Liverpool Haven't Got 1 Decent Defender, Slams Steve Nicol

Brendan Rodgers chose to focus on Liverpool’s profligacy in front of goal in his post-match reflections on the back of their 3-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford. But there are perennial issues that he has yet to absolve as manager, most notably his team’s abject defending.

And former Reds defender Steve Nicol—who won five league titles and a European Cup with Liverpool—has pulled no punches in his assessment of his former side's defensive horror show against the Red Devils, per ESPN:

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This performance rubberstamped that Liverpool do not have one decent defender in the squad. The defence was absolutely atrocious.

The icing on the cake was the last goal involving Lovren. The clearance was schoolboy.

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Indeed, every time United forayed forward against the Reds they looked as though they were going to score, and after starting a team that featured circa £32 million of defensive summer signings, that will be a major concern to all those associated with the club.

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It’s certainly a concern harboured by former defender Jamie Carragher, and like Nicol, he singled out Lovren—a £20 million signing from Southampton—for criticism.

“He’s cost a lot of money, but he’s actually made it worse,” Carragher said, per Jonathan Green of the Daily Star. “He's made more mistakes in league as a defender and he's made a mistake for the goal.”

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe provided us with an insight into some of the Croatian’s longstanding flaws in the aftermath of Liverpool’s defeat:

Squawka Football also had some damning statistics to hand when it comes to the Reds defender:

It’s certainly been a turbulent start to life on Merseyside for Lovren, who has struggled to replicate the front-foot, dynamic displays that he regularly turned in for Saints. But as noted by Carragher, the Reds defence seems to have gotten worse with him in situ, while Southampton—who have conceded the joint least amount of goals in the league—have flourished.

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But it’d be harsh to lay blame at the feet of one player, especially a player who is new to a defence that has struggled terribly under the tutelage of Rodgers. Lovren proved himself to be an intelligent player at Saints and given time, should adapt. But it’ll be very difficult for him to find his groove in a back four that has been striving for cohesion for a long, long time.