Build from the back

Oops!!

No cryptic start to the title of this blog. It is about what it says it's about. Liverpool remain in my view a team in transition, despite Brendan Rodgers telling The Mirror this week that he thinks he's solved Liverpool's "Top-four puzzle". Perhaps he knows something we don't? I hope so. Reported over the last couple of days has been the possible signing of Sunderland 'keeper Simon Mignolet.

If Rodgers can get Mignolet on board, then he may well be right. The finishing table from last season shows The Reds a creditable seventh, just two points away from the blue-noses across the way. In other words, a win or two draws short of sixth. You probably know where I'm going with this. Pepe Reina is rumored to be leaving for Barcelona this year, and I think that could be a good move for both Reina and Liverpool. Errors against Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham among others' individual mistakes cost the team dear and I think it's time for a change between the sticks. 

I checked some stats for both Mignolet and Reina and they make interesting reading. The shots faced to goals conceded is telling. According to thescore.com Reina's ratio shows that out of 292 shots he was  beaten 34 times. Or 11.6% of all shots bulging the net. On the other hand, Mignolet, played more games but let in 54 goals having faced 524 strikes. Remember, he was playing for Sunderland, bless him! These numbers give us a return of 10.3% which considering he was clearly overworked speaks volumes for his ability. 

There are another two areas I looked at which indicate that perhaps Reina has, quite literally, taken his eye off the ball. He's been at fault for at least, arguably six points this season. Against Citeh and the Gooners, valuable points were lost through errors. A glance at Reina's stats show a steady increase over the last three seasons to reach six howlers last term. If I wanted to be pedantic, I'd say that was six points right there. Not enough for European qualification but a place higher nonetheless. Mignolet on the other hand has an error count of just two. Notwithstanding the fact the poor lad didn't get a moment's rest! Add to that the fact that Reina has missed 32% or 10 of his 41 crosses compared to Mignolet's 6% or 3 of the 50 crosses he's had to intercept and you get the picture.

Unlike David James, who I believe Liverpool let go before his peak, it's probably time for Peps to move on. I wouldn't say he's past it, but I get the impression that he's not as happy at Liverpool these days as he has been in the past. Is it any coincidence that since the speculation linking him with a move to Barcelona, his form has steadily declined? I'd say, his heart is definitely not in it anymore. To be fair to him, he started out at Barcelona and the chance to return there as number one and follow in his old man's footsteps must be a hard one to resist. On the other hand, Mignolet at 25 has his best years ahead of him and is in the kind of form Reina was showing three or four seasons ago.

Pepe Reina will be sorely missed because he has been a relatively consistent performer over the time he's been at Liverpool but if Rodgers is intending to push for a top four spot next season, then he could do a lot worse than bringing Mignolet in to shore up the last line of defence. With the additions made to the attack, he still has work to do with the rest of the defence. Kolo "tree-trunk legs" Toure is a more than worthwhile signing in my opinion but we still need more cover. You know, build from the back, so to speak.

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