Simon Mignolet Is Liverpool’s Number One

There is no clear, explicit, decisive, firm or perspicuous plan to restore Loris Karius to his former spot as Liverpool’s starting goalkeeper. The young German is now the number two. After a few lackluster performances and the unwelcome kerfuffle of Neville-gate, Jürgen Klopp has decided to take Karius out of the spotlight and allow Simon Mignolet the chance he’s been patiently waiting for.

When asked to estimate a time for Karius’ return to the pitch, the manager was very straightforward with his answer.

“No, that’s not how football works,” said Klopp. “Now it’s Simon’s chance.”

Simon’s triumph, though, is Loris Karius’ defeat and ex-Mainz player will now have to take the blow, keep his head right and train his way back into the top spot again.

“I know how strong Loris Karius is,” Klopp said, “but unfortunately he couldn’t show it in the last one, two, three games—I’m not sure, that’s not too important. I am absolutely not interested in public pressure. But I am interested in the boy and there is no reason to push him through this situation.

“There is absolutely no reason, especially when you have a goalkeeper like Simon Mignolet in training.”

Mignolet is off somewhere doing victory push-ups right now. And, he should be. Because he’s been quietly powering through this whole thing. He lost his place after playing well at the start of the season. He played well when called on sparingly. He put out his positive vibes on social media. He graduated cum laude from the Danny Ings inspirational workout video academy. And now he’s ready to present peak, hungry-for-victory Mignolet to the world.

“I’m really happy with our goalkeeper situation,” said Klopp. “We have these two really, really good goalkeepers, a very experienced Alex Manninger, who is a wonderful person, and three outstanding really young goalkeepers.

“The goalkeeping situation at Liverpool is really good. So, that’s why I said there is no reason to push one through. We want to develop the players.

“Loris is still very young. He is a big goalkeeping talent and everything will be good in the end but there is no timeline for when he will be back.”

I know what you’re going to say. We’re back to Simon Mignolet between the sticks. Yes, we are. And for how long, we don’t know. But Klopp has judged and Judy’d and Loris Karius will stand aside for the big Belgian.

Nothing will be perfect, because it never is for anybody. And debates abound on quality and worthiness, etc, but peak, hungry-for-victory Mignolet is more than capable of seeing us through Karius’ extended haitus.