Topic: Naby Keita Watch

[Asam]

Pretty clear we were rotating him and Thiago too, in an attempt to keep them both fit. People who are saying he didn't start many games because he wasn't trusted are rewriting history.

I'd say the rotation has worked better for Keita than Thiago to be honest but I doubt Thiago is coming in for anything like this much criticism for his injury than Naby is for his illness.

Klopp says Naby is in the best shape of his life. Maybe we should give him a chance to show it rather than assuming he's made of glass.

The reason for his absences is immaterial, when he’s fit and in form he’s a very good player, not quite world class but not far off it

We hope to see him back to his best soon and yes he does seem to best suited to
Playing once a week

[spider-neil]

When Keita plays Liverpool's win percentage is well over 2 points per game (I think only Thiago from the midfield has a higher win percentage) so the notion that Keita is somehow a hindrance to the team is baffling.

Last season, Keita was is in the team that successfully won the FA Cup semi-final (the only time we beat City last season) and the final. And also the League Cup final. Keita was also in the team that successfully won the CL quarter-final and semi-final. And frankly, I think Keita should have started the CL final as well.

[JP!]

Bollocks to him if he's 'unhappy' as far as I'm concerned.

I'm also pretty 'unhappy' that he's barely scraped his potential since we paid a shit load for him.

Good luck elsewhere.

[spider-neil]

Bollocks to him if he's 'unhappy' as far as I'm concerned.

I'm also pretty 'unhappy' that he's barely scraped his potential since we paid a shit load for him.

Good luck elsewhere.

How do you know he's unhappy? Got him on speed dial? Tell him I said hi.

[JP!]

How do you know he's unhappy? Got him on speed dial? Tell him I said hi.

Bollocks to him if he's 'unhappy' as far as I'm concerned.

I'm also pretty 'unhappy' that he's barely scraped his potential since we paid a shit load for him.

Good luck elsewhere.

[newterp]

If he's fit and doesn't start against ManU - I think the writing is then on the wall

[spider-neil]

If he's fit and doesn't start against ManU - I think the writing is then on the wall

It's a 38 game season (well, 36 game season now).

[newterp]

It's a 38 game season (well, 36 game season now).*

true - but it seems we are screaming for a midfielder that has some experience and skills. so if our own player that has those traits can't start against a team that is all over the place - then we have to be a bit concerned.


*there are also CL and Cup games too!

[stockdam]

Unluckily he has been out with a lot of injuries and has not really been able to establish himself on the first team. In my view we need a dominant midfield player who is not injury prone. We have 3 midfield players who have struggled with injuries and I can’t see the three of them improving this record.

[Avens]

Yeah we can all do that, throw an if in there to give us an exit route whilst we go all in with a disrespectful post about a player who has significantly contributed to us winning basically every trophy available. It's pretty clear where your head is at with regards to Keita.

[lgvkarlos]

If he could somehow shake off the injuries he's a top player,  the constant injuries really do start to grate though. (not his fault)

[JasonF]

If he could somehow shake off the injuries he's a top player,  the constant injuries really do start to grate though. (not his fault)

Fair comment based on his 4 years here but its worth noting he's missed one game with injury since recovering from his last serious injury (hamstring) last October. He already has become more robust. He looks like he's put some more muscle on and Klopp says he's in the shape of his life.

He looked pretty sharp in pre season too, where he featured in every game bar the one against Strasbourg the day after the Community Shield.

His illness (which he missed one game with) has brought it back into everyone's memories but just like Ox who was actually 2 years between injuries, Keita isn't allowed to be absent as that's all anyone seems to remember about his time here.

[him_15]

One last chance for Keita to save his Liverpool career.

[Knight]

When Keita plays Liverpool's win percentage is well over 2 points per game (I think only Thiago from the midfield has a higher win percentage) so the notion that Keita is somehow a hindrance to the team is baffling.

Last season, Keita was is in the team that successfully won the FA Cup semi-final (the only time we beat City last season) and the final. And also the League Cup final. Keita was also in the team that successfully won the CL quarter-final and semi-final. And frankly, I think Keita should have started the CL final as well.

And yet he gets picked way less than it looks from the outside like he should. Are we massively careful with him these days to ensure he avoids injury? Or does Klopp not rate him that highly for whatever reason? The relative lack of minutes, despite being both fit (seemingly) and very good for us when he’s on the pitch, makes it baffling to me that we’d want to give him a new contract.

In footballing terms he absolutely should have been starting the CL final at RCM. But he didn’t. So I’m not sure what the point of him being here is. Given Jones and Elliot are here long term and Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago are around for quite a bit longer too Keita is the most obvious one to make way for someone more robust who Klopp is likely to play as much as Keita perhaps should be playing.

[JasonF]

And yet he gets picked way less than it looks from the outside like he should. Are we massively careful with him these days to ensure he avoids injury? Or does Klopp not rate him that highly for whatever reason? The relative lack of minutes, despite being both fit (seemingly) and very good for us when he’s on the pitch, makes it baffling to me that we’d want to give him a new contract.

In footballing terms he absolutely should have been starting the CL final at RCM. But he didn’t. So I’m not sure what the point of him being here is. Given Jones and Elliot are here long term and Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago are around for quite a bit longer too Keita is the most obvious one to make way for someone more robust who Klopp is likely to play as much as Keita perhaps should be playing.

It's pretty clear last season we were rotating Keita and Thiago, in an attempt to keep them both fit no doubt. It's no surprise really that Thiago is probably the preferred option of the two if both are fully fit as he's a world class player, but Keita is still a great option for us.

He'll probably start against Man Utd now he's had more training time following his illness. He'll get plenty of games this season I'm sure.

[classycarra]

One last chance for Keita to save his Liverpool career.

Nah, this isn't reality TV and you're not the bachelor. He plays sport for a team, and that team want him to stay, so I don't think he requires a saviour

[fredfrop]

Nah, this isn't reality TV and you're not the bachelor. He plays sport for a team, and that team want him to stay, so I don't think he requires a saviour

Fucking this right here!

[afc tukrish]

Fucking this right here!

Maybe Carra's not interested, you should ask him first...

[classycarra]

Maybe Carra's not interested, you should ask him first...

Delighted with what I can get!

[JP!]

Yeah we can all do that, throw an if in there to give us an exit route whilst we go all in with a disrespectful post about a player who has significantly contributed to us winning basically every trophy available. It's pretty clear where your head is at with regards to Keita.

Yeh, you're not wrong. Hasn't lived up to expectations, cost a bunch of money (at the time), now supposedly wants to leave. IF that was true, good luck to him.

I don't think it's disrespectful at all if the story claimed (unhappy he's not playing enough despite rarely putting together a good run of form) is true.

His best game last year was the City semi. he was excellent. Problem is I'd struggle to get to double figures where he's reached that level. He's really not in a position to be complaining about his playing time IF that story is true.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Nah, this isn't reality TV and you're not the bachelor.

I mean I didn't rate Keita before it was cool, but this is a bloody brilliant line 

[JasonF]

Yeh, you're not wrong. Hasn't lived up to expectations, cost a bunch of money (at the time), now supposedly wants to leave. IF that was true, good luck to him.

I don't think it's disrespectful at all if the story claimed (unhappy he's not playing enough despite rarely putting together a good run of form) is true.

His best game last year was the City semi. he was excellent. Problem is I'd struggle to get to double figures where he's reached that level. He's really not in a position to be complaining about his playing time IF that story is true.

For what it's worth Klopp said there was 0.0% truth in it. I would believe him over some no mark Bundesliga journo personally.

[mrantarctica]

Perhaps a chance for both Naby and Joe Gomez to show their quality. Im picking both to start against Man Utd

[JasonF]

Perhaps a chance for both Naby and Joe Gomez to show their quality. Im picking both to start against Man Utd

Nice one, Jürgen. Hope they don't let you down.

[mrantarctica]

Nice one, Jürgen. Hope they don't let you down.

 

[na fir dearg]

hopefully starts against the mancs he did well against them last season

[JasonF]

His fanboys have a lot of work on their hands LOL. Time for them to throw more insults.

https://twitter.com/Plettigoal/status/1561296603868184576?s=20

Same person who posted the last one that Klopp said there was "0.0% truth" in. But it won't stop people piling on one of our players I'm sure.

[Dim Glas]

His fanboys have a lot of work on their hands LOL. Time for them to throw more insults.

https://twitter.com/Plettigoal/status/1561296603868184576?s=20

stop being childish and calling people who show support for their teams’ players ‘fanboys’ would be my advice.

[spider-neil]

Support isn't fanboy-ism.

[jackh]

His fanboys have a lot of work on their hands LOL. Time for them to throw more insults.

"You'll never walk alone" indeed.

[jackh]

Naby was excellent at Old Trafford last season - hoping he gets the gig tomorrow night. Could be really valuable as the most advanced of our midfielders if United look to play out from the back like they did at Brentford last weekend.

[Hazell]

"You'll never walk alone" indeed.

You'll Never Walk Alone is a song for 'top reds' only.

[stockdam]

Support isn't fanboy-ism.

It’s one of the most crass names to use…….”fanboy”. I thought we were meant to be supporters and I see no reason not to wish Keita well as he is a good player.

[Dim Glas]

It’s one of the most crass names to use…….”fanboy”. I thought we were meant to be supporters and I see no reason not to wish Keita well as he is a good player.

for some reason that poster really seems to dislike Keita, I am not sure if he/she has explained why that is. Really odd for a supposed fan of a club to be like that about one of the players and one who has contributed to some excellent recent times too, but each to their own.

[JP!]

There is also a difference between valid criticism and 'not showing players respect' though, which also seems difficult for some people to grasp.

[JasonF]

for some reason that poster really seems to dislike Keita, I am not sure if he/she has explained why that is. Really odd for a supposed fan of a club to be like that about one of the players and one who has contributed to some excellent recent times too, but each to their own.

I can only really think of Diouf and Itandje in my lifetime who've done something to not warrant that support from the fans. But there's a few who frequent this thread who seem to have a very strong disliking for Keita for what I can only assume is his injury troubles or not living up to their expectations.

I'm happy to be called a fan boy for all of our players if that's the alternative.

[Dim Glas]

I can only really think of Diouf and Itandje in my lifetime who've done something to not warrant that support from the fans. But there's a few who frequent this thread who seem to have a very strong disliking for Keita for what I can only assume is his injury troubles or not living up to their expectations.

I'm happy to be called a fan boy for all of our players if that's the alternative.

yeah it’s odd. I get the frustrations, goodness knows I was ready for them to ship Naby out last summer because of the issues of him staying fit! But never could I not like him as a player, because when he is on his game, he’s fantastic to watch. And then what ends up happning, he has a season where he does play a good part in an excellent year!

Anyway, as for the future, ideally it’d be a good thing now if he did commit for a year or two more, as the midfield will need some work soon, so not having to lose 3 or 4 players the same time would be good! But I’d honestly not blame him if he feels it’s time to move on either. 

[paisley1977]

Having followed him at Leipzig even before we signed him I put him up there with the Virgil and Alisson World Class signings we made. A future star in the making I thought. But and I'm afraid in my opinion Naby has come up short. When at Red Bull he bossed there midfield everything went through him he was there Thiago. Obviously the injuries have held him back.
And I don't see how another 3 or 4 year contract will be to our advantage.

[MonsLibpool]

If he's fit, he should start. He was boss there last season.

[El Lobo]

If he's fit, he should start. He was boss there last season.

That sounds a bit fanboyish