Liverpool spent £52m to sign Naby Keita from RB Leipzig.
That’s a hefty sum, but there’s no doubt the midfielder’s worth the money.
Hi dynamism, athleticism, intelligence and technical qualities will see him contribute
brilliantly in both attack and defence, and crucially, ensure that he's a perfect fit
for Jurgen Klopp's exciting brand of football.
Keita was initially spotted back in 2014 by Gerard Houllier, then Head of Global Football
for Red Bull's football setup.
At the time, plying his trade with FC Istres in Ligue 2, Red Bull Salzburg moved quickly
to secure his signature.
Back to back league titles followed with the Austrian powerhouse, as Keita struck up a
fine friendship with a certain Sadio Mane and showed signs of his bright future.
Fresh from winning Salzburg's player of the year award in 2015/2016, he followed the obvious
path and joined sister club RB Leipzig, where's he blossomed superbly in the Bundesliga under
Ralph Hasenhuttl's management.
Playing as an attackingly geared central midfielder within RB Leipzig's iconic 4-2-2-2 hexagonal
shape (but also in other variants such as a 4-3-3 and as a hybrid ten within a three
at the back scheme), Keita's energetic box to box qualities were catered for well in
Germany.
When defending, Keita would position himself alongside fellow midfielder Diego Demme or
Kevin Kampl within their structure, as he showed a sound positional sense and knowledge
of when to hold his zonal post or track a player who ventured into his designated zone.
He supplemented this with aggressive pressing when specific triggers presented themselves
like a pass to the ball near midfielder or fullback, OR when an opponent received the
ball with their back to goal or merely in an open posture or if they took a poor first
touch.
The timing and angling of this was key, as he used his cover shadow to block passing
lanes behind him to limit his adversary's options, ensuring they'd be rushed and forced
into an unclean action.
Cleverly, he'd often hold off his press for a split second to give the ball carrier the
perception that a free teammate was available before rapidly pouncing on the intended recipient,
often causing turnovers in possession.
This is called a pressing trap.
Moreover, whenever Leipzig lost possession, his superb counterpressing was vital in winning
the ball back immediately.
His quick reactions and speed saw him heap pressure on the ball holder to turn the ball
over and attack again.
Keita is very tactically aware and an expert at reading second ball situations.
This is part of the secret behind his ball winning capabilities.
Part of the reason that Keita’s transfer to Liverpool makes so much sense is because
Klopp has enacted many of the pressing mechanics Hasenhuttl installed at Leipzig.
Keita would be close to versed in Liverpool’s style of player before he even arrived.
Meanwhile, on the attacking end, Keita, who'll be expected to operate as an eight within
Klopp's 4-3-3 but could also play as a six or maybe even as a 10 in a 4-2-3-1, will be
an equally potent asset.
To start with, his mesmerising dribbling ability, and explosive driving runs will wreak havoc
on opposition defenses.
Capable of beating his man in a variety of ways, through neat skills, feints, shoulder
drops, shimmies or courtesy of his razor sharp changes of pace and direction, Keita is an
extremely challenging and unpredictable man to stop in 1v1 situations.
His ability to maintain close control at high speeds presents defenders with a dilemma when
they’re marking him.
If they hold their post, he can breeze past them, but if one or more defenders are drawn
into pressing him, he’ll often find a teammate who's now free due to defenders leaving their
stations.
Insert Image 5 - Keita dribbling attracts three men leaving Kampl free
He is also very strong and has low centre of gravity, meaning his balance makes him
very hard to push off the ball.
This serving him especially well in close quarters and adds to his ability to resist
the press.
Keita is an ambitious passer and is constantly on the lookout to be as progressive as possible
with his passing play.
Whether playing penetrative, vertical line breaking passes, incisive through balls (in
the air or on the ground), switching the angle of attacks, partaking in intricate combination
play or hitting shrewd disguised deliveries, his creative distribution will give the Reds
plenty of offensive impetus.
Furthermore, his diagonal forward passing also deserves mention, for these types of
passes are so effective in causing opposition blocks to move both horizontally and vertically,
and can often cause confusion and lead to mistakes, or simply tire opposition players.
His use of the half spaces is another interesting component, as he often drops into these areas
to receive possession with an enhanced field of view.
This allows him to use his passing to great effect in a zone that's typically less congested
than the middle to increase the quality of his action.
Lastly, the man who idolises Deco and Andres Iniesta has a keen eye for goal and uses his
shooting ability to good effect, especially from range, resulting in 17 goals over his
two seasons with Leipzig.
Multifaceted, uniquely skilled and full of quality in both compartments of the game,
Keita's already showed plenty of promise in preseason for Liverpool.
He's looking like a very worthy heir of the coveted No.8 shirt that was last worn by the
legendary Steven Gerrard.