After Liverpool’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Tottenham, two players are on fans’ lips for all the wrong reasons.
Simon Mignolet and Dejan Lovren have received mass criticism in the wake of the loss and deservedly so. Three out of the four goals conceded were due to their errors and if Liverpool want to ever start competing for the league again, both players need to be replaced.
Starting with Mignolet, he has definitely improved over the last year. When he came in for Loris Karius last season, he picked up his game and played an important part in Liverpool securing a top four place. But still, he is nowhere near the quality needed by a top team. When comparing him to the goalkeepers of Liverpool’s rivals, Mignolet doesn’t come close. He’s a decent keeper who has improved, but that’s all he is, decent but prone to a mistake every few games. It looks like the Belgian has reached his peak and it’s time to move on from him.
Loris Karius has only played 11 league games since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2016 and hasn’t really been given the chance to prove himself yet. Liverpool need a new goalkeeper and I think Karius should be given the chance this season before January comes to see if Liverpool should buy a one or not.
Mignolet has had his chance and now it’s time to see if Karius can takeover. It can’t get much worse. It’s better to find out if Karius has what it takes than continue to persist with an error-prone Mignolet.
Danny Ward is also waiting for his chance. Yet to get a real go in the first team since returning to Liverpool after a successful loan spell at Huddersfield, Ward also deserves a chance to prove himself at Anfield.
Liverpool need a top-class goalkeeper and Mignolet most definitely isn’t that, so until Liverpool get the chance to buy one, Karius or Ward should get the opportunity to show that they can be Liverpool’s number one. If neither of them take the opportunity, then a new keeper needs to be bought.
Jürgen Klopp is always hesitant to make subs early in games so the fact he took Lovren off after just half an hour at Wembley speaks volumes. This feels like it could be the end of the Croatian’s Liverpool career. Since Klopp’s arrival he has improved, but for every five good games he has, he’ll have one absolute horror show like he did against Spurs.
Lovren is simply not good enough and should be taken out of the team immediately. Obviously a centre back was needed in the summer, but there’s no point in always bringing that up as there’s nothing we can do now but wait until January and hope that someone is brought in.
In the meantime, I think Joe Gomez should partner Joël Matip. The 20-year-old has performed well at right-back this season, but with Lovren needing to be removed from the side and Ragnar Klavan actually being worse than the Croatian, I think it’s time for Gomez to play in his preferred position. Even if he makes the odd mistake, at least we know he has potential and will improve, while Lovren won’t be getting any better.
As for right back, this will allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to get more game time until Nathaniel Clyne comes back. And if Klopp doesn’t want to burnout Trent then James Milner could definitely do a job at right back when needed.
Liverpool have been leaking goals at the back for far too long now and it’s time for Klopp to get ruthless and drop players he has shown too much faith in, starting with Mignolet and Lovren. Change must come if Liverpool ever want to win the league.
