Simon Mignolet. Mention the name to Liverpool fans and many will shudder with memories of mistakes that have cost their side dearly since his 2013 arrival from Sunderland.
The Belgian travelled to Anfield with a reputation as one of the Premier League’s top stoppers, but is appears that the step up has been too great for him so far, and it seems that he’ll never truly be able to win over the Merseyside crowd, or even his own defenders.
A sloppy save from a Scott Dann header allowed the Crystal Palace man to have a second attempt, which he dispatched, during Sunday’s loss at the hands of the Eagles, eroding what was, on the whole, a decent performance from the Reds.
Those who defend Mignolet point to his shot-stopping ability – granted he is good in that respect – but an inability to command his area and shaky distribution do nothing to inspire confidence in his centre-backs, and it cannot be any coincidence that the Liverpool have such a poor record in terms of conceding from set-pieces.
Despite Jurgen Klopp’s persistent quotes suggesting he has no desire to make wholesale changes in January, he’s sure to be aware of the problems Mignolet is creating for him.
And with that in mind, here are FIVE options for the German to draft in this January…
Bernd Leno
With Klopp a Bundesliga connoisseur, he’s sure to be aware of Leno’s reputation and potential.
The 23-year-old has been earning rave reviews for his performances within German football for some time and is now a part of his nation’s set-up, which is no mean feat considering the level of competition for that particular spot in the world champions’ ranks.
Only Manuel Neuer kept more clean sheets (20) than Leno’s 16 in the German top tier last season, while his 97% success rate in terms of claiming the ball in the air ranked among the best regulars in the division.
Ron-Robert Zieler
Despite his Manchester United links, we’re sure Liverpool fans would be all too happy to see Zieler between the sticks at Anfield.
The now 26-year-old failed to make the grade at Old Trafford, but has since thrived back in his German homeland with Hannover 96, which has been enough to earn him six international caps in a period in which Neuer has cemented himself as the planet’s premier glovesman.
A 99% success rate when it comes to claiming aerial balls is simply staggering (the best among the regular No.1’s in Bundesliga action last term), and is sure to appeal to Klopp.
Encouragingly he’s among the better performing stoppers in the division this term too, despite Hannover’s poor form (they sit way down in 15th) over their first 12 league matches of the season.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
An ambitious target, but a reported target nonetheless, Barcelona’s Ter Stegen would add the sort of quality between the sticks that Liverpool have been lacking since the days of Pepe Reina.
Bizarrely for a player of such quality, the 23-year-old’s role at the Nou Camp since his move in the summer of 2014 from Borussia Monchengladbach has been diluted, with the presence of Claudio Bravo having limited him to cup showings across his debut campaign.
Champions League action made up the bulk of his minutes, and with Barca going on to win the competition there’s little arguing with his ability.
Not dissimilar to his countryman Neuer, Ter Stegen is a progressive ‘last line of defence’, with his desire to play on the front foot in a sweeper role akin with a modern approach, while his 6ft. 2” frame makes the youngster a commanding and authoritative presence.
Victor Valdes
Okay, no player has moved between Manchester United and Liverpool since Phil Chisnall way back in 1964 for a whopping £25,000, but Valdes’ current situation leaves the door ajar for a shock journey along the M62, and links are there.
The 33-year-old is currently in exile at Carrington after falling out with Louis van Gaal amid claims from the Dutchman that the stopper refused to play for the club’s U-21’s as he attempted to regain fitness.
Admittedly we don’t have much to go on in terms of his performances in the English game (he made two appearances at the back end of last term in place of the, at the time, injured David de Gea), but his record at Barcelona is mightily encouraging as he was present through the club’s rise to become Europe’s dominant force through the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Anthony Lopes
A slight curveball option here, Lopes may be a player worth looking at. The Frenchman has been, arguably, the top performing glovesman across Europe’s top five divisions so far this term with Lyon, with his agility and reflexes contributing to his nine clean sheets in 13 Ligue 1 matches.
Although his strengths are somewhat similar to those of Mignolet, Lopes is, perhaps, an upgrade on the Belgian, and is rather less erratic in his approach.
