Naby Keita

This is the type of midfielder we should buy and it's clear for most people who have watched him to see. He does a fantastic job all over the midfield and has that work rate that Mourinho craves, think Kante but much better in an attacking sense. Unfortunately we will probably end up with an unmotivated overpaid James Rodriguez stinking up our number 10 spot because he will make our sponsors happy.
 
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Unfortunately the Bundesliga doesn't allow for YouTube compilations other than its own official channel. I'd really like to see a 16/17 review of his season.
 
Unfortunately he isn't a holding player. Unless we can make Herrera hold (which would be waste of his best qualities) signing Keita would be a waste.
 
Vito Corleone said:
Unfortunately he isn't a holding player. Unless we can make Herrera hold (which would be waste of his best qualities) signing Keita would be a waste.
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I don't see why that matters, Herrera has played as the deepest of the three at times this season and playing a holding midfielder against the weaker teams in the league isn't really necessary. We just need more depth in midfield in general, there's no way we should be going into next season with Carrick and Fellaini as the best options after Herrera and Pogba.
 
Vito Corleone said:
Unfortunately he isn't a holding player. Unless we can make Herrera hold (which would be waste of his best qualities) signing Keita would be a waste.
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What's wrong with Herrera having competition?
 
What does our resident BL supporters think about this guy? I see his name bandied around a lot.

Decent stats and has been brilliant as an #8 linking the defence\attack the two times I've seen him. Seemed very energetic and perhaps one suited to the PL.

I can't remember the names of our resident Germans, if anyone do then please tag them.
 
SwansonsTache said:
What does our resident BL supporters think about this guy? I see his name bandied around a lot.

Decent stats and has been brilliant as an #8 linking the defence\attack the two times I've seen him. Seemed very energetic and perhaps one suited to the PL.

I can't remember the names of our resident Germans, if anyone do then please tag them.
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Other than hearing him called the African Iniesta once, not much. Looks a talent from the one game I"ve seen him in and we need the options especially in MF. Will no doubt need CL to have a shot at him.
 
@SwansonsTache
I havn't followed him particularly closely this season but I rate him. He usually played as CM next to another DM/CM as double pivot. Occasionally he played RM/LM. He is a very well rounded b2b midfielder with few weaknesses. Great engine, good at defending, good technique, can score goals and assist. He reminds me a bit of Arturo Vidal.
 
@SwansonsTache

Can't say too much as I don't really watch Leipzig games regularly. Whenever I've seen him he looked good, and I'd agree with PedroMendez, he looks like a strong all-round midfielder with a good engine and good tactical behaviour. Surely one of the best players in Bundesliga this season.
For my taste, I'd wait another season to see how he does to be sure though. RB will also play CL, for example.

In any case, today is Leipzig vs Bayern so that's an opportunity to take another look at him (in the reverse fixture he was actually quite poor, along with the rest of RB. He was slightly injured though).
 
I'd like to see him stay at RB Leipzig and experience Champions League football with them next season. Leicester aren't the best example to compare with, with all the results and politics that went off this season before Ranieri left, but I like that Vardy and Mahrez stayed where they were. They can get their big money moves this season and can go to a Champions League team knowing that they can perform at that high level. Obviously, Kante leaving and going to Chelsea worked out well for him in terms of winning the league. I think if Leicester had performed for Ranieri like they have for Shakespeare, Vardy and Mahrez might have added a few million to the price tags.
 
PedroMendez said:
@SwansonsTache
I havn't followed him particularly closely this season but I rate him. He usually played as CM next to another DM/CM as double pivot. Occasionally he played RM/LM. He is a very well rounded b2b midfielder with few weaknesses. Great engine, good at defending, good technique, can score goals and assist. He reminds me a bit of Arturo Vidal.
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I wouldn't compare him to Vidal. Keita is far more dangerous in the last third of the pitch. He has much better dribbling and a really great ablity to play the last pass and set up an opportunity.
What makes him so great for me is the ablity to run with the ball towards the opponent and then being able to do everything to get the ball past him.
 
HTG said:
And that's a bad thing because?
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Isn't it obvious? Its not coming from someone with any expert knowledge about the field, its often not even based on the person in question having followed the player the entire season, etc.

I've helped write quite a few such reports and they've been based on the impression I have of the player based on say 5 viewings combined with what I'd have read about the guy here on caf etc.
 
Varun said:
Isn't it obvious? Its not coming from someone with any expert knowledge about the field, its often not even based on the person in question having followed the player the entire season, etc.

I've helped write quite a few such reports and they've been based on the impression I have of the player based on say 5 viewings combined with what I'd have read about the guy here on caf etc.
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I'd go as far as saying that this might actually be more research than most journalists at big papers would do.
Concerning Keita, the report seems to be about right for me.
 
He's basically a poor mans Pogba from what I've seen. If he's content to be Pogba's backup id sign him up but I doubt that.
 
Akash said:
He's basically a poor mans Pogba from what I've seen. If he's content to be Pogba's backup id sign him up but I doubt that.
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Why not take Fellaini's place? Apart from aerial presence what does Fel offer that should guarantee his place in the starting XI?
 
HTG said:
I'd go as far as saying that this might actually be more research than most journalists at big papers would do.
Concerning Keita, the report seems to be about right for me.
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I doubt that or well, atleast I hope that's not true because I've seen first hand how little effort goes into such pieces most of the time. In any case, I don't put much credence into articles by journalists either unless the guy is known to be knowledgeable about the team or the piece contains extracts from coaches etc.
 
MadMike said:
Why not take Fellaini's place? Apart from aerial presence what does Fel offer that should guarantee his place in the starting XI?
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Important goals, chest trap to die for. Aside that he's not a guaranteed starter, he's a squad player.
When we replace Carrick he's only cover for Herrera & Pogba.
 
He's excellent and would be the perfect foil for Pogba as the second #8 in a midfield three (great engine and defensive workrate but much more incisive with his passing than similar(ish) players like Bakayoko/Kante).
 
Varun said:
I doubt that or well, atleast I hope that's not true because I've seen first hand how little effort goes into such pieces most of the time. In any case, I don't put much credence into articles by journalists either unless the guy is known to be knowledgeable about the team or the piece contains extracts from coaches etc.
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I can guarantee that it is about true in some cases at least. Sport journalism is an absolute disaster. Journalists for big papers basically spend most of their time networking and trying to come up with bullshit articles about why Neymar might leave for Tottenham or something like that.
 
HTG said:
I can guarantee that it is about true in some cases at least. Sport journalism is an absolute disaster. Journalists for big papers basically spend most of their time networking and trying to come up with bullshit articles about why Neymar might leave for Tottenham or something like that.
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:lol: absolutely. The source for 99% of the transfer rumours is the journalist's ass which isn't that reliable really. I was actually talking just about the various articles that come out about players at clubs.
 
Varun said:
:lol: absolutely. The source for 99% of the transfer rumours is the journalist's ass which isn't that reliable really. I was actually talking just about the various articles that come out about players at clubs.
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Even those aren't nys good I'd say. I've read articles about our players that had absolutely nothing to do with them. Many journos basically look at the players position and then write down the usual stuff you'd associate with the position.
 
Although Werner and Forsberg are Leipzigs top scorers, Keita impressed me the most this season. Absolutely immense in defense and offense.
But i do not know if he would be the right player for you, because he is always looking to go forward and is sometimes not calm enough. I am not sure if a midfield of Pogba, Herrera and Keita would be completely balanced. (In fact i just want him at Bayern ;))
 
HTG said:
Even those aren't nys good I'd say. I've read articles about our players that had absolutely nothing to do with them. Many journos basically look at the players position and then write down the usual stuff you'd associate with the position.
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Sad state of affairs.
 
Red_toad said:
Important goals, chest trap to die for. Aside that he's not a guaranteed starter, he's a squad player.
When we replace Carrick he's only cover for Herrera & Pogba.
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We seem to play with 3 CMs in most games and Fellaini gets a crap load of starts. He's above "squad player" status at the moment for me. Young is a squad player.

If Carrick is replaced with a DM who gets a starting XI spot next to Herrera and Pogba, then the next MF in line (whoever that guy is, whether it's Keita or Fellaini) will still get a huge amount of games, probably as many as the other 3.

That MF might not be starting the most important of fixtures, barring injuries and suspensions of course, but still loads of games. Enough for any young player to be content at a big club.

Fellaini is entering the final year of his contract with no extension option (already used up), so he either gets offered a new deal in the summer or he's sold. In either case my ideal scenario would be for him to be 5th option behind Pogba, Herrera and two new arrivals. We lost 2 MF'ers this season (Schweini and Morgan) and have been a bit light in that department with Herrera and Pogba having started too many back to back games due to our lack of numbers. We're also about to lose another MF in Carrick. So we do need 2 arrivals minimum, and whether 1 of them will be Pereira or whether we'll need to buy 2 new CMs, remains to be seen.
 
MadMike said:
Why not take Fellaini's place? Apart from aerial presence what does Fel offer that should guarantee his place in the starting XI?
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100% agree. Right now our central midfield options are Pogba Herrera Fellaini Carrick. Next season I'd like to see them as Pogba Herrera Pereira Kieta Dier.
 
unitedbhoy said:
Keita and Saul and our midfield would be sorted for the next decade
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That would be the dream. Pogba, Herrera, Niguez, Keita and Pereira maybe even Tofu-Mensah in a couple of years depending on how he progresses. Sorted for quite a while.
 
Shoulda snapped him up years ago, been a beast in fifa for three years:angel:
 
Isn't he a lot similar to Pogba in his best role? I'd probably like to see a more deeper or defensive b2b next to Pogba next season. We also have Herrera who has played well this season all things considered.
 
Enigma_87 said:
Isn't he a lot similar to Pogba in his best role? I'd probably like to see a more deeper or defensive b2b next to Pogba next season. We also have Herrera who has played well this season all things considered.
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Not really. The best way I could describe Keita is Kante who can attack. He is immense at getting the ball forward, but also has that engine and drive Kante possesses. He is a top, top prospect and my muppet signing, it's a shame we don't seem to be looking at him.
 
MadMike said:
Why not take Fellaini's place? Apart from aerial presence what does Fel offer that should guarantee his place in the starting XI?
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You really can't have both Keita and Pogba is the same midfield. Fellaini should be a squad player at any rate.
 
MadMike said:
Huh? Why not
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Because they both do the same thing. Keita is even more attack minded than Pogba. If we play a 2 man CM which we do very often it's an extremely unbalanced combination. You'd have to have Pogba sit in behind which is a waste.
 
Red_toad said:
Important goals, chest trap to die for. Aside that he's not a guaranteed starter, he's a squad player.
When we replace Carrick he's only cover for Herrera & Pogba.
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For some strange reason I read that in Louis Spence's voice...
 
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