Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has come under fire from the Reds’ former stopper Bruce Grobbelaar after his shaky start to the season.
Brendan Rodgers’ side are struggling this campaign, sitting 12th in the Premier League table and already a massive 18 points off pacesetters Chelsea.
And according to Grobbelaar, Belgian goalkeeper Mignolet, who has conceded 18 goals in the opening 12 league games, has to take a lot of the responsibility.
‘I’ve always said that he doesn’t command his area,’ Grobbelaar told BBC Sport. ‘Yes, he’s a great shot stopper. I was slaughtered last year by Liverpool fans saying that I was being too harsh on him.
‘I’m not being too harsh on him. Not at all. He’s worse than Dracula, because at least Dracula comes out of his coffin now and then. He seems to stay on his line and that’s it.
‘The whole 18-yard area – not just the six-yard area – is the goalkeeper’s, in modern goalkeeping. If you come out and get the ball, and you get smacked, you’re going to get the foul. It’s not rocket science.
‘And he’s a big lad. As soon as that ball’s in the air, get out. Come for it. You’re going to get a lot more fouls for you, and there’ll be fewer balls going into the back of your net.’
And Grobbelaar believes Rodgers must look at replacing Mignolet if his side are to stop conceding so many goals.
‘They let in 50 goals last season and came second. Any team who let in 50 goals should never be in second position in the first place,’ he added.
‘That was brushed over because of the brilliance of Suarez and Sturridge scoring so many goals. So Suarez is out, but you’re still going to let in 50 goals. That’s your problem. You’re going to have to get a goalkeeper who can actually stop that.
‘You’ve got to shore it up at the back. Get yourself a goalkeeper who will only let in 30 goals a season – fewer than 30 goals a season.’
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