Mignolet Costing More Than Goals – Compared to Cech, Hart & Lloris

Simon Mignolet should’ve punched Benteke.

Let’s be blunt here, Simon Mingolet should have cleared out Christian Benteke prior to West Brom scoring their first on Sunday.

He was unchallenged as he went for the punch with only the Liverpool number nine in his proximity. If he’s preventing him getting a clean connection on the ball then he should be going through Benteke. It’s not pretty but needs must. I’m certain Christian would forgive a knee in the back from his compatriot.

If Mignolet does what any normal ‘keeper should be doing then not only does it give him a confidence boost it’s also likely West Brom don’t score from that attack. Liverpool still lead and the game yesterday is completely different.

This is the latest error in a long line of Mignolet errors, unfortunately for Liverpool he’s not been getting away with these sorts of mistakes lately like he had earlier in the season. A startling stat tweeted out by whoscored.com informed their followers that no goalkeeper in the league over the past three seasons have conceded more goals from individual errors than Mignolet. Eight goals. The Belgian is on target to make it an average of three goals conceded per season due to his mistakes. You have to ask yourself, just how detrimental to the team is he?

Not just goals but points too

Goalkeepers are supposed to earn your team points every season, not cost them. It’s not a balancing act either, at the end of the season we shouldn’t look back at the season and say Mignolet broke even. He cost us as many points has he earned us. It’s never going to work like that and it’s not a way a side challenging for the top 4 should act.

Liverpool as a defensive unit have looked a little more secure under Klopp and yet we’re still conceding goals. It has to be said that usually when we concede it’s an individual error and these can’t be planned for. Better concentration, players being less sloppy and these goals can be prevented. Aside from that though, Liverpool don’t face a lot of shots on average per 90 when compared to the rest of the sides in the league.

If you’re a Simon Mignolet fan look away now.

It doesn’t make good viewing for Mignolet. Looking at shots faced per 90 you can’t even say he’s one of the more overworked keepers in the league, what with the Reds only facing on average 9.9 shots per 90. This figure is below what Arsenal, Leicester and Spurs face yet all three keepers for those clubs mentioned make more saves per goal conceded than Liverpool’s Belgian.

Mignolet, according to Squawka, makes 1.1 saves per goal conceded, a whole 2.8 saves fewer than Arsenal’s Petr Cech, 1.35 less than Joe Hart, 2.1 less than David De Gea, 1.7 less than Hugo Lloris and 0.37 less then Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel. This despite facing less shots than half of them.

At this current rate Liverpool are on target to concede 45 goals this season, a figure you’re unlikely to finish in the top 4 with. We’re struggling to score goals so Mignolet’s importance is increased, can he cope with the pressure?

Liverpool as a unit may be stopping the opposition getting into positions to shoot but it’s Mignolet that’s failing to hold up his end of the bargain. He’s not saving that many shots. You can buy better defenders but until Mignolet goes to see the Wizard of Oz to ask for some courage we’ll be in trouble.

It’s a ‘keeper that makes a defence, not the other way around.

I spoke to Belgian journalist Sven Claes who informed me Mignolet and the club are still in discussions regarding a new deal but there doesn’t seem to be any sort of disagreement. It’s likely he’ll be signing an extension to his deal so we’re going to have ‘make do’ (said in the nicest way possible) with Mignolet as our ‘keeper as we look to make the most of Chelsea underperforming and United stalling in the hunt for Champions League football. Is this extension to protect his value or are we looking at Liverpool’s long term goalkeeper?

Does he still have your trust?