Naby Keita takes first step towards solving his big Liverpool problem
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Gini Wijnaldum's departure to PSG could present Naby Keita with a chance to evolve at Liverpool
Labelled by Jurgen Klopp has his 'most consistently available player' earlier this week, Gini Wijnaldum was deployed as part of a midfield three over the course of the weekend, but while representing Paris Saint-Germain rather than Liverpool.
Klopp fielded a trio of his own at Carrow Road as the Reds secured a 3-0 win over Norwich City, with Naby Keita occupying Wijnaldum's usual spot on the left alongside James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
It was very much a makeshift midfield department for the opening fixture of the new campaign with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones still to regain full fitness, but it is reasonable to suggest that Keita could retain his place moving forward.
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Alongside Thiago, Keita was described as the top Bundesliga midfielder by Klopp some years ago but unlike Wijnaldum on Merseyside, the Guinean has not been injury-free and consistently available.
His time on the field has progressively worsened during his stay at Anfield; he amassed 1,390 minutes on the pitch in his debut Premier League campaign, followed by 815 minutes in 2019/20 and just 520 minutes last season.
Injuries have restricted his selection but Wijnaldum's dominance has also prevented him from performing at times, with the Dutch international featuring in 110 of Liverpool's 115 league matches since Keita's arrival in 2018.
The Guinean started in the 3-0 win on Saturday evening and was regarded as the team's best midfielder by many, having offered a Wijnaldum-like presence in the middle of the park throughout the contest.
Keita misplaced just three of his 44 passes which highlights his ball retention, and no player showcased more defensive pressures than his total of 31, ahead of Mohamed Salah's 24 and Oxlade-Chamberlain's 18.
He seemed to refrain from taking as many risks as usual but nevertheless, the 26 year-old reminded Klopp of why he was initially recognised as rare by Liverpool's recruitment department; he's technical, tricky and creative when on the ball, but equally as active and effective on the defensive side of the game.
Simply put, Keita's actions add value, even more so than Wijnaldum across a number of departments based on underlying numbers, but the crucial difference between the pair has been time spent on the field.
If the former can assume the midfield void left by the latter, he still has enough time on his side to become the multifaceted and unique player that Liverpool were so keen to invest in.
#francischbydpost #Sports #sportsNews
Labelled by Jurgen Klopp has his 'most consistently available player' earlier this week, Gini Wijnaldum was deployed as part of a midfield three over the course of the weekend, but while representing Paris Saint-Germain rather than Liverpool.
Klopp fielded a trio of his own at Carrow Road as the Reds secured a 3-0 win over Norwich City, with Naby Keita occupying Wijnaldum's usual spot on the left alongside James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
It was very much a makeshift midfield department for the opening fixture of the new campaign with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones still to regain full fitness, but it is reasonable to suggest that Keita could retain his place moving forward.
PROMOTED STORIES
Alongside Thiago, Keita was described as the top Bundesliga midfielder by Klopp some years ago but unlike Wijnaldum on Merseyside, the Guinean has not been injury-free and consistently available.
His time on the field has progressively worsened during his stay at Anfield; he amassed 1,390 minutes on the pitch in his debut Premier League campaign, followed by 815 minutes in 2019/20 and just 520 minutes last season.
Injuries have restricted his selection but Wijnaldum's dominance has also prevented him from performing at times, with the Dutch international featuring in 110 of Liverpool's 115 league matches since Keita's arrival in 2018.
The Guinean started in the 3-0 win on Saturday evening and was regarded as the team's best midfielder by many, having offered a Wijnaldum-like presence in the middle of the park throughout the contest.
Keita misplaced just three of his 44 passes which highlights his ball retention, and no player showcased more defensive pressures than his total of 31, ahead of Mohamed Salah's 24 and Oxlade-Chamberlain's 18.
He seemed to refrain from taking as many risks as usual but nevertheless, the 26 year-old reminded Klopp of why he was initially recognised as rare by Liverpool's recruitment department; he's technical, tricky and creative when on the ball, but equally as active and effective on the defensive side of the game.
Simply put, Keita's actions add value, even more so than Wijnaldum across a number of departments based on underlying numbers, but the crucial difference between the pair has been time spent on the field.
If the former can assume the midfield void left by the latter, he still has enough time on his side to become the multifaceted and unique player that Liverpool were so keen to invest in.
#francischbydpost #Sports #sportsNews
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francischbyd
Werner09p:
yeah naby is going to show his real talent at this time
Werner09p
yeah naby is going to show his real talent at this time
yeah he is so good