Also wonder if the apparent lack of voice at the back could result in this actually happening? One thing Pepe isn't is quiet on the pitch and none of our current lads are particularly vocal.
I think this is key. Despite Pepe's failings in his last seasons before heading to Napoli, he was always vocal, and to an extent the goalkeeper has to be the one organizing the defense as he sees everything in front of him much better than the players in the back line. I think there are much better keepers than Pepe, BUT if it is only between Pepe and Mignolet then the answer is pretty clear. You could hear Pepe screaming a mile away during our matches, yelling at the back line, whereas you could almost never hear Mignolet last season. I remember the one time I did hear him, against Saints at home, it was on a corner and he kind of sheepishly yelled the "a" in away, then yelled the whole word timidly after! "uh... away! away!" Pathetic. Not commanding at all in the box.
whereas Pepe always sounded like a banshee when the ball came near him.
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