Naby Keita

[labourRed]

Key passes, big chances created, dribbles, tackles, interceptions, etc?
He’s frequently top when he plays. Henderson has had a better season, but you’d expect so since he’s played regularly. Fabinho has that poor period after his injury but he’s the best DM in the league.

Yeah, i don't have time for all that but he's not going to best Fab and Hendo for tackles and interceptions and anyway my point was how often he gets on the ball.

The key number is 14apps. He's never going to be a big player for us if he's appearing half as much as his counterparts.

Should he get around 30apps next year, lets hope he's improved his confidence and the stats will follow suit. These so-called meaningless games post winning the ****er might be the making of him.

[Mark79]

Yeah, i don't have time for all that but he's not going to best Fab and Hendo for tackles and interceptions and anyway my point was how often he gets on the ball.

The key number is 14apps. He's never going to be a big player for us if he's appearing half as much as his counterparts.

Should he get around 30apps next year, lets hope he's improved his confidence and the stats will follow suit. These so-called meaningless games post winning the ****er might be the making of him.

It was rhetorical, I didn’t mean for you to provide them.

But he is often top in 1 or both of these when he plays. He’s frequently top for recoveries. Beyond that, if he’s to be on the ball more often, then we need the ball to go through him more often as a team.

Yeah he needs to play more to really get going, but my point is I don’t think his involvement can really be faulted when he does play, for the most part anyway.

[RedReet]

It would be convenient to suggest the recent speculation about a potential new addition to Liverpool’s midfield has jolted Naby Keita into life.

After all, since Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara was linked with a summer move to Anfield, the Guinea international has delivered two match-winning contributions for the new champions.

But in truth, the resurgence of Keita goes back beyond that, to the beginning of “Project Restart”. No one in Jurgen Klopp’s squad benefited from the three-month mid-season sabbatical more than the 25-year-old.

That pandemic-enforced break enabled him to get fully fit after niggling muscle issues had prevented him playing more than a cameo role in Liverpool’s march to title glory. His sharpness was the talk of the dressing room after the squad resumed full training.

“Naby lad”, as he’s affectionately known by his team-mates, lit up the friendly thrashing of Blackburn Rovers and provided one of the few positives to emerge from the dour derby stalemate at Goodison in the first league game back.

Having come off the bench against both Crystal Palace and Manchester City, he was restored to the starting line-up against Aston Villa at the weekend. He brought the contest to life with the incisive pass which enabled Sadio Mane to break the deadlock with 20 minutes to go.

On Wednesday night, Keita went to the next level against Brighton. Here was the player who lit up the Bundesliga in 2016-17 and convinced Liverpool to pay RB Leipzig £52.75 million to secure his services. When he performs in this sparkling manner, Klopp’s initial assessment that he had acquired “the complete midfielder” doesn’t sound like hyperbole.

Pressing eagerly and intelligently, he robbed Davy Propper of possession and laid on the opener for Mohamed Salah. Moments later, he won the ball back once again and fed Roberto Firmino, who linked up with Salah before Jordan Henderson slammed home the second from 20 yards.

Having gone seven hours and 47 minutes without scoring on their travels in all competitions (their previous away goal coming at Norwich in February), Liverpool had netted twice within 127 seconds. And Keita was the driving force behind that stunning early burst.

If Firmino and Salah had been more clinical, the tireless Keita could have had a hat-trick of assists before Klopp replaced him with Fabinho for the final half-hour.

“Naby was absolutely great,” beamed the Liverpool manager. “He’s getting better, step by step, game by game. It’s really cool. I am really happy about that and long may it continue.

“When the boys stay fit then everything is fine with the quality they have. The way we play suits Naby, winning those balls, and being the coach I am I couldn’t be happier about those kind of goals. I am really grateful to see things like that.”

Keita, making only his seventh league start of the season, made four key passes, two tackles and an interception, won 75 per cent of his duels, had a passing accuracy of 86 per cent and gained possession on seven occasions. Only Henderson (eight) managed more — and he was on the field for 20 minutes longer before being forced off late on with a knee injury.

The captain will undergo a scan, with Klopp’s ominous assessment that “it will not be nothing” raising fears his season could be over.

As thoughts turn to the transfer window, those links with Thiago have once again shone a light on the make-up of Liverpool’s midfield. The back five and the front three effectively pick themselves but the manager has regularly chopped and changed the identity of the trio in between.

Georginio Wijnaldum (2,628 minutes) has played more Premier League football than any other Liverpool midfielder this season, followed by Henderson (2,244), Fabinho (1,804), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (1,347), James Milner (812), Keita (613) and Adam Lallana (374).

In terms of output in the final third, Henderson has been the most productive in terms of both goals (four) and assists (five). For the most part though, Klopp has looked for control and discipline rather than dynamism and invention from his midfield — hence Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum being the most used combination. Liverpool have relied heavily on the creativity and potency of their full-backs and the front three.

In games when teams have parked the bus and Klopp has sought a different approach, Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain have given a more adventurous look to the midfield. However, both have endured stop-start seasons due to fitness and form and have only sporadically delivered.

Lallana is preparing to depart as a free agent but Klopp believes that gap will be filled by the emergence of 19-year-old Curtis Jones.

Do Liverpool need another option? Talk of Thiago has been fuelled by the knowledge he’s preparing to leave Bayern Munich this summer in search of a new challenge.

The Athletic understands the Spain international is keen to move to the Premier League and would relish the opportunity to work with Klopp. Down to the final year of his contract, he would be available for around £30 million.

Klopp has previously eulogised about Thiago’s talent but senior sources at Liverpool insist it’s currently unlikely that they will pursue a deal. There has been no contact with Bayern.

“The question is whether there really is a position in the team for a player like Thiago,” former Liverpool midfielder and Bundesliga pundit Didi Hamann tells The Athletic. “The midfield is workmanlike. They get most of their creativity from other areas. In most games, they attack with five players — the full-backs and the front three.

“The protection provided by the midfield means Liverpool are rarely caught on the counter-attack. There’s a nice balance. You don’t want to lose that balance but, for me, there should always be room for someone of the calibre of Thiago.”

It would certainly be a transfer out of keeping with the model that has led the club to this point, given that he’s 29, has had injury problems in recent years and would command a huge salary.

“But you could still get a very good three or four years out of him,” Hamann adds. “And with his contract situation, the fee would be relatively low. I’d be happy to get him for £25 million.

“Thiago isn’t someone who relies on his pace. He’s smart. He uses the ball well. There were doubts about him when he first came to Bayern but in the last 18 months he’s been really good. That’s why they offered him a new contract. They don’t want to lose him.

“He’s not a holding midfielder. Thiago is a No 8. My one criticism of him is that he doesn’t score enough goals.

“There’s such a fear factor about Liverpool now. Teams come to Anfield and just try to frustrate them and that’s likely to get worse next season. Thiago has huge quality in terms of unlocking defences. He could be very useful. I think if there’s one area of this team that Liverpool can improve, it’s probably the midfield.”

Yet in a summer when money is going to be tight due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Liverpool appear to have bigger priorities in terms of squad depth.

The win over Brighton once again highlighted the lack of cover on the left flank. Academy graduate Neco Williams could hold his head high after making his full Premier League debut but the gifted right-sided youngster, who was taken off at half-time after picking up a booking, isn’t a left-back.

The balance of the team was transformed by the introduction of Andy Robertson and Liverpool require a deputy for the Scotsman.

Similarly, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s display only reaffirmed that he is much more effective operating through the middle than being stuck out on the left of the front three. Liverpool need to ease the burden on Mane, given the current gulf in class between their elite front three and the back-up options. Then there’s the issue of centre-back cover, given the ongoing fitness issues of Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip.

With Wijnaldum’s future uncertain having now entered the final year of his contract, Liverpool’s stance on Thiago could yet change.

But if Keita can stay fit and continue to reach the standards he’s set since the resumption, Klopp’s midfield really will have a new dimension next season without the need to splash the cash.

[Irishnev]

Please stay fit next season Naby lad

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[Shaggy]

****ing now then! Absolutely magic tonight and you feel there's even more to come. Exciting ****.

[Irishnev]

****ing now then! Absolutely magic tonight and you feel there's even more to come. Exciting ****.

Not sure how many years left in his contract but I think next year will be when he explodes. Seems he is now integrated and if he has an injury free run he has it all

[Buzzo]

Seems like a real confidence player. But look at the potential.

Needs to nail down a role in the starting XI, in a competitive position.

Thing is, we need him and Ox and Jones and Fab, and Hendo and Gini and Milner all at 100% every game. No passengers even in 30 mins from the bench.

[SB]

Superb performance today & wow that goal was sensational. Please stay fit

[Fredo]

Him and Curtis Jones is probably the reason we might not sign Thiago.

[danperkins]

Was excellent last night, what a hit!

[Rich]

That was a fabulous goal.

[ronanm]

Loved that goal but also the way he gave that plodder Azpilbedwetta the slip

[SB]

The goal was the icing on the cake & hopefully the making of him but his all round game was so good too.

[Mark79]

[ame]https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1286284402524291072[/ame]

[baitman]

Who is that old guy lurking in the doorway?