04 Aug 2017 19:26:04
Opinions on the goalkeeping situation lads?

It's a lot easier to compete for major trophies with a top goalie, or at least a good one, because putting it simply, you're going to have an off-day here and there every season, no matter how good you are and might need a bail out. De Gea's been worth 10 points to Utd every season at least, and Courtois and Lloris are good enough to get their teams out of a mess if called on. Because of that I don't see Mignolet as the answer long-term. He improved last season, but just to the point of not being a direct liability anymore, which is really the bare minimum we should expect from a goalie. Basically, the best he's shown in four seasons is average.

He still doesn't command his area that well, he's still poor with his feet and he doesn't make particularly special saves. He's never made anything close to the save Ward made just before Athletico's goal the other night, for example. Karius has a lot more potential, he's better in 1v1s, more athletic and far better with his feet, but he seems to have serious issues concentrating and takes a lot of risks (eg. when he rushed out of his box to beat Lewandowski to a ball, but then tried to pick a team-mate with the header instead of just getting as much distance as he could) which makes him very bad for my blood pressure. I'll confess to not seeing a lot of Ward, but he seems more comfortable with the ball than Migs and a better shot stopper.

To me, we have to take a risk on giving Karius or Ward a run in the team if we have any intentions of keeping them - and that means starting one of them against Hoffenheim and Watford and keeping them in for at least a few games regardless of performance - ahead of Migs to see will they step up. If we start the season with Migs, then as far as I'm concerned we might as well sell the other two and get a new 1st choice keeper.

My initial expectation for the season was for Klopp to play one goalie in the Premier League, and another in the Champions League and Cups for the first couple of months and then make a decision on who to make 1st choice, but with him keeping Ward at the club and saying he wants a competition between all three, I'm not sure what he's going to do.

Incidentally, Ward and Karius were born on the same day.

{Ed025's Note - i bet it was april 1st..

1.) 04 Aug 2017
04 Aug 2017 19:53:45
I think Migs is the stand out keeper out of the 3 and done more than enough in the second half of the seadon to start as first choice. Its up to the other keepers to show that they are better and for me they haven't so far. As long as Migs played like he did at the back end of the season then we have no issue with a "first choice".

{Ed025's Note - i tend to agree irish..

2.) 04 Aug 2017
04 Aug 2017 20:43:48
Pieces of 8.pieces of 8.just repeating what 1 of the eds has said. shh.

3.) 04 Aug 2017
04 Aug 2017 20:56:08
Ward looked good in preseason.

4.) 04 Aug 2017
04 Aug 2017 23:56:04
Karius still has an issue with catching a ball .

{Ed025's Note - not a great trait in a goalie RF..