23 Feb 2015

Surprise Transfer: Liverpool still pushing to sign 'world-class' €14m superstar to replace Simon Mignolet

Over the last two months, Simon Mignolet has resurrected his flagging Liverpool career with a series of excellent performances, but despite the upturn in form, it appears that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is still planning to replace the Belgian at the end of the season.

In January, The Telegraph claimed that Rodgers 'would love to sign Petr Cech', and according to reports over the weekend:

* Liverpool are planning to make a summer 'offer' for Cech.

* The Reds have 'younger alternatives' in mind should Cech reject a move to Anfield.

In January, Cech enjoyed a brief run of starts for Chelsea, but despite three clean sheets in a row, Mourinho dumped him back on the bench after Chelsea's 4-2 FA Cup defeat Bradford, and since that time, he's been an unused substitute in six out of seven games.

Cech is unlikely to be satisfied with the way things are right now. Indeed, he's already expressed his dissatisfaction with his ongoing marginalisation at Chelsea. In October, he told reporters:

"The situation is not the way I would imagine. With the 2016 European Championships in mind, there is no time for me to sit on the bench and not to play. If the situation will not start to improve for me then I will want to solve it."

This week, Chelsea's goalkeeping coach, Christophe Lollichon, also shed some light on Cech's ongoing frustration. He told ESPN:

"It's difficult for Cech, who has been first-choice for 14 years in the clubs he's been at and who has been voted the Premier League's best goalkeeper several times, to be passed by a 22-year-old kid".

€14m-rated Cech is a popular choice amongst Liverpool fans. I recently conducted a poll on the site asking fans to select one goalkeeper out of the seven currently linked with Anfield:

* 10450 (approx) visitors participated in the poll (which is still ongoing)
* 55% of participants chose Cech as Liverpool's next goalkeeper.
* Sergio Romero was 2nd-favourites with 11% of the vote.
* Only 3% voted to keep Mignolet as LFC's number 1.

To entice Cech (or any similarly elite player), Liverpool need one of the following:

* A world-renowned manager with the 'X' factor and a track record of success.
* A genuine ability to consistently challenge for the league/Champions League.
* The presence of world-class players in the squad.

Right now, the painful reality is that Liverpool have none of the above, and with Steven Gerrard leaving, it'll become even harder to attract Europe's elite. As such, it'll be a major surprise if the Reds manage to sign a player of Cech's calibre.

Of course, money also plays a part, but with LFC firmly focus on buying and developing younger players, I doubt the Reds will hand Cech a ridiculously inflated salary just to secure his services. Liverpool tried that with Pepe Reina, and it backfired, so the club has (hopefully) learned its lesson.

Some may argue that Mignolet no longer needs to be replaced, but I disagree with that. He's in a period of good form, but it's just a matter of time before he loses confidence again, and/or starts making errors. Rodgers should've replaced Mignolet last summer, but he failed to act, and Liverpool consequently suffered.

He surely won't make the same mistake again.

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25 comments:

  1. This season is crucial for Rodgers, if he manages to win the EL and get top 4 that would be massive for his career especially succeding to do that with a young squad. (Sure is a big if)
    EL may be not the most popular competition to the supporters but to players it is still a big trophy.

    I've not been his biggest fan but if he want to get to the next stage he has to take each competition we are in seriously, and if he succeed he could be able to attract top players imo.

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  2. Any of EL or FA cup would do him good (Like it did for Simeone at AM). He needs the experience of winning silverware and taking that winners mentality to another level.

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  3. I voted yes because I don't think Mignolet should be replaced but he definitely need competition and we need better cover than we've currently got. Certain goalkeepers, if they become available are always worth getting and Cech is one of them, however if not then I think somebody like the Australian lad Ryan. Lots of potential, wouldn't expect to walk straight into the team but would keep Mignolet on his toes.
    Mignolet has been very good recently. He's no longer being asked to play out from the back, I've noticed he generally just clears it and it's taken a huge pressure off him, allowing him to just concentrate on what he knows which has allowed his confidence to recover.
    Skrtel has also benefitted from being in the centre of the back 3, allowing him to just concentrate on being a defender and I think it would do Lovren the world of good as well.

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  4. I think the Europa League should be taken seriously and used as an apprenticeship of types for our players for the Champions League. All European experience for our young players at this stage of their careers is invaluable.

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  5. Class is permanent, form in temporary.


    Mignolet having good form does not cover the fact he was awful for a good 5 months. Mignolet needs to be pushed if he is to reach his potential. Jones certainly won't push him.


    It's no surprise that after he was dropped he regained form...he was challenged, not by Jones but by BR. Either perform or you'll be dropped.


    I would Cech, he has been one of the best goal keepers in the past 10 years and still is. He can easily play until he is 40.


    Ambitious clubs need a 2 top class goal keepers and one young and upcoming.

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  6. Maybe a new goalkeeping coach would help too? Mignolet is a good keeper, still very young and loads to learn but obviously a number two like Brad Jones is not going to send shivers down his spine.

    Cech' wage demands would be way too much. Rather go for another keeper at the same age as Mignolet like Norberto Neto otherwise take a chance with someone younger like Sergio Romero.

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  7. Absolutely it should be taken very seriously as it also offers an alternative route to CL.

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  8. I have just read a headline asking "Is Mignolet the EPL's best goalkeeper?"


    I certainly think he must be in the top twenty or so

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  9. I would love Cech but now I think a young prospect should be signed since Mignolet is doing good. I think if you play Coates in the team, even he will look good. All we needed was some steel in the midfield to protect defenders. Its not a coincidence that GK and CDs came to form as soon as we changed our style. Wish BR realized it a lot sooner. Hope we fight till the end for top 4. Man Utd, Liverpool, Saints and Spurs will fight for the 4th position. Tough ask.

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  10. That's because you haven't considered the likes of Cech, Schwesny, Vorm, ...reserve GKs of their respective clubs.

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  11. How can anyone claim that it is only a matter of time before he starts making errors again? Why didn't you say it was only a matter of time he starts performing well again, when he was making mistakes?
    For instance, Henderson, Lucas, Sakho, Coutinho, Skrtel, have all had periods where they weren't at their best, should we sell them all because they will inevitably go back to underperforming again?

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  12. Please don't tell me what I should've said.

    Mignolet's history at LFC is defined by conceding more goals than any keeper in LFC history (over the same period) and lots of mistakes (most mistakes in the Prem last season)

    That's why I say it's only a matter of time.

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  13. It also gives players in Europe the chance to see what we're all about, style wise

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  14. And many of us were saying that the goals conceded had a big part to do with instability in defence and tactics that were leaving Mignolet exposed. Surprise, surprise, now that we have a stable defensive unit, Mignolet's performances have vastly improved.

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  15. When the fans and media first jumped on Mignolet's back, I personally didn't think he was playing that bad. Continual criticism did effect his confidence and his form did drop. Fair play to him turning that around

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  16. Liverpool had a stable defensive unit last season (with Carra etc), but that made no difference.

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  17. I'm pretty sure Carra retired after the 12/13 season. Last year the members of our defence were constantly changing and teams were flowing past our midfield like it wasn't there. Rodgers has now find a formation where there is much more cohesion between defence and midfield, with a back 3 that very rarely changes. Mignolet's performances have improved as a result and I most certainly don't think it's a mere coincidence.

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  18. Changing personnel makes no difference to poor distribution, flapping at crosses, lack of leadership, and failure to adequately command the 18-yard box.

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  19. While it shouldn't make a difference, I'd argue that it doesn't help. In my opinion, there's a comfort factor involved when you're playing with the same group consistently. If that group plays well, you're more comfortable and if they play poorly, you're less comfortable.

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  20. Question: Is Danny Ward that far off that he can't realistically challenge?

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  21. Exactly. Jaimie used to say that Mignolet's bad performances unsettled the defence, I don't see why it doesn't work the other way round.

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  22. It reminds me of "Is Ringo the best drummer in England" and the answer "he's not even the best drummer in the beatles" ;-)

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  23. According to Metro, Mignolet has more clean sheets than Courtois and De Gea this year

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  24. "World class". " premiere league's best keeper". With praise like that he'd come here and start holding the club to Ransome in contract negotiations!!! ;-)

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  25. Liverpool need two genuinely good quality keepers. Most if not all top sides do. It's rough on the backup keepers but that's part of the game and if they are good enough they'll show that they deserve to play. I don't see that Mignolet needs to be replaced, rather than Liverpool need a genuine alternative. Of course if we can end up with a truly world class keeper that would be great but otherwise a player of Cech's quality would clearly be good for the team. If Mignolet was to keep him out of the team he'd really need to perform and ultimately whatever happens it's good for the team.


    In the simplest terms I think Liverpool need to buy a new keeper in the summer and they should get the best player they possibly can. It may be that Cech and other quality keepers just are not interested or won't fit in the club's financial capabilities. Who we'll get will be dictated by factors that are out of our control but there is no point trying to pre-determine the kind of player we'll look for. Just look for quality keepers who fit the team requirements and then start at the top of the list.

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