Liverpool’s currently injured centre-back Dejan Lovren has made some rather bold comments about our supporters, who were highly critical of his performances after arriving from Southampton in summer 2014.
The Croatian signed for £20m, but endured an abysmal debut campaign under Brendan Rodgers – amplified by the hefty transfer fee. He started this season in similarly poor form, until Jurgen Klopp arrived and gave Lovren the confidence that’s clearly improved his levels.
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Before his injury he was playing better than Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho, and it’s now crucial that he returns to fitness and gets back in the side – something we never thought we’d say previously.
Still, Lovren should have perhaps saved these quotes until he’d been blunder free for a much longer period.
“The fans now have me in a different view,” he told Sportske.
“I think that they are now starting to realise that I am worthy, and they regret that they initially had a different opinion.
“But Liverpool is a big club, and expectations are high, so it is normal that you are going to be criticised.”
It’s all well and good that Lovren’s not embarrassing the club anymore through outrageously poor defensive performances, but Liverpool fan’s initial assessment of him was fair and based on merit, or lack of it.
He’s one of the most expensive centre-backs in Premier League history, and it’s right that we expected so much more of him.
His improvement has been welcomed though, and we’re more happy that Lovren’s changing our opinion, rather than regretting previous judgement.
The 26-year-old injured his hamstring v Stoke in the League Cup semi-final first-leg, but will hopefully be back before the end of the month – with Liverpool facing an FA Cup replay, the second leg of the semi and a host of tricky Premier League matches.