Tony Evans webchat...
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If only goalkeeping was about shot-stopping.
Sadly, I agree. I'm in no way convinced by Mignolet.
I know - and agree - that Mignolet and his mopey look doesn't inspire the greatest confidence, nor does his flappiness in coming for crosses*. However, the knock on his distribution is I think, a bit unfair. He didn't start off being a good distributor, and even I commented on that weakness, but over the season, he did visibly improve in my opinion in that area.
Here's a composite Squawka stats comparison (only source I can reasonably use since I've no access to Opta stats). Mignolet bookends the other keepers because Squawka allows only 5 players per page so I had to make a composite image by stitching two pages together.
Also, look at the clearance stat, which I suppose can be taken as a proxy to sweeping or knocking the ball out after our dickhead CBs pass him the ball under pressure and get him into trouble. His 0.32 actually doesn't look as bad when compared to more notable names like De Gea and Begovic. On the flip side, this stat needs to be taken with a pinch of salt because it depends on how high your defensive line plays, and like I said, how much your CBs keep passing you the ball when they're in trouble.
Wish I could get my hands on crosses / claims stats but I couldn't find data to compare 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 numbers. However, I believe someone posted a stat comparison on that when Mignolet was first linked to us, and he actually came up very high in that category in the 2012/2013 season, if my memory serves me right.
* I think Reina was actually not that great when coming for them (crosses) too when he first joined, improved on that, then regressed again towards the end.
Here's a composite Squawka stats comparison (only source I can reasonably use since I've no access to Opta stats). Mignolet bookends the other keepers because Squawka allows only 5 players per page so I had to make a composite image by stitching two pages together.
Also, look at the clearance stat, which I suppose can be taken as a proxy to sweeping or knocking the ball out after our dickhead CBs pass him the ball under pressure and get him into trouble. His 0.32 actually doesn't look as bad when compared to more notable names like De Gea and Begovic. On the flip side, this stat needs to be taken with a pinch of salt because it depends on how high your defensive line plays, and like I said, how much your CBs keep passing you the ball when they're in trouble.
Wish I could get my hands on crosses / claims stats but I couldn't find data to compare 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 numbers. However, I believe someone posted a stat comparison on that when Mignolet was first linked to us, and he actually came up very high in that category in the 2012/2013 season, if my memory serves me right.
* I think Reina was actually not that great when coming for them (crosses) too when he first joined, improved on that, then regressed again towards the end.
Absolutely - I can't recall seeing much progress on it though over the season so hard to know whether this is being done?
The same defense (more or less) has been poor since the departure of Hyypia and Arbeloa, Reina declined after this too.
It's a no brainer that keepers need some protection.
He deserves another season I think, my point earlier wasn't saying that he needs wrapping in cotton wool, but I don't think he's had the benefit of a solid, settled backline, so it's difficult to judge. I would like to see us bring in another keeper though, just incase like..
Okay found the stats I was looking for from Squawka... interesting comparisons between 2012/2013 and 2013/2014:
Average claims last season vs this season:
- Not only did Mignolet come out to claim the ball less in 2013/2014, he also failed more often to win the challenges.
- Mignolet was miles better than Reina in 2012/2013.
- Decline for Begovic as well in this department, but de Gea had an improved season in this area, going error-free in 2013/2014.
Ball distribution accuracy last season vs this season:
- Marked increase in goal kicks from ground (I assume, since there's a "from hands" column) for Mignolet from 2012/2013 to 2013/2014; however that could also be attributed to the shortening of the distribution distance (from an average of 60m to 25m)
- Reina was definitely king in this area (goal kicks) in the league last season, although he also didn't distribute the ball a lot further (32m)
In summary, it could be suggested that, statistically,
- Mignolet progressed in distributing the ball in his first season at Liverpool versus his last season at Sunderland
- Mignolet declined in coming to claim crosses and coming to claim them successfully, over the same time frame
Average claims last season vs this season:
- Not only did Mignolet come out to claim the ball less in 2013/2014, he also failed more often to win the challenges.
- Mignolet was miles better than Reina in 2012/2013.
- Decline for Begovic as well in this department, but de Gea had an improved season in this area, going error-free in 2013/2014.
Ball distribution accuracy last season vs this season:
- Marked increase in goal kicks from ground (I assume, since there's a "from hands" column) for Mignolet from 2012/2013 to 2013/2014; however that could also be attributed to the shortening of the distribution distance (from an average of 60m to 25m)
- Reina was definitely king in this area (goal kicks) in the league last season, although he also didn't distribute the ball a lot further (32m)
In summary, it could be suggested that, statistically,
- Mignolet progressed in distributing the ball in his first season at Liverpool versus his last season at Sunderland
- Mignolet declined in coming to claim crosses and coming to claim them successfully, over the same time frame
Interesting thoughts and well thought out. Not sure if I agree with all of it though.
I think he has as many overly harsh critics as he does people being a little too easy on him.
Being keeper is tough as any error is often stroke inducing as far as the fans are concerned, but my issue is that I don't are him putting in decent performances anywhere near enough. Far too many times I have watched him flap at crosses, lack authority in the box and have average distribution. His a good shot stopper, but he's not that good for it to smooth over his other failings.
I agree that having a dodgy back four doesn't help , but then I'm sure the defence would argue that having a dodgy keeper doesn't help etc etc. none of that makes him utterly useless at crosses though. No excuse for that.
Of course, no keeper is blunder free, but he makes too many of them to be out first choice in the champions league.
If we want to be anywhere near winning it, he either needs to improve hugely and fast, or we need a replacement mid term.
I'm not saying we should get rid now, but if he's not much much better by Xmas, I think it's time to go shopping. I hope he proves me wrong and pulls his finger out because we may not have the goalscoring power to just keep scoring one more than we concede now that Luis is off.
Observation helps. We don't need Squawka stats for that but thatnx all the same for the exemplary efforts. Love your energy! 😉
I think he's probably like a patient whose condition is flip-flopping a bit. Looks like he's improved / improving in an area, but then the monitors signal something worrying at the same time. I'd recommend placing him under closer observation and seeing how his condition changes in the new season. We should avoid knee-jerkity chopping and changing of CBs and keepers or else we will keep changing multiple variables that make it difficult to isolate a problem.
His distribution is not so much of an issue as his flapping is and herein is the problem.
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