Ragnar Klavan Reflects on “Brilliant” Week

Last week was a good week for Ragnar Klavan, with the man who was brought in to replace fan favourite Kolo Toure getting a pair of starts and his first goal for Liverpool. He may have some way to go if he wants to establish himself as a cult hero like Toure, but at the very least he’s off to a good start.

“It was something special,” Klavan told the club’s official website of his first Liverpool goal. “Scoring a goal is always nice because as a defender it does not happen so much. You could see it in my celebration, it wasn’t so brilliant! Then I moved on and had my first game at Anfield and that was something amazing.

“Two weeks before, when I was on the bench during my first time at Anfield, I had goosebumps. So to then go onto the field and play for this amazing crowd made it a good week. The new stand is something of beauty. The fans have been fantastic and I hope it continues the same way throughout the season.”

The expectation for most now is that Klavan will move back to the bench with Dejan Lovren fit to face Swansea City on Saturday. Such is life for a reserve defender. If he’s called upon again, though, Klavan will be ready—as he was when he unexpectedly got the start against Hull City on the weekend.

And if he does play again, he’s not going to take Swansea lightly, warning that they’re a better side than their 17th place standing and four points so far this season. Since winning their opening game of the season, it’s been a stumbling campaign for the Welsh club, but that doesn’t mean three points are a given.

“They only have four points, but it doesn’t show the kind of quality they have there,” noted Klavan. “They have a good team and they play good football. The results have been a little bit unlucky for them, but it doesn’t mean they’re a bad team. They are a really good team in my eyes.”