Why Simon Mignolet deserves a second chance

Upon arriving at Anfield, Simon Mignolet could do no wrong. A penalty save against Stoke City in the dying embers of the game effectively won Liverpool his debut match, and this looked to cement the Belgian as an early fan-favourite. Two more clean sheets in games against Aston Villa and Manchester United and two man of the match performances following this and Mignolet seemed impervious – a steal at just £9 million after arriving from Sunderland in June of 2013. Yet, since Mignolet’s early heroics criticism has mounted on the erratic shot-stopper with many fans suggesting that for every great performance from the player, there is an equally frustrating one.

Simon’s ability to seemingly undo all of his good work is epitomized by Bruce Grobbelaar’s stinging dad-joke which reflects one of the more common concerns for supporters,

“I’ve likened Mignolet to worse than Dracula. At least Dracula comes out of his coffin now and then. He seems to stay on his line and that’s it. That whole area, not just the six-yard area, is the goalkeeper’s.”

Although Grobbelaar’s criticism was widely accepted last season, this year Mignolet has appeared to have improved significantly in this area. The keeper’s average claim success reaching 98% in the Premier League, with a falling 36% Average Punch rate. Yet, Mignolet’s better command of his box has for many appeared at the detriment of some of the keeper’s other qualities.

Unfortunately, Mignolet has replaced perhaps one of the world’s best goalkeepers in terms of distribution. Pepe Reina could pick out a winger or striker with pinpoint accuracy for the Reds, being the unlikely creator of many rapid counter-attacks, or simply relieving pressure from the backline. In contrast Simon’s goal-kicks and clearances appear like floundering attempts, panicky, and imprecise. Surprisingly however, statistics suggest that Mignolet’s distribution is not significantly worse than Reina’s as many would expect, instead in his first season Mignolet’s 69% distribution success was 1% higher than Reina’s own. Moreover, in the last two Premier League seasons at the club only Ali-Al Habsi had made more errors that directly led to goals than Pepe Reina (4 more in total than Mignolet).

Nonetheless, comparisons to an aging, and largely deteriorating Reina, perhaps cast Mignolet in too favourable a light. This season Mignolet’s distribution success has fallen to 67% a statistic that would apparently service many fans worries over the Belgian’s ability. And yet, rumoured transfer target Jack Butland’s is just 55%. Courtois’ is 54%. Joe Hart’s 63%. Although there is an undeniable argument to be made that the quality of Mignolet’s clearances and distribution is lacking, to simply state that Mignolet cannot use his feet, or struggles to play the continental sweeper role that many fans expect is simply untrue. Crucially, when in possession Liverpool appear to look for Mignolet as a last resort, rather than as an outlet, a fact that Jurgen Klopp has not ignored,

“We just have to learn as a team to give the ball to the keeper in right situation”.

Despite racking up 5 clean sheets this season, and the most in the Premier League in 2015 (14) Mignolet appears to face a barrage of criticism in every season at the club, despite the fact that many recognise his excellent shot-stopping ability. Indeed, for many the greatest part about keeping Mignolet at the club is a catchy chant. However, these criticisms appear to be founded upon a sense of entitlement, that Liverpool deserve a world-class goalkeeper. Yet, Mignolet better reflects the quality of players currently at the club, during this tentative period of time under a new manager, and entering a new era. In recent times Liverpool have not exhibited the tactical nous, or developed a good enough youth academy to produce a goalkeeper worthy of being in the top five or ten in the world. Liverpool are however, in a period of upwards transition, but at this time it is fair to say that Mignolet is a good enough keeper for a top-four challenge, a realistic expectation for the club.

After the bizarre goal scored by Bordeaux on Thursday Jurgen Klopp’s dry aside to the media after a journalist was taking his time to ask a question is perhaps the most appropriate response to Mignolet’s volatility, “You wait this long? He waited longer than Simon Mignolet”. Here, Klopp demonstrated solid judgment in making fun of what is an honest, albeit stupid mistake from a capable goalkeeper. Although, Liverpool were inches from winning the title with Mignolet at the helm, criticism will always be rife for a goalkeeper that is admittedly still prone to excruciating mistakes. Mignolet is however, intelligent enough to identify the need to improve, and to recognise the microscopic lens that is focused on the only man between the sticks.

Speaking in February Mignolet responded impressively to the consistent concerns over his performances,

“As a keeper you have to accept with every goal that goes in the question will be asked ‘could he have done better? Sometimes the answer is no, you could not do anything. Sometimes it is yes, should have done this. The next day it is working on where you can do better. From all those incidents you want to learn and become a better keeper.”

“I’ve never reacted when there has been criticism, and I’ll never do that in the future. I will always deal with things the same way. What I have also learned from this period is the next time criticism comes around I know what it is and I know what it is to deal with it… You learn from that experience. You can become better for it.”

In light of this, Klopp has surely looked to dampen any transfer speculation as January fast approaches,

“It is a good moment to talk about the goalkeepers at Liverpool. I am absolutely satisfied with our goalkeeping situation. I am sorry to kill your stories about German goalkeepers and goalkeepers from Stoke”

Responding in a defiant fashion Klopp further stated,

“We are not looking for another goalkeeper. We have enough high quality goalkeepers, I’ve had a lot of goalkeepers over last few years and Simon Mignolet is one of the smartest I have ever had. He is completely open and he’s young enough to develop, to improve. He’s not had the easiest situation before I came here, but since I have been here there has been nothing to criticise, absolutely nothing… Everyone is watching for a second Manuel Neuer or something, but he is in a really good way”.

With many fans taking the words of the manager as gospel it will be fascinating to see if long-term detractors of Mignolet continue on their warpath. Yet, this isn’t just a case of listening to whatever the new gaffer suggests, but giving a keeper a fair crack of the whip, in a new period for the club. If Mignolet dramatically fails to impress by the summer, there is no doubt that their will be just cause to look elsewhere for a more consistent keeper. But, attempting to preemptively solve this by signing a new goalkeeper in January will simply disrupt a defensive that needs consistency itself to thrive.

Mignolet can still be the cult-hero that his debut suggested, with spectacular reflex saves against Tottenham and Arsenal exhibiting the sensational, exhilarating ability of the keeper (and showing more than a passing resemblance in his nature to one Jerzy Dudek). Yet, even if he fails to follow through on his own intelligent comments about development, Mignolet deserves a second chance, for now at least. Let us not forget that improvements in morale and training thanks to the new setup at the club has worked wonders across the team. So much so, that if Jurgen and co. can make Lovren look dependable, there is a good chance that Mignolet could be the keeper that Liverpool need in the challenging times to come.