http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/karius-v-mignolet-who-win-11384874 please log in to view this image Loris Karius v Simon Mignolet ‘I didn’t come here to sit on the bench.’ It’s a sentiment echoed by many a goalkeeper when they arrive at a new club. Adam Bogdan said it when he arrived at Liverpool last summer. Brad Jones hoped to be up for the fight when he arrived in 2010. Diego Cavalieri had every intention of ousting Pepe Reina. And now it’s Loris Karius’ turn to fight for to be the first name on Jurgen Klopp’s teamsheet. “I wouldn’t make the move, if I thought I was just going to sit on the bench.,” he told the club’s official website. “I want to play and I feel like I will be able to do that if I do well in training and pre-season and the pre-season games. I’m confident. I’ve played almost 100 league games in Germany, so I’m young but I’m experienced. I’m not afraid of anything.” Karius, it seems, is no Bogdan or Jones. This time it feels different. This time it seems that the 22-year-old new arrival, who will wear the number one shirt, has every chance. How do they compare? But how does he compare to Simon Mignolet? And is he really up to the task of becoming the Reds’ true number one, on the pitch as well as in shirt number? It’s always difficult to compare goalkeepers, of course. There are, after all, plenty of variables to consider. How good is the defence in front of them? What style of play is the goalkeeper asked to employ? Age comes into play, experience also. Pressure can often have a lot to do with it. After all, there’s a reason why they say all goalkeepers are mad. Karius, it seems, really excels in one key area. Shot stopping. And his weakness, according to Bundesliga observers, is coming for crosses. Sound familiar? It’s intriguing that Klopp would invest in a new goalkeeper with the similar strengths and weaknesses as Liverpool’s current first-choice stopper. Shot-stopping Karius has significantly impressed in the Bundesliga this season - making more saves from outside the box than any other goalkeeper. And good ones at that, simply witness his stunning full-stretch stop to deny Arturo Vidal in Mainz’s 2-1 victory at the Allianz in March. According to Squawka, on average he makes 2.53 saves per game, surpassing Mignolet’s average of 1.53 by some way. This, of course, could be down to Mainz conceding more shots than Liverpool - but Karius’ stops-per-goal rating also stands up to scrutiny - again beating Mignolet 2.10 to 1.27. One of the main reasons for groans at Anfield in recent seasons has been the speed in which Mignolet leaves his line. The Belgian often appearing indecisive and slow when coming to meet opposition attackers or crosses. Karius, on the other hand, tends to make a lot of saves when leaving his line quickly and closing down attackers - snuffing out chances for would-be goalscorers. Crosses When it comes to catching crosses, Karius also holds sway over Mignolet. According to Squawka, he claims an average of 96% of high balls - far better than just 82% for Mignolet. So much for that supposed weakness. Distribution Another cause of groans? Mignolet’s distribution. The former Sunderland man has often drawn the ire of Liverpool fans for his ponderous kicking - but it is he who comes out on top when you compare him with Liverpool’s new boy. Mignolet’s success rate of 66% beats Karius’ 60% success rate. Interestingly, though, Karius’ kicks (or throws) a longer average distance than his new rival for the number one jersey - 40m on average to 38m. High standards Statistics, of course, only tell so much of a story. They can’t tell you what a player’s mentality is like. They can’t tell you how good he is at communicating with his team-mates. They are no substitute for the eyes of supporters who watch their players ever week. But it does seem that goalkeepers are judged by higher standards than any other player. Mistakes are scrutinised each and every week, and they can ill afford a poor run of form. Mignolet has often been a victim of these standards. Yes, he has made mistakes - find a goalkeeper who hasn’t. Yes, he struggles at times with crosses - many a goalkeeper does. And yes, his kicking isn’t the greatest - but this weakness was often exposed by Liverpool’s tactics in playing the ball back to him. In truth, however, there aren’t many goalkeepers who stand up to scrutiny. David De Gea is the Premier League’s best - but who else in the Premier League inspires such confidence? Hugo Lloris has his doubters, Petr Cech is past his best and Thibault Courtois has struggled for form and fitness this season. Therefore it promises to be an interesting battle between the two rivals in 2016/17. It’s anyone’s guess who holds the advantage. It could depend on whether Germany decide to pick Karius for the Olympic Games in Brazil. If that is the case then Mignolet could be handed an early advantage - and a chance to set the tone for Liverpool’s league season ahead. If the Reds are set to challenge for the upper echelons of the Premier League, then they will need the man between the sticks to be in form. Who can forget Mignolet’s debut, in 2013, when his penalty save in the final minutes helped the Reds secure an opening day victory against Stoke. He then would go on to make a string of eye-catching saves against Aston Villa and Manchester United to help the Reds to a trio of 1-0 victories - upon which a title challenge was built. Many have tried for the number one spot, and many have failed - don’t write Mignolet off just yet.
Whether he becomes number 1 this year or next, it seems like we genuinely have at the minimum good competition for Mignolet now, so he knows he has to up his game in order to maintain that number 1 spot. And for £5m seems like really decent value
Without kicking a ball he got number one shirt. What's going to happen when he starts kicking the ball?.
We all know he'll be starting. Issue is if Mignolet stays or can sort a transfer - and when as Karius is at the Olympics. Mignolet is a confidence player. He is likely to be an awful back-up for that reason.
def a replacement for me. but the worry is who is going to be the new backup keeper, as say for arguments sake this new keeper is no better than migs was, are we going to be cheap ass batards again and save wages and not get a decent backup to push the no 1 keeper?
Dont think we'll sell Mig this year, especially if Karius is at the olympics. Will be a fight between them both in my opinion, especially as karius won't be on huge wages so keeping both in terms of budget isn't an issue, not like when we had Reina on 100k and Mig joining on 70k
The shirt thing No. 1 That's what a keeper wants, to be number 1. What does it say about Mingolets personality that he didn't want that number? IMO he should have gone to Klopp and asked for that number for next season, I don't think he's a strong enough character and that shows on the pitch. I don't thinkKarius will start for us straight away unless Mingo has a terrible pre-season, I don't think it'll be long though as I don't think having a good keeper in the background will help Mingolet. I think it'll play on his mind and be his downfall.
Unless you can read minds we don't know what it says. Reina never had it. Some players like to stick to a certain number, whether it be for reasons of sentiment or superstition or whatever. I wouldn't go reading too much into it tbh.
Mingolets was unable to ask for 1 because he lacks confidence. Like number 7&9, I do not think players can ask for them and get them immediately. Maybe our new keeper is lucky. I hope he brings his luck to the club.
Belgium national football team Nickname(s) De Rode Duivels Les Diables Rouges Die Roten Teufel (The Red Devils)
