Off Topic Naby Keita -Long wait is over !

Sorry was thinking of cup winners' cup

 

Naby Keita: Xabi Alonso gave me a hard time!
Chris Shaw @__ChrisShaw

Xabi Alonso is the hardest player Naby Keita has faced in his career to date.


The current Liverpool midfielder ranks the former Reds pass-master as his toughest previous opponent, with the pair having competed on two occasions while at Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig simultaneously.

For his part, Alonso described the Guinea international as ‘a big personality… an all-round midfielder’ when discussing his move to Anfield this summer.

The respect is mutual. Indeed, the experience of those head-to-head meetings left a lasting impression on Keita.

“When I used to play against Bayern, Xabi Alonso always used to give me a really hard time,” said the No.8 in a special interview in which he answered questions from Reds fans.

“He was so experienced, he made me suffer. The way he’d keep switching play just meant that you could never stop running. He was very intelligent.”

Visit Liverpoolfc.com on Friday to read the Q&A with Keita in full. The midfielder answers your questions on a range of subjects, including his superstitions, the new chant in his name, life at Liverpool and much more.

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https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/315359-naby-keita-xabi-alonso

 

Keita: How I'm adapting to the Premier League

Naby Keita hopes his due diligence on the Premier League can allow him to make a more immediate impact in his debut Liverpool season.
The 23-year-old has already played in France, Austria and Germany but accepts that the English top flight is a different challenge for those new to the division.
Keita has made four appearances for the Reds so far, starting in the wins over West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion before a substitute outing when victory was secured at Leicester City before the international break.
The No.8 knew before he arrived there would be a period of adaptation but is sure his eagerness to prove himself in the Premier League can overcome any issues.
“I think it’s fair to say that the Premier League is a tough league,” said Keita in the new edition of the official Liverpool FC magazine.
“I’m very motivated to be playing in it – it’s an attractive proposition – but I’ve been told by many people that a lot of overseas players come into the Premier League and they take time to integrate, depending on the circumstances.
“So playing in the Premier League can be difficult, but I am very motivated to play here, not just for myself and my teammates, but for the club.
“Everybody around me has been very supportive towards me so I am certainly giving everything I can to get settled into the team quickly.”
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/315744-naby-keita-liverpool-premier-league

 

Comparing Naby Keita’s stats v Porto to his first Liverpool appearance

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Naby Keita took a while to settle at Liverpool, but his recent performances suggest he is now well accustomed to life at Anfield.

Plenty of expectation surrounded Keita’s arrival this summer after Liverpool waited a year before the midfielder moved from RB Leipzig in a £53million deal.

The 24-year-old made a slow start to his Reds career but has scored in his last two appearances – and we’ve compared his stats in his most recent outing against Porto to his first Liverpool start, against West Ham in August.

 

Keita was magnificent in pre-season, okay it was pre-season, but once you've seen what a player's capable of, you know it's only a matter of time before you see it again and we did, last night.

 

We've said that all along but it's about the pace of the games.

Klopp alluded to this in his description of how Keita came more into the Southampton game.

There's a big element of confidence here.

I don't think he will start v Chelsea.

 

Pacheco, Suso, Voronin, etc. All looked great in pre-season...

 

Im not sure about all of those and I know lots of players look good in pre-season but I feel there's something different about Keita.

 

I was convinced they'd be hits based on pre-season. It's why I no longer watch them.

 

I don't base long term prospects on pre-season performance either just like I don't base it on WC performance. Just feel Keita will come good. As mito said, he needs confidence building.

 

frankly if we are honest he's been blown away by the speed of the English league and it's huddle bussle no need for quality chase it lumo it, kick your opponent style

 

yeah cos thats all there is to english football

 

there's a lot of it. there's quite a lot players are let away with in our league that is blown up in others. especially at home grounds.

there's a reason windy is absolute **** away from home after all.

 

you get away with more in CL than PL just take last night for example for any number of tackles the ref didn't blow for that would have been fouls in the PL.

 

that ref was highly unusual. he left them.go with several cases of dissent and waved play on several times or advantage.

It's the type of opponent you get though. most European teams keep possession and play more tactically.

 

There is certainly a player in there but I'm not convinced he'll get the pace of the PL. He still got caught a couple of times against Porto and there was zero pace in that game.

 

I believe we should keep him for another season. Some players improve season by season. Not Moreno though!

 

I don't agree with that. He's no slouch himself. He's like a little terrier nipping at opponents and has what I believe are known as 'mazy' runs. If he's been unprepared for anything, it's the physicality.

 

Keita's problem is not physical but lack of awareness of what is behind him. Many times he gets caught from behind rather than when he is facing players one on one. His best attribute is when he is on the front foot dribbling directly at players and when you try to remember his best plays it is in that part of the game. I do not know whether that can be coached but if he masters that piece we have a player on our hands.

 

Of course we should keep him, never thought otherwise