The main reason I submitted the list was to highlight just how subjective this all is. What actually makes a good keeper? Is a good keeper for one club necessarily a good keeper for another? What attributes are really most important to Liverpool? What attributes are really most important to us each here when judging keepers, potentially for Liverpool or otherwise? It's a joke!
My list was predominantly a judgement on what I saw last year, and how I felt that keeper would perform for us. That position in my mind was also then altered to certain extents by their greater history of performances, as well as a personal projection of how I think they'll go next year.
So, for example, keepers like Lloris, Begovic and Cech dropped in my mind with their performances this year, while Pope and Dubravka raised theirs with performances and temperament that inspire a positive projection from me. Can't get more subjective than that!
Then there is the fact that I'm clearly looking for different qualities than most of you, and possibly Liverpool too. Many of you judge really highly on shot stopping (particularly of the acrobatic type). Others on one's ability to be a sweeper keeper. For me, I look at other intangibles as possibly even more important.
I mean, does Liverpool face enough challenging shots on target compared to most clubs that require athletic shot stopping to be the most important quality to have? Sure, Karius can make some great reflex saves, but one could also argue that when he has more time he often poorly judges the flight of the ball (often with disastrous consequences). Is this a technical problem or a temperament one in his case? I'm not sure I'm happy to wait for him to overcome it, either way. Is he really that convincing when he rushes up to claim a ball before an advancing attacker as a sweeper keeper. I know I haven't been all that convinced.
What I value more than his debatable positives though, is someone who fills me (and likely his own defenders) with more confidence. We need someone who communicates well and who commands the box. Again, this is subjective, but I personally have no doubt that both Karius and Mignolet suck at this. Not only not close to world class, but very ordinary. As a team that loves to counter attack, but will end up dominating possession and chances for probably 33+ PL games per year now, we're going to be targeted most from set pieces and crosses. If our keepers commanded the box with actions and words, I'd be so much more forgiving of bloopers. So would many other fans, for we'd see the vast improvement in our defence as a solid, collective unit. No more embarrassing goals from corners and free kicks. No more having to witness our defenders (and Hendo/Can) all looking at each other with accusations after an opponent wasn't marked/tracked, or a clearance made, because no one damn talks and demands responsibility to be taken.
Before VVD came we were a hot mess. He has already improved the culture of our defence, but we still have a way to go. TAA and Robbo are great, but despite being positive doers, they are still followers at this stage of their careers. The temperament of Lovren and Karius/Mignolet, however are still liabilities. A strong keeper combined with VVD may just push Lovren to a higher, more consistent standard, but without one, I see us continuing to be vulnerable and error prone to a degree that will still make us challenging Man City a really tough challenge.
We don't need, nor want, Sergio Ramos type players, but we do need some more mongrel and leadership at the back. Our "nice guys" may not come last, but to come first, which is what we're all desperate for here, we need more character. And when I compare Karius to others, he falls well short, and I just can't project him to much better at this stage. I just can't.
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