Jump to content

  • Sign up for free and receive a month's subscription

    You are viewing this page as a guest. That means you are either a member who has not logged in, or you have not yet registered with us. Signing up for an account only takes a minute and it means you will no longer see this annoying box! It will also allow you to get involved with our friendly(ish!) community and take part in the discussions on our forums. And because we're feeling generous, if you sign up for a free account we will give you a month's free trial access to our subscriber only content with no obligation to commit. Register an account and then send a private message to @dave u and he'll hook you up with a subscription.

2018/19 Season Report Card - Naby Keita

tlw content

By tlw content,
in FF - Football Forum

 Share

Recommended Posts

tlw content Grand Master

tlw content

Posted
Posted

I expected Naby Keita to arrive and hit the Premier League like a tornado, but he barely managed a mild breeze. It was weird. The player I thought we were getting was nothing like the one we saw. Even when he started to play well late in the season, he wasn’t the player I thought we’d signed. 

 

We’d waited so long for him to get here that the expectations were huge. Based on all those youtube compilations we’d all watched, I expected this whirlwind bundle of energy who would rack up goals, assists and a ton of yellow and red cards. Someone who would be dribbling past five players and splitting a defence one minute, and then two footing someone and getting red carded the next.

 

He was nothing like that though. Did he even make a tackle all season? I don’t actually mean that as a criticism, as I have no problems with his work off the ball (the nerds will tell you he rates highly in all of those categories). It’s just he wasn’t what I expected. 

 

I thought he’d be a bit of a hothead who Klopp might have his hands full with. After all, he did hospitalise one of his own team-mates in training when he was at Leipzig.

 

That’s not who he is at all though. I almost wish it was. I was looking forward to seeing him explode all over the Premier League, but it just didn’t happen. Injuries didn’t help of course. He was in and out of the side all season through one thing or another and it wasn’t until April that he really got going. 

 

keita1_600.jpg

 

He scored three goals that month and his performances steadily improved with each game. Then, just when he was really starting to look sharp, he got injured early in the game at the Nou Camp and his season was over.

 

Unlike several other recent new signings, Naby didn’t have to wait long for his opportunity. Guinea not qualifying for the World Cup meant he had a full pre-season with us and he looked dynamite from the word go. His link up with Sturridge was a feature of those early games and did nothing to dampen the lofty expectations we all had of him.

 

He was in the starting line up on day one of the new season and looked good in a 4-0 win over West Ham. One little slide rule ball inside the right back that allowed Robbo to cross for Salah to tap in was a particular highlight.

 

 

This is just a teaser, click to view the full article

 

Please note, 'Season Report Cards' are only be available to TLW subscribers. Subscriptions are just £2 per month and can be purchased here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • dave u pinned this topic
VladimirIlyich Grand Master

VladimirIlyich

Posted
Posted

He still looks a player for me. The hype surrounding him was stupid but he did start well and then restarted well once again in March/April but injuries have been an issue. Going to play in that AFCON tournament now will be the biggest obstacle between him and an excellent season for us.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Turkish Delight Proficient

Turkish Delight

Posted
Posted

He has something about him but clearly struggled with confidence this season.

 

The biggest concern I have with him is that he tends to lose concentration often leading to daft passes like the one you mentioned at Palace.  In the main he got away with them but the goal we conceded at West Ham was all on him as he went to sleep and we conceded from a set piece move that we'd trained against and that other players in our team were communicating was about to happen.  That was his worst moment for me.  The Leicester call he was unlucky with but this one was really on him and in a season of fine margins was equally as damaging.

 

I'm far from convinced he'll make it here and he'll need to perform considerably better to get ahead of Hendo, Gini, Milner and Ox in the pecking order regularly for one of the more advanced midfield roles.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
StevieMax Community Regular

StevieMax

Posted
Posted

Underwhelming would be my take on him. Too often seems to take an extra touch which either means an opportunity disappears or he loses the ball. His decision making has been questionable and that may well be down to the pace of some games.

But, I believe he can and will do better - he'll have to to just get a game if everyone (including Lallana is fit).

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dave u Grand Master

dave u

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, Jordy Brouwer said:

I get the desire not to be negative, especially when there is no real need, but given his cost a 5 wouldn't be out of place. 

 

Yeah, I think if he'd started well and faded I'd have gone with a 5, but because he improved and was playing well before the injury against Barca, it influences how I saw his season overall. Based on how he finished the season, 5 would have just felt a little harsh.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • dave u unpinned this topic
El Rojo Grand Master

El Rojo

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, TK421 said:

His first season was like early Mercury Rev.  A few brief flashes of genuine quality, like Car Wash Hair, but overall a bit underwhelming.  Next season he will unleash Deserter's Songs on an unsuspecting Premier League. 

Deserter's Songs is good, All Is Dream even better. Anything I've heard since has been really underwhelming.

 

So you're saying he'll have two good seasons now and then get rid?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...