Topic: Naby Keita Watch

[Too early for flapjacks?]

Keita is definitely a much much better player than he showed here.

Think the major issue with him was his character. He's shy as hell, not just off the field but on it (with us). That timidness never changed. Five years after he signed he still felt like the new boy. Contrast this with the like of Robbo, big character, who made his presence known in no time.

Those clips of Keita with Leipzig, he looked immense. The way he spun away from danger and accelerated away from an opponent. That 'I'm the boss' type stuff. He does similar with Guinea. We just never saw that here. The game here is quicker and more physical, but that doesn't explain his change in demeanor.

McManaman. He ran the game when he was with us. There were times where a teammate wouldn't even have to pass him the ball, he would take it off his foot and run with it. The confidence was oozing out of him. "Stop McManaman stop Liverpool" the opposition manager's tactic. He goes to Madrid, looks a different player. Making five yard square passes rather than running with the ball, gets rid of it as soon as it came to him when with us it's like he owned it. Completely went into his shell. He had a decent career there (fine goal in a final) but the freedom and joy he had when he played with us was missing. I think Keita is in a similar boat, a player who never replicated the talent he showed when moving from an environment where he was very comfortable to one where he wasn't.

Whilst he was clearly still trying to adapt to a new team and league, there were little signs of real quality in his first season. I think that injury he picked up against Barcelona and the subsequent rushing back for the Afcon that summer really cost him. He never looked particularly confident his body after that and just didn't look as dynamic.

I think he showed glimpses of real quality

[.adam]

I also think the collection of injuries ruined any acceleration he once had. All very good being able to drop a shoulder and create space but it's useless if you're unable to accelerate into it.

[BarryCrocker]

He's in fine company on this list.

Naby Keita voted ‘flop of the season’ by players after being banned by his club

In a survey conducted by Kicker, Keita received 25.6 percent of the vote, significantly more than the next-worst, Dortmund defender Niklas Sule (13.2%).

Dayot Upamecano, Leonardo Bonucci, Leon Goretzka, Kim Min-jae, Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies, Robin Gosens and Donny van de Beek complete what Kicker have labelled their ‘Flop 10’.

That five of those players represent Bayern Munich is reflective of their overall disappointment of a season, finishing third behind Leverkusen and Stuttgart.

[Cusamano]

Legend

has to go down in history as one of the highest paid footballers based on £ per mins on the pitch

[AndyMuller]

I'll never forgive the RAWK xG nerds on here for allowing me to believe he would be the best midfielder in the league once he arrived here.

NEVER.

[farawayred]

Legend

has to go down in history as one of the highest paid footballers based on £ per mins on the pitch

Behind Arthur Melo, who's got infinite amount of £ per mins on the pitch.

[PaulF]

In fairness if you look at the hype before he came you would have thought we were about to sign a prime Gerrard/Kante/Silva hybrid. He was built up to be the best in Europe or one of the best in Europe at absolutely everything it seemed and it was about a sure thing as you could get. Until it wasn't.


I felt that people went overboard when he had a decent game, yet on the flipside people wouldn't give him credit for merely a decent game because they expected more. And the reason they expected more was mainly because statsbomb graphics said he'd be amazing all the time. He was very underwhelming IMO, clearly talented but fragile and couldn't run really and didn't really have great technique on the whole with the ball (he scored a few beauties but often he'd sky shots into row Z or pea-roll them to the goalkeeper).

A bit like Nunez now. Stats only go and take you so far. What happens on the pitch matters even more.

The hype he has was at the levels we see from united fans with new signings.

[jambutty]

Apparently he pulled a hamstring carrying Guinea's flag yestiddy.

[rscanderlech]

To be fair to the nerds, he really was a supertalent, and the reason we signed him a year in advance was to prevent him from going to Real Madrid, Bayern, Chelsea etc., because he really did look like a new and more offensive version of Kante.

[KC7]

Bremen announce Keita to leave the club this summer. Both looking to part ways.

Hard to see a club taking him in as they'd be throwing away money.

[Fromola]

Only two years ago he was playing semi-regularly for a side on the brink of winning a quadruple. Think he started two of the cup finals (had a stormer in the FA semi v City IIRC) and came on in the CL final. He had a decent season that year and was considered a blow when he got the odd injury - a thuggish challenge on him in the 5-0 at United for example. Don't know where he's gone so wrong that he was a massive flop in Germany last season, where he was bossing it a few years ago.

Mad how quickly a lot of players have nosedived since leaving though, going back to Coutinho. Gini, Hendo, Mane all had a 'mare. Not sure how Bobby and Fabinho are getting on in Saudi but nobody cares either, they may as well have retired.

Maybe he never quite had the head for it, but that Guinea coach ruined his career by forcing him to go to the AFCON injured. He'd had a decent first season for us, was ready to really kick on but he was never quite right after that in terms of his fitness. In reality we should have cut our losses sooner after that.

[pathetic]

Surprise surprise. Makes me wonder if he was really injured or just thought he made it the minute he arrived here. The blind faith trusted in him and a couple of others instead of being let go may have been the difference in a couple of other trophies, but oh well.

[Dench57]

He'll be great once he gets a run of games

[Sheer Magnetism]

Surprise surprise. Makes me wonder if he was really injured or just thought he made it the minute he arrived here. The blind faith trusted in him and a couple of others instead of being let go may have been the difference in a couple of other trophies, but oh well.

You think he might have been faking injuries because he felt like sitting at home instead of playing?

[Eeyore]

A Naby Keita watch, right twice a day cos he's always fucking broke.

[mkferdy]

He'll be great once he gets a run of games

 

[Bread]

Apparently played thrice as many minutes for Guinea last season than he did for Werder Bremen. Definitely seems like he cares more about playing for his country than his club, and it's impacted his club career quite adversely.

I reckon a move to Saudi beckons for him next.

[newterp]

He was always available for Guinea - which was part of the problem. He felt a compulsion to play for the national team and would do so on the back of injuries or recovering from injuries.

We blame the Guinea coach for playing him - but Keita probably had a hand in it as well.

[gazzalfc]

Held talks over the summer with Sunderland but couldn't agree terms.

Heading to Istanbul Basaksehir instead

[Keith Lard]

Apparently his picture has been deleted from the Werder Bremen website. They’re really desperate to offload him it seems. This situation saddens me as I can’t forget the Keita we were so excited to sign when he had that wonder season at Leipzig. I so hope the lad can find a situation where he can put down some roots and enjoy the rest of his career.

Keita is a warning to a lot of players that think the grass is greener. History has proven that, in his case, he’d have been better staying at Leipzig and become a Bundesliga baller. It’s why I would never begrudge a player like Zubimendi following their safety and survival instinct by staying where they are loved and valued for their entire career. Winning stuff is overrated. Being happy and buzzing, loving your career, and cementing a reputation that you benefit from post career is way more important.

[Jwils21]

So much promise. He reminds me of Iniesta, if Iniesta wasn't quite as good at footy and was made of crisps.

[kavah]

Saw the highlights of the 5-0 at old trafford earlier. He was majestic

[GreatEx]

Apparently his picture has been deleted from the Werder Bremen website. They’re really desperate to offload him it seems. This situation saddens me as I can’t forget the Keita we were so excited to sign when he had that wonder season at Leipzig. I so hope the lad can find a situation where he can put down some roots and enjoy the rest of his career.

Have you seen any indications that Keita is despondent about the way his career has panned out? Plenty of players just want to earn as much money as they can from their brief club career, some are motivated to play for their country but treat clubs as a means to an end. Not saying Naby feels this way but plenty of players are on record saying as much. Whatever his emotional state today, his attitude is clearly terrible if his club is willing to sack him off for the season. I find it hard to muster any sympathy.

[Keith Lard]

Have you seen any indications that Keita is despondent about the way his career has panned out? Plenty of players just want to earn as much money as they can from their brief club career, some are motivated to play for their country but treat clubs as a means to an end. Not saying Naby feels this way but plenty of players are on record saying as much. Whatever his emotional state today, his attitude is clearly terrible if his club is willing to sack him off for the season. I find it hard to muster any sympathy.

I didn’t really intend to show sympathy or engage in any personal blame. Neither of us know the details of the situation and what happened over many years that resulted in such a quality player falling by the wayside. It’s been a similar drop off to dele alli … nobody wants to see it.

All I’m saying is I hope Naby finds a good place for us to see his talent shine for a few years before his career is over.

[JP!]

Saw the highlights of the 5-0 at old trafford earlier. He was majestic

That and the City FA Cup semi were probably his greatest performances in a red shirt.

[Ghost Town]

I find it hard to muster any sympathy.

I didn’t really intend to show sympathy

Is there ever a good time to write such words?



(well, apart from about absolute c*nts )

[GreatEx]

It doesn't mean I have ill will toward him, it means I question whether there's any reason to feel sorry for him.

[Red Beret]

Apparently his picture has been deleted from the Werder Bremen website. They’re really desperate to offload him it seems. This situation saddens me as I can’t forget the Keita we were so excited to sign when he had that wonder season at Leipzig. I so hope the lad can find a situation where he can put down some roots and enjoy the rest of his career.

Keita is a warning to a lot of players that think the grass is greener. History has proven that, in his case, he’d have been better staying at Leipzig and become a Bundesliga baller. It’s why I would never begrudge a player like Zubimendi following their safety and survival instinct by staying where they are loved and valued for their entire career. Winning stuff is overrated. Being happy and buzzing, loving your career, and cementing a reputation that you benefit from post career is way more important.

Wasn't it that extra season at Leipzig that got him the injury that ultimately hampered his progression as a player? If anything I think it's a lesson in get out of the club whilst you can.

He was an outstanding talent and deserved better, but it's not like he had an awful time with us.