Stats – Are Liverpool really making Mignolet a better goalkeeper?

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Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet believes Liverpool are making him a better goalkeeper.

Simon Mignolet believes he is becoming a better goalkeeper at Liverpool as he gets used to the pressure of holding down the number one spot at Anfield.

The Belgian came into the club with a blossoming reputation and despite some recent mistakes, he’s done a respectable job between the sticks compensating for Pepe Reina who now looks destined to leave the club.

“I had a difficult month but you are going to get them as a football player. You are never going to get everything go your way and you have to accept that – It’s nice to work with Luis and Daniel day in, day out as it makes you better as a keeper,” said Mignolet.

So has the role of the club, as well as training with Sturridge and Suarez made Mignolet a better goalkeeper? We’ve looked at the stats, splitting Mignolet’s season down the middle covering Liverpool’s first and second sets of 12 matches.

Punches

In terms of his punching stats, he seems to be much more cautious and taking fewer risks at the moment.

That will come from the confidence he’s been given by the back four in front of him and it also hints that his leadership and organisation has improved at the back, getting the defence into a position where he doesn’t have to come and clear the danger.

High Claims

The number of high claims he’s made has increased over the second set of 12 matches while the number of punches has decreased.

That suggests that Mignolet’s timing and judgement of situations and when to come and claim a ball is much better. He’s not having to punch as much at the moment, because when he comes for the ball he claims it.

Accurate Goal Kicks

One area he’s stayed consistent since he joined the club is in terms of goal kicks, with a slight improvement over the second half of games.

He’s able to find Liverpool players from long distances, which is important on the occasions when the team is chasing a match or trying to grab a late winner in injury time.

Saves Inside the Box

He’s making fewer saves from inside his own penalty area, which again relates back to his relationship with the defence.

It will always be more common for a goalkeeper to make more saves inside his own box when his defence drops too deep and Mignolet isn’t allowing that to happen.

Errors which led to a Goal

The one area which contradicts all of the good work of these previous stats, is the errors he’s made which have led to goals with that figure tripling over the second set of 12 games.

It’s explainable through the fact Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has had to chop and change his defence because of injuries, but it’s something Mignolet is embracing which is encouraging.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if he doesn’t make another error this season.

image: © Ronnie Macdonald