpool defender scored higher than a 6.5 on WhoScored.
While some might still be quick to defend him, bemoaning the negativity being sent in his direction – abuse is unacceptable, criticism is fair – the frustration surrounding the defender is fully understandable now.
This has been going on for almost six years, with the Croatia international making costly errors time and time again. He has proved for too long that he isn’t good enough and this summer must be the time to move him on.
Lovren can have good games, without question – he was arguably Liverpool’s best player in the 2018 Champions League final – but he is nowhere near consistent enough for a team now considered the best in club football, and on the verge of winning the Premier League.
He belongs at a lower-ranked English side, where mediocrity is acceptable and mistakes aren’t as high-profile, rather than at a team aiming to become an all-time great English outfit.
There is no denying Lovren’s likeable personality and popularity around the club, but at the end of the day, he has been the key to Liverpool blowing their chances of invincibility.
