Topic: Naby Keita Watch

[duvva 💅]

He should walk into our midfield right now considering how much they contribute on the offensive side of the ball this season.

Yes, we’ve had a terrible start

[El Lobo]

Yes, we’ve had a terrible start

He’s been calling for a Gini/Ox/Milner midfield all season to be fair, at least he’s consistent

[AmanShah21]

Really want him to get fit and then stay injury free for the rest of the season. He has the tools to be one of the best forward pressing midfielders with an excellent pass on him. He'd only just started to show that in the run in April so I am hoping for more of that.
Him and Ox in front of Fabi can be a nightmare to deal with for teams that sit back.

[God's Left Peg]

Yes, we’ve had a terrible start

No. But could be improve our performances even further? Quite possibly.

[duvva 💅]

No. But could be improve our performances even further? Quite possibly.

I absolutely hope he will, but to say he just walks into the midfield due to their current contribution is ridiculous

[Knight]

He was certainly '1st choice' by the time we played Barca away last season. Fully fit, he still is I'd of thought.  Walk in to our midfield is a slight exaggeration mind.

[RedForeverTT]

He would have to fight for his place with Ox even when he is fit. Both lost a season through injury but Ox has the advantage of playing PL all his life and knows his way around whereas Keita never really had the run of games to acclimatise.

[Zlen]

A medium sized mountain to climb for Naby at the moment. He is a very good player, but another medium length injury this season and he becomes a bit of an afterthought - we carry on without him. If he remains fit for a prolonged period we could certsinly use his skills, especially alongside imperious Fabinho, but he needs to work extra hard now and hope his season isn’t again chopped into chunks.

[stockdam]

I think this is a big season for him. He’s been very unlucky with injury and has not had many opportunities. He was one player who we were all waiting for but so far he hasn’t lived up to expectations (that is not his fault).

He needs to impart himself and grab any opportunities otherwise he may remain on the bench. He’s competing with Ox, Lallana, Shaq and to some extent Origi to be a regular part of the first team.

Hopefully he gets, and takes, his chance soon.

[KurtVerbose]

He needs to impart himself

Impart - to communicate information to someone.

I need to impart to you that I think you meant impose?

[Sheer Magnetism]

I was reading that Klopp interview in the new FourFourTwo and there was a bit about Naby I thought was curious:

"Of course, you have to learn the language of the country you are in - a player like Naby Keita isn't playing all the time as he only understands about 30 per cent of the things we're talking about. Everybody likes him, but he doesn't understand enough yet."

If someone else had said this I'd take it with a very large pinch of salt, but the fact Klopp said it certainly raises questions. I mean, he knew we were signing him over two years ago - has he not been putting in the work? Was it not communicated to him it would be an issue? Is it likely to be resolved any time soon?

[Knight]

How old is that interview? The reason Keita hasn't been playing 'all the time' is he's been injured since May. Weird way of putting it if Klopp's been interviewed in the last month by them.

[Sheer Magnetism]

How old is that interview? The reason Keita hasn't been playing 'all the time' is he's been injured since May. Weird way of putting it if Klopp's been interviewed in the last month by them.

I have no idea, it's from a charity book that's about to come out where celebrities interview their footballing heroes. The comments about Stevie being a candidate for the next manager got some press coverage a few days ago.

[Sangria]

I have no idea, it's from a charity book that's about to come out where celebrities interview their footballing heroes. The comments about Stevie being a candidate for the next manager got some press coverage a few days ago.

If it's in a book, then it took place some time ago and not that recently. IIRC reading some comments like that before his run late last season that ended with Barcelona.

[keyop]

If someone else had said this I'd take it with a very large pinch of salt, but the fact Klopp said it certainly raises questions. I mean, he knew we were signing him over two years ago - has he not been putting in the work? Was it not communicated to him it would be an issue? Is it likely to be resolved any time soon?

I'm not sure its the case with Keita, but I don't think language barriers should ever be an issue for a modern professional player. Given the money in the game, players could have 1:1 tuition at the club or at home, especially as communication is such a key part of the game and Klopp's philosophy.

I'm also sure I read somewhere that the club demands that players speak to each other in English at all times, as that's the language to communicate on the pitch. I'm sure the Brazilians and Dutch have their own conversations socially in their own language, but surely during training, meetings, and any time spent at the club it should always be consistent.

I always found it odd when managers who can't speak English join the Premier League, and a year later can barely even give an interview (Pochettino springs to mind) - how on earth are they communicating with their own players and staff?!

[CraigDS]

It’s often a confidence thing with interviews. Bobby for instance can speak pretty good English but you rarely see him give interviews in it.

[Doc Red]

I was reading that Klopp interview in the new FourFourTwo and there was a bit about Naby I thought was curious:
If someone else had said this I'd take it with a very large pinch of salt, but the fact Klopp said it certainly raises questions. I mean, he knew we were signing him over two years ago - has he not been putting in the work? Was it not communicated to him it would be an issue? Is it likely to be resolved any time soon?

I think I remember reading a quote like that on Keita from Klopp, halfway through last season. Not sure it's actually a recent quote.

[CraigDS]

I think I remember reading a quote like that on Keita from Klopp, halfway through last season. Not sure it's actually a recent quote.

Yeah I seem to remember something like that being said previously too. Think I commented at the time that I would have expected him to have had intensive lessons from the minute he signed for us which would have given him a year head start.

Then again, some people are just shite at learning new languages.

[classycarra]

Don't think this applies anymore. As mentioned it was probably written early this year. Fair to say if he's starting our biggest away of the season (ahead of Hendo) that he's trusted linguistically!

Milner was in conversation with him on the left flank against MK Dons, and not exactly trying to make himself more easily understood for a non native english speaker. Saw a video of Keita and Robertson also talking comfortably too (can't remember which, but was an official LFC one on youtube).

[classycarra]

I always found it odd when managers who can't speak English join the Premier League, and a year later can barely even give an interview (Pochettino springs to mind) - how on earth are they communicating with their own players and staff?!

Pochettino could speak english really well long before the interpreter stopped working for him. Might just have been a confidence/comfort thing. Or a handy way to build a barrier to overcome the media obligations on PL managers

[Talking Reds]

How old is that interview? The reason Keita hasn't been playing 'all the time' is he's been injured since May. Weird way of putting it if Klopp's been interviewed in the last month by them.

It's from March: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=7UaUDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT148&lpg=PT148&dq=a+game+of+two+halves+amy+raphael+jurgen+klopp&source=bl&ots=ztN_wCn6mz&sig=ACfU3U3VljotKrFaOI7wM9bAq5X--1UO1Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwovi04vrkAhWFQUEAHehfALIQ6AEwCHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=a%20game%20of%20two%20halves%20amy%20raphael%20jurgen%20klopp&f=false

[TepidT2O]

Hasn’t been called up for the internationals (I think)

Source Sega Diallo off Twitter (Guinean journalist)

[sms1986]

Hopefully that's true, although I have found some articles saying he has been picked. I guess we'll have to wait and see for sure.

[harleydanger]

I'm not sure its the case with Keita, but I don't think language barriers should ever be an issue for a modern professional player. Given the money in the game, players could have 1:1 tuition at the club or at home, especially as communication is such a key part of the game and Klopp's philosophy.

I'm also sure I read somewhere that the club demands that players speak to each other in English at all times, as that's the language to communicate on the pitch. I'm sure the Brazilians and Dutch have their own conversations socially in their own language, but surely during training, meetings, and any time spent at the club it should always be consistent.

I always found it odd when managers who can't speak English join the Premier League, and a year later can barely even give an interview (Pochettino springs to mind) - how on earth are they communicating with their own players and staff?!

Some people are fucking terrible at languages, I lived a year in japan, year of one on one before I went, could still hardly hold a conversation by the end of it

[Agent99]

Some people are fucking terrible at languages, I lived a year in japan, year of one on one before I went, could still hardly hold a conversation by the end of it

I did German and French at school and I picked one up super easy and the other I just couldn't grasp at all.

[sms1986]

Naby Keita has been omitted from Guinea’s final squad for the October break, with new manager Didier Six taking a sensible approach to his fitness.

Keita has made just one start for Liverpool so far this season, with a hip injury keeping him out for six weeks and ruling him out of seven games.

The 24-year-old is slowly working his way back to full fitness, with Jurgen Klopp resting him for the 1-0 win at Sheffield United in order to train separately at Melwood.

But his comeback is building momentum, and the hope will be that Keita can hit top form after a stop-start spell with the Reds since his £52.75 million move from RB Leipzig in 2018.

Initially named in Six’s first squad since taking over as Guinea manager, the No. 8 has now been left out for the upcoming friendlies against Comoros in France (Oct 12) and Chile in Spain (Oct 15).

“I would like Naby Keita to rest for these two matches,” Six told reporters on Friday.

“The two friendly matches are tough, especially against Chile, so I decided to change my selection.

“In November we will have qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations, and until then I would like Keita to recover and be at 100 percent of his level.

“However, I will ask him to come to some meetings in Paris, which is the same as in the case of captain Ibrahima Traore, who is injured.”

This is a welcome change for Keita, whose injury problems were exacerbated by Six’s predecessor, Paul Put, rushing him back from a long-term adductor problem for the AFCON last summer.

Keita played twice at the tournament in Egypt, and predictably was forced off after 71 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Nigeria, which was his first start for club or country in just under two months.

Liverpool will no doubt welcome the change in manager within the Guinea setup, as their ideals now seemingly align with those of Keita’s national team.

The midfielder has top-level potential, as he proved during his time with Leipzig, but he is yet to show it consistently for Liverpool, with a fragility hampering his progress.

He is not the only Reds player to be rested for the October break, as Egypt took the same approach with Mohamed Salah ahead of their friendly against Botswana.

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2019/10/naby-keita-the-latest-liverpool-player-to-be-rested-for-october-internationals/

[Zlen]

Praise the lord.
Last thing we need is to risk him in meaningless games. He needs to be sharp as a razor for Old Trafford.

[Shankly998]

Got a feeling he'll score the winner against City.

[Zlen]

Got a feeling he'll score the winner against City.

He should be lucky to play at all in that game.

[gerrardisgod]

Unleash the beast.

[hesbighesred]

I still think he should have been on from the start, I don't think he should have been the last sub on, I think he made a huge difference to our play and I think Origi can count himself unlucky to be the first sub off given the match situation and how much we seemed to need more from midfield.

[Wool]

Hopefully he gets an extended run in the side now.

[Legoland]

Our midfielders make too many safe passes, Keita and Ox made the penetrative passes needed when they came on.

[hesbighesred]

Was soooo refreshing to see a midfielder showing a bit of patience and picking the right passes. Good lad. Lovely cameo.

This. It's a shame he wasn't further forward. I think he's an absolute must pick in the biggest games and games where there's banks of four to break down - we don't have a better player in tight spaces.

[groove]

I think he remedies the biggest issue with have with our midfield. Our link between midfield and attack is poor and we end up leaning too heavily on our full backs to create. For me, he's been a must start when fit.

[OOS]

Our midfielders make too many safe passes, Keita and Ox made the penetrative passes needed when they came on.

Not just that, they show for the ball and keep play ticking positively.

[AmanShah21]

I think he remedies the biggest issue with have with our midfield. Our link between midfield and attack is poor and we end up leaning too heavily on our full backs to create. For me, he's been a must start when fit.

For me we need 2 out of Gini/Lallana/Keita/Ox/Shaq to start and then 1 out of Hendo/Milner/Fabi when playing these deep sitting park the bus teams. We need midfielders that provide more movement in the middle in those games. We can play 2 out of Hendo/Milner/Gini/Fabinho + 1 against others when the game is open.

[kloppismydad]

He was going to play the ball into midfield, paused for a second, saw Robertson in space on the left and quickly passed him the ball for the cross for our goal.

Attacking threat when brought on and didn't seem to be rushed unlike others when brought on. Fantastic cameo, hope he stays injury-free.

[hesbighesred]

Not just that, they show for the ball and keep play ticking positively.

And, crucially, neither of them are afraid to receive the ball in tight spaces, or to pass it into tight spaces. Indeed, both of them call for the ball when they're tightly marked because they know they can then take those players out of the game. And I think Keita's even better at this than Oxlade. He's a beautiful player.

[SerbianScouser]

I still think he should have been on from the start, I don't think he should have been the last sub on, I think he made a huge difference to our play and I think Origi can count himself unlucky to be the first sub off given the match situation and how much we seemed to need more from midfield.

I think he should feel unlucky for being played out of position.