Dejan Lovren has credited Jürgen Klopp with improving Liverpool’s defending, belief, workrate and even changing the players’ “opinion of football” as the defender seeks to maintain his own personal recovery against Bordeaux.
Before Thursday’s Europa League tie, one from which Liverpool can qualify for the knockout phase with victory or a goalless draw against Willy Sagnol’s side, Klopp claimed to be unaware of what had altered at Anfield since he replaced Brendan Rodgers seven weeks ago. “I don’t know what’s different,” the Liverpool manager said. “I wasn’t here before.”
But Lovren believes several crucial aspects of Liverpool’s performance have been enhanced by the German coach. The Croatia international refused to criticise Rodgers for past results or his own indifferent form since a £20m arrival from Southampton in the summer of 2014. He said: “I don’t want to talk about the past. It was not just the manager’s fault. It was us, the players, too. I want to forget it and just concentrate on the future.”
But he made the telling admission that it is easier to defend in Klopp’s team and with a manager who believes in his qualities. “I think it is much easier to defend now because we are working much harder than before,” said Lovren. “We are, I would say, playing like a team now with everyone feeling comfortable. There were a couple of changes when I first came to the club and so many players have gone now. It feels like two different teams.
“It is always easier when a manager has belief in your team and in yourself. It makes it much easier to play and gives you the confidence that, even if you make a mistake, afterwards he will talk to you and explain to you the wrong things and the good things.”
The 26-year-old said his confidence has been repaired since Klopp took over, although that has also stemmed from his performances in training and at Manchester City on Saturday. “It is a little bit of both,” said Lovren, when asked whether he or the manager was responsible. “Of course the manager has had a big influence on the team and on everyone.
“Every one of the players has changed their opinion of football. We are like he said we should be – we need to be living football and the job 24 hours a day and we will get payback for everything on the pitch.”
The Bordeaux match will be Lovren’s 50th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions and, having produced an assured display in place of the injured Mamadou Sakho in the 4-1 defeat of City, he hopes to finally impose himself at Anfield.
“I would say it has been ups and downs but the most important thing is the present,” said the former Lyon defender. “I am feeling settled and happy in the club and I think the most important thing is we are playing well. I have been tested so many times in my life, even at other clubs, and this is just another school for me to learn at. When I am in bad situations I have great people around supporting me. I came here to be a standard player of Liverpool, not to be on the bench. There is no more pressure on me now. I need to go step by step and my performances will speak for me.”
