Simon Mignolet

[Fredo]

So Mig have been excellent and our defending average.

That's probably more accurate. Not just our defence, defends.

It's due to us sitting deep, or our answer at being pressurised. I think it's intentional as I heard Rodgers saying after our first game this season.

[Arn]

That's probably more accurate. Not just our defence, defends.

It's due to us sitting deep, or our answer at being pressurised. I think it's intentional as I heard Rodgers saying after our first game this season.

Mig isn't a sweeper keeper and that means that we really can't play with a high defensive line. Then you add that he isn't great starting up quick counter attacks so we really shouldn't play with a deep defensive line.

Rodgers must sort that out. I don't have a clue how to solve that one.

Will take a few months until we know how to play in defense but I'm very confident that Rodgers will solve it.

[Fredo]

Mig isn't a sweeper keeper and that means that we really can't play with a high defensive line. Then you add that he isn't great starting up quick counter attacks so we really shouldn't play with a deep defensive line.

Rodgers must sort that out. I don't have a clue how to solve that one.

Will take a few months until we know how to play in defense but I'm very confident that Rodgers will solve it.

Think he wants to suck teams in and play on the counter, if we can't control the game.

[Arn]

So why is it so important that the keeper is a sweeper keeper if you play a high defensive line?

If he isn't then the players must cover the space the keeper should cover. That means that they must work a lot more because they must cover more space.

If he isn't then the defenders must find someone else to pass the ball to instead of the easy option, a pass back to the keeper. That means a higher risk to make mistakes. The defenders must be more like Agger instead of like Carra.

[Arn]

Think he wants to suck teams in and play on the counter, if we can't control the game.

Stupid thing to do IMO when the striker isn't 100% fit and can't work his socks off.

Long balls to a striker that isn't fit enough to chase them.

[kev776]

So why is it so important that the keeper is a sweeper keeper if you play a high defensive line?

If he isn't then the players must cover the space the keeper should cover. That means that they must work a lot more because they must cover more space.

If he isn't then the defenders must find someone else to pass the ball to instead of the easy option, a pass back to the keeper. That means a higher risk to make mistakes. The defenders must be more like Agger instead of like Carra.

Why is having loads of tattoos an advantage?

[Arn]

Why is having loads of tattoos an advantage?

So the opponents will look at the tattoos instead of the ball

[Fredo]

So why is it so important that the keeper is a sweeper keeper if you play a high defensive line?

If he isn't then the players must cover the space the keeper should cover. That means that they must work a lot more because they must cover more space.

If he isn't then the defenders must find someone else to pass the ball to instead of the easy option, a pass back to the keeper. That means a higher risk to make mistakes. The defenders must be more like Agger instead of like Carra.

Is Victor Valdes a sweeper keeper in Barcelona's high defensive line?

There are many scenarios during a game and it seems like we're still adapting to them. Last year we were looking to control the game at all costs and maybe now Rodgers is trying to instill a balance in how we set up tactically. It's an evolutive process.

Swansea are a good team who keep possession well. Sometimes it's just difficult to get the ball, so we need to relax and adopt a defensive position.

[RedReet]

Since Lucas has returned, we have kept 15 clean sheets in 28 PL matches. That would give an average of over 20 for the season which betters anything we achieved when Pepe was at his best and falls just short of the PL record of 21.

We have some issues, but is our defence really that bad?

[Arn]

Is Victor Valdes a sweeper keeper in Barcelona's high defensive line?

There are many scenarios during a game and it seems like we're still adapting to them. Last year we were looking to control the game at all costs and maybe now Rodgers is trying to instill a balance in how we set up tactically. It's an evolutive process.

Swansea are a good team who keep possession well. Sometimes it's just difficult to get the ball, so we need to relax and adopt a defensive position.

Yes he is. He is an excellent sweeper keeper.

[RichC]

Last night wasn't the best of games for us in the end but unsurprising when you consider all the changes we had to make both prior to the match and during as well.

We've let in 2 goals in 4 games so far this season when we're clearly not firing on all cylinders.

It certainly feels like some try to find fault for the sake of finding fault.

[Arn]

Since Lucas has returned, we have kept 15 clean sheets in 28 PL matches. That would give an average of over 20 for the season which betters anything we achieved when Pepe was at his best and falls just short of the PL record of 21.

We have some issues, but is our defence really that bad?

As already been mentiond. It is a building process. It takes time to make it work.

Mig have probably been our best player this season and if the keeper is that then you have a problem to sort out.

We asked before the season how important it is that Mig can cope getting very few finishes against him, concentration etc.

Instead he is forced to do save after save like he did at Sunderland.

He should be forced to make two or three saves a game, no more than that. Now it is almost five a game.

[Arn]

Last night wasn't the best of games for us in the end but unsurprising when you consider all the changes we had to make both prior to the match and during as well.

We've let in 2 goals in 4 games so far this season when we're clearly not firing on all cylinders.

It certainly feels like some try to find fault for the sake of finding fault.

So why have we let in only two goals this season?

Is it because we have played great or that Mignolet been excellent?

We could easily lost against Villa, ManU and against Swansea. It is only against Stoke that you can say that we deserved to win the game.

Top of the league without even being close to play great football. That is both a good and bad sign.

[Fredo]

So why have we let in only two goals this season?

Is it because we have played great or that Mignolet been excellent?

We could easily lost against Villa, ManU and against Swansea. It is only against Stoke that you can say that we deserved to win the game.

Top of the league without even being close to play great football. That is both a good and bad sign.

More a good sign than a bad one for me. It's clear Rodgers knows we're not the finished article (he said that we were far from our best himself last night). So, from that basis, we can only improve.

[RichC]

We've let two goals in because we've got a good keeper and the team has been playing well for the most part - we've actually been pretty comfortable for the most part this season with Mignolet making a few good saves but probably not many that you think he shouldn't have made (I think our expectations were lowered in the end with Pepe who let far too many in over the past few seasons).

We're not quite there yet as a side but we've certainly moved forwards since the turn of the year which is shown by being unbeaten in something like our last 12 league matches.

So I'd say being top of the league whilst not have been brilliant is a great thing to see as it shows there is plenty of room for improvement of which I am sure we'll see.