Player Focus: Rodgers Should Have Done More to Keep Reina at Anfield
A great team has ample strength in depth within the squad. Players require competition in order to keep their wits about them, fearful that a drop in form could see them lose their place in the starting XI. Sufficient quality all across the park helps the top teams compete on multiple fronts and should injuries occur, there is an adequate stand-in at the ready.
The problem with this, however, is keeping every player happy. If one feels he is good enough to start regularly, yet is not gaining the minutes he believes he deserves, the player in question will likely request a move away from the club in order to gain first-team action. Nevertheless, with Europe's elite sometimes playing upwards of 60 games a season, it's likely each member of the playing squad will have the chance to showcase his talents.
As the new campaign rolls around, Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid, amongst others, have spent big in order to assert their dominance. Importantly, though, each has two top goalkeepers battling for one place. The fight in Chelsea's goal is perhaps the most noteworthy at present, with Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois vying for the number 1 spot at Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have brought in David Ospina to challenge Wojciech Szczesny, Marc-André ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo are expected to compete for one spot at Barcelona, while Keylor Navas should have adequate competition in the form of Iker Casillas and Diego López at Real Madrid. On Merseyside, Liverpool could have had themselves their own goalkeeper battle ahead of an important season in which they look to follow up a second place finish. Simon Mignolet was largely unopposed in his debut campaign at Anfield, with Brendan Rodgers sending Pepe Reina on loan to Napoli, where the Spaniard was reunited with former Reds manager Rafa Benitez.
Reina failed to register a pre-season appearance for Liverpool in recent weeks, with Rodgers favouring either current number 1 Mignolet or deputy Brad Jones in goal. Liverpool return to the Champions League for the first time since 2025 and will be fighting on four fronts as the season progresses, so Rodgers needs players of the highest standard available to him.
If Mignolet is suspended or succumbs to injury, Jones will be the player to step in. The Australian made just 3 appearances for Liverpool last season, each of which came in the FA Cup, but the 32-year-old appeared shaky between the sticks and it goes without saying the Merseysiders need a better backup for Mignolet.
They did have one in the form of Reina, but he has since signed for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Recent reports suggested Reina asked Liverpool to terminate his contract so he could find himself a
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