Why Valdes is better than Mignolet

Valdes has the big-time experience and ability Liverpool need to challenge at the top this season

So the transfer window is closed, and Liverpool have a squad that is far stronger than it has been in many a year. The supreme talent of Suarez has been replaced by the creativity and goals of a number of quality players. And attempts have been made to fix issues in defence by successfully signing a number of our first choice defensive targets. It is not without reason that many Liverpool fans are saying this is the best Summer transfer window in modern times. It’s certainly our largest!

Time will tell how quickly new additions settle, and whether they are able to meet or exceed the expectations set upon them. But even though the transfer deadline is passed (albeit with the ludicrous number of ‘extensions’ afforded to various clubs), Liverpool’s transfer business isn’t necessarily finished.

A number of respected journalists have confirmed that Liverpool are looking to sign the out of contract ex-Barca ‘keeper Victor Valdes. And I for one am very happy about this.

As he is a free agent, he is not constrained by the transfer window, and this allows Liverpool the chance to assess him correctly after a serious cruciate knee injury. There have been questions regarding his recovery but many players have come back successfully from such injuries and it can be argued that a cruciate injury is far less limiting for a goalkeeper than for an outfield player. Monaco’s new austere situation looks to be to Liverpool’s advantage.

I am particularly pleased by this as for me our weakest position, squad strength wise, is in goal. Brad Jones, a generally competent understudy, is not at the level to challenge for a regular first team spot, and Simon Mignolet has had a mixed time of it between the sticks.

Firstly, it is important pointing out that I believe Mignolet is talented and has proven to be an excellent shot stopper. He has a large frame, quick reflexes, is brave & agile. All leading him to make some special saves over the course of his Liverpool career – starting with the confidence boosting last minute penalty save in the 1st game of last season against Stoke. His brilliant save onto the bar against Schneiderlin in the first game of this season again saved us points. The problem, critics say, is shot stopping is the only thing he does well.

His distribution is mediocre, although it’s improved. And a world away from Pepe Reina’s level. He’s slow to release the ball on turnover and doesn’t seem to have a long accurate throw out. His decision making & timing of when to be a sweeper keeper is suspect and means he tends to retreat into his box, which makes it more difficult for the team to play a high line. Despite his 6 foot 3 inch height, he isn’t yet decisive in commanding his box, which has too often led to flapped clearances at corners. Finally his quiet personality has meant he has had to learn to be more vocal, an area where he has however improved.

Replacing a stalwart like Pepe Reina was never going to be easy, and while there have been positive aspects to Mignolet’s performances, his weaknesses are still rather sizeable. Last year he made the most errors directly leading to a goal of any keeper in the Premier League (5), Joe Hart was joint second (4).

Recently Jamie Carragher stated, indirectly, that Mignolet was not in his top 7 keepers in the Premier League. In response to an Arsenal fan he named 6 keepers that he felt were better than Wojciech Szczesny. The list included, not in order: Courtois, Cech, Lloris, Hart, Howard & de Gea. Mignolet wasn’t in the list. Hence the Belgian, in Carra’s eyes, would at best only be 8th, and perhaps worse. If Liverpool want to finish 1st, we need a ‘keeper who is better than 8th in his position in the league.

In fact, earlier today, I asked Carra on Twitter which of the two he preferred:

@TaintlessRed Valdes but remains to be seen how he comes back after injury.

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) September 3, 2014

At 26 Mignolet is still youngish for a keeper, and as Jordan Henderson will say, going from Sunderland to Liverpool is a big step up and needs some adaptation. However at the beginning of the season, the same brilliant saves have been witnessed alongside the same mishandling, poor distribution and positional errors, e.g. for Aguero’s 3rd goal at the Etihad.

Despite this Brendan Rodgers was, arguably, right to buy Mignolet at the time. Reina had said he wished to go to Barca, Liverpool couldn’t risk being left high and dry and went for the best keeper they felt they could get, not having Champions League football.

At 26 Mignolet is still fairly young for a keeper. Brad Friedel was playing very well in the Permier League into his 40s. The fact that Courtois (22) & de Gea (23) are considerably better at a younger age doesn’t mean Simon cannot become a successful Liverpool keeper. But he has plenty of learning to do.

Mignolet has struggled with other aspects of his game, besides shot-stopping

That’s another reason why Victor Valdes would be a great signing. Not only would we, injury dependant, be getting a great keeper. But Mignolet would have a keeper to learn from who is excellent at all the areas he needs to improve upon.

Valdes is wonderfully calm and effective in possession, vocal, acts effectively as a sweeper keeper, and has bags of experience with 21 major trophies. It’s true that Barca’s great squad over recent years have been the biggest part of their success, but the Catalan club is very quick to ditch any player who does not excel for them, regardless of their background, as Cesc Fabregas has learnt recently. Valdes played 12 seasons at Barcelona amassing 535 games, and he was the one who refused to sign a new contract and told the club he would be leaving.

If Valdes regains full fitness then Liverpool will have a top top keeper on their hands. If he loses a touch of agility then Liverpool will still have a good keeper who would challenge Mignolet and whom the Belgian could learn from.

Mignolet can still be a success at Liverpool, but if he wants to be here long term he needs to realise that David James, Sander Westerveld and Jerzy Dudek were all good shot stoppers but didn’t develop their all round game sufficiently. After Bruce Grobelaar it took Liverpool 11 years before we finally found a top keeper in Pepe Reina. 11 years!

Getting a top keeper is hard. Valdes is proven and would be a great buy.

You can catch more from me on my own blog: http://taintlessred.blogspot.co.uk/ or follow me on twitter: @taintlessred