Debunking the BIGGEST Giorgi Mamardashvili myth

As confirmed in last summer's transfer window, Liverpool will have a new goalkeeper in town in the form of Giorgi Mamardashvili after a £29m deal was agreed with Valencia.

It was decided that it was best if the Georgian were to remain on loan at Valencia this season, before making the permanent move to Merseyside at the end of the campaign.

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As such, it looks likely that Caoimhin Kelleher will leave the Reds in search of more regular minutes, while Alisson will compete with Mamardashvili to be Liverpool's No.1 going forward.

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Alisson is now 32 years old and while goalkeepers are able to continue playing at a high level for longer than outfield players, it is clear that eventually Liverpool will need to move on from the Brazilian as well.

However, despite having an impressive 2023/24 season in La Liga for Valencia, Marmadashvili has struggled this season in goal and there is a growing concern that Liverpool might have made a mistake before he has even arrived.

The mitigating factors behind Mamardashvilli's troubles

The Daily Mail's latest Liverpool Confidential names Mamardashvili as statistically one of the worst goalkeepers in the Spanish league this season.

In terms of goals prevented according to Sofascore, he has gone from +9.26 to -5.59 between this season and last season, although his average number of saves per game has largely stayed the same - from 2.9 to 2.3.

In addition, while there are still 13 league games to go, he has five clean sheets to his name compared to 13 and his side have conceded 41 goals so far, while Valencia only conceded 45 last season.

All of that is true, but what is lacking from those basic numbers is common sense and some critical thinking.

While he may well be having an off season, his teammates are far from helping him as the defence in front of him is simply proving to be a lot more shaky this season than last.

Valencia are 18th in La Liga, a position whereby the team is under-pressure and he is facing more shots than he is used to. As such, while his save percentage is down, it makes sense because he is facing more of them, and the shots at goal are likely to be closer to goal if the defence is proving weak.

Likewise, if the defensive structure that the players are working in is not solid, the Mamardashvili will not be given the certainty that he is used to, leading to him second guessing himself by positioning himself differently and changing his way of goalkeeping, be it staying on the goal line or rushing out to clear the danger more often.

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When in front of a structured defence, such as the Valencia of last season that finished ninth in La Liga, he is much more likely to excel and showcase what he can do.

Throughout the 2024 Euros, he also had a stable defence in front of him, and while Georgia were prone to conceding a lot of shots, he could predict what to do because his focus was unwavering, allowing him to make 29 saves across the tournament, conceding just eight goals - per UEFA.

As such, while he might be struggling this season, it is understandable as to why, because the conditions he is playing in are a nightmare for a goalkeeper, having to second guess yourself in front of a defence that is not stable. At Liverpool the situation will be flipped on its head.

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The Reds occasionally have matches where the goalkeeper isn't troubled at all in the 90 minutes, and while being led by Virgil Van Dijk, Mamardashvili can create an understanding with his future teammates about how best to work together, which will inevitably bring the best out of him.

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