We need to talk about Keita: The stats behind Liverpool star's struggle
Liverpool made a number of exciting signings over the summer, but there is little doubt as to whom the fans were most looking forward to seeing in the red shirt.
The anticipation of Naby Keita’s debut for the club was heightened by the fact that his signature was sealed the previous summer, and the Guinean immediately took up the mantle of following in Steven Gerrard’s footsteps with the number eight jersey.
His transfer at the time was a club record, but was still deemed a coup by those that had the pleasure of watching the midfielder at his dynamic best in the Bundesliga. Liverpool had beaten a long line of esteemed suitors for a player that took the German league by storm.
In his first season at RB Leipzig Keita had a direct hand in 15 goals from the middle of the park, scoring some spectacular efforts and registering some remarkable assists. His dynamism in and out of possession was rare to see and Jurgen Klopp was hot on the 23-year-old’s heels, viewing the former Salzburg star as ideal in his physically demanding, high-pressing system.
His long protracted move to Anfield was cited as the reason for a drop off in form in his final season in Germany, though it’s fair to say things haven’t panned out as expected at Liverpool just yet.
Keita started the first three matches of the season and against the likes of West Ham and Palace showed glimpses of the brilliance that some expected on an immediate and regular basis. Since then, however, the midfielder struggled to make his mark in matches, ultimately losing his place in the side before a muscular injury ruled him out of league meetings with Huddersfield, Cardiff and Arsenal.
He’s played more minutes for Guinea than Liverpool since the start of September, with over two months passing since he last got the nod in England’s top-flight at Wembley. All in all Keita has played just 440 of a possible 1080 Premier League minutes, and his statistics are way short of the ones he was posting in Germany.
An average of 0.6 key passes per 90 minutes is just a third of what he managed last season, while one successful dribble per 90 is down further still, from 3.1. He’s been considerably safer in possession than he was at Leipzig, completing 87.1 per cent of his passes compared to 81.4 per cent, but that’s not what Klopp or the fans will have wanted to see.
Keita was signed to be the difference maker from midfield. Whilst not similar in terms of style to the former Liverpool man, the club wanted a player that could spark a game into life in the way that Coutinho had previously, but it’s just not played that way just yet.
It takes time to acclimatise to a new league for most players - although it didn’t for Keita in Germany - but for the time being the supporters and many pundits have had to temper their enthusiasm. On his debut for Red Jamie Redknapp commented that it seemed as though Keita had been at the club for years, so seamlessly did he fit into the club’s way of playing. The buzz around his first outing was the key talking point ahead of and during the win over West Ham.
It already seems evident that too much was expected too soon, but the case remains that Liverpool haven’t seen Keita anything close to his best since his arrival. There’s plenty of time for that change, but for now the man who could do no wrong before he had even kicked a ball for the club will have to make do with a rotation policy in the Reds midfield.
The likes of James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum in particular haven’t given up their spots in the side without a fight. Now fully fit after a stunted start to life in England, it’s time for the summer signing to come out swinging.
