On the same day when Liverpool were huffing and puffing to get a win against bogey West Brom side, our future signing Naby Keita was seen dictating the play for his current club RB Leipzig against Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Although Liverpool and RB Leipzig ended with the same result, i.e. a draw, there was a vast difference between how Keita played and the rest of Liverpool midfielders did.
Against West Brom, Emre Can, who is out of contract next summer, was really poor; losing possession, sloppy with first touches and slowing down the tempo of the game. He wasn’t the only one to be blamed, as the entire midfield flopped on Wednesday.
Georginio Wijnaldum clearly looked a shadow of himself and playmaker Philippe Coutinho had a rare off-day. Skipper Jordan Henderson, whenever he has played this season, has largely disappointed with his one-paced sideways passing.
Well, looking at Keita and his exploits last season, my first impression was that we hit gold. The Guinean is tailor-made for Jurgen Klopp’s pressing and high-octane style of play.
Keita is a box-to-box midfielder, not a holding player, and while there are similarities between him and Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante in terms of running output, Keita is much better in the attack. The energy and stamina the RB Leipzig midfielder possesses are astonishing, coupled with his movement and his first touch.
He isn’t just a midfielder sitting in front of the back-four and shielding it but is someone who waits for chances to surge forward with the ball and make things happen for the team.
Anyone who has watched Keita over the last 12 months would struggle to find anything but praise for him. He has been the natural flag-bearer for Leipzig’s fierce pressing style, hunting down his opponents in midfield and never resting until the ball is won back. With his tireless work-rate, he is always keen to run with the ball and create spaces for the team.
A nimble-footed midfielder, Keita has often been at either the beginning or the heart of their rapid counter-attacks. He can not only direct an attack from the edge of the final third but also pop up as a proper poacher in the penalty area.
The Guinea international’s 8 goals and 8 assists last season shows his attacking side of the game. Having been such an influential element in RB Leipzig’s style last season, there is little reason to think he would struggle in the Premier League for Liverpool.
The midfielder dazzled against Wolfsburg and check out his individual highlights below.
