04 Jul 2017 09:54:30
There is a sense of inevitability that Keita will be at Liverpool next season but I want to nail my colours to the mast and say that I’d be happier if we didn’t sign him. If he does come and turns out to be brilliant you can all refer to this post to point out how I know nothing but here’s my reasoning.
1. I don’t think we need him. From our current squad I expect Couts, Hendo and Lallana to play more than our other midfielders and I don’t see Keita as a significant upgrade on any of them. Is he as creative as Couts, as tenacious as Lallana or as controlled as Hendo? People talk about improving the squad but you don’t spend £70m on improving the squad, you spend it on improving the first 11 and I don’t think Keita will do that, certainly not significantly. Liverpool’s problems are not in midfield, they’re in defence and I can’t see the logic in buying a first choice midfielder whilst chasing after second choice defenders.
2. He’s too expensive. There have been lots of posts about how it’s not our money so we shouldn’t worry about it but that’s ridiculous, in a world where money talks we should all have opinions on how Liverpool spends its money, it’s one of the key drivers of success in the modern game. £70m is absurd and I doubt we’re even getting value for money at £50m. Even if he is worth it since when have we been a club that operates at that financial level? There are too many stories of clubs that overstretched financially chasing success and suffering the consequences, it would be a disaster if that happened to Liverpool.
3. I’m just not excited. By all accounts Keita had a very good season last year but there’s almost no buzz around his name. I had never heard of him before the rumours started and I expect the same can be said for most who read this post. Apparently he came second in the Bundesliga player of the season vote but we give too much regard to these things, just like Karius has never been the second best keeper in Germany I have no doubt that Keita is not the second best player there either. The biggest tell is that there’s no one else chasing him, if he was as good as we’ve been led to believe then City, Utd and Arsenal should be clawing over each other to sign him but they’re not. I’m reminded of signing Markovic, where we spent big on potential that no one else valued and got burnt for it.
TLDR, I don’t think Keita will significantly improve the first team, I don’t think he’s value for money and I’m concerned about the ramifications if he’s not as good as we hope he is. We should pass on this one.
04 Jul 2017 10:17:42
Hi Putney, I agree with most of what you say, but I just can't help but think that we will be selling more than we think, so maybe will be collecting more money to offset signings. I know this sounds obvious but as the Eds keep saying we can't keep adding players!
04 Jul 2017 10:23:28
Putney, I agree with parts of your post. On your third point, I disagree that he being voted the second best player in the Bundesliga, just like Karius was voted second best GK, is insignificant. Just cos Karius made two mistakes in 10 measly games, proves absolutely nothing as he needs time to settle and that like it or not, will take time.
As for Keita, I agree with everything you said bar the part that he would not get into the team. He will get chances as he is very dynamic, a Kante with more attacking ability, if you like. Whether he is better than Wij or Lallana is another story. He will need time to settle as well if he came.
I just don't think he is worth the money. Like you, I didn't think he was worth the 50m initially quoted as he is (whether his fan boys like it or not) unproven in Europe and RBL only put a 70m price on him as they don't wanna sell, not cos he is worth it. What his fan boys can't answer is why a presumable 70m player has not a soul looking at him bar LFC?
People say, don't worry about the money. Really? I was not in a coma when we almost went bust in 2010 but maybe some people on here are and that's good for them. But I want to know why we are spending ridiculous cash on a like it or not, one season wonder when we have no history of ever doing so in the past. Either way IMO, we should just stay away from this deal cos we will be stripped naked if we go down this road.
04 Jul 2017 10:51:22
Just a thought gini might get pushed further up to lw were he played for the toon.
04 Jul 2017 11:00:54
Jamesy, Couts will already be further up the pitch so don't know where Wij woulf fit in there really.
04 Jul 2017 11:02:46
great way to support klopp, any one else you'd prefer he didn't sign so we can stifle what he's trying to do? if he thinks that its an integral price of the puzzle then get behind him regardless of the cost. if the club can't afford to pay it they won't.
04 Jul 2017 11:09:10
I think the mistake we always mistake is in highlighting all the reasons why we shouldn't sign a player. from the 3 games I've seen of Keita he brings energy, creativity and versatility to that midfield. he could play either lallana or gini's box to box midfield role linking the mid-attack and would be as adept to playing the presumed Coutinho role as an advanced midfielder.
We need to remember that the bulk of the regular starting XI are players that Klopp inherited. He is continuing to embed his philosophy in the squad and build their resilience (physically / mentally) to implement his methods. Bringing in players like Mane and Gini, and potentially Keita are the pieces who have the skill-set already to implement his style. You need to bring those players in if you can.
From the little I've seen, I would say his skill-set is a perfect fit for how Klopp wants us to play. Money or notoriety with other clubs? don't care!
04 Jul 2017 11:11:21
PutneyRed
I'm very excited about the prospect of us signing Keita and I think he'll make a huge impact if we manage to sign him.
Lots of ex footballers like Didi Hamaan and others, as well as football writers, who watch him play week in and week out in the Bundesliga have nothing but praise for him.
Jurgen Klopp knows what he's doing, and I honestly think Keita is another quality player with huge talent. and still only 22 years old.
{Ed025's Note - when you say klopp knows what hes doing....
04 Jul 2017 11:25:11
Wasn't he arsenals main transfer target but he was only moving for champions league which ruled them out when they did not qualify? Could be wrong but there certainly is/ was interest in him from big teams. others have been put off by the asking price hoping to sign him at a later stage possibly for a lower fee.
The problem with this from Liverpool's point if we waited and next year were competing say with Barcelona and Bayern at a lower price it won't matter as realistically we won't get him. just my opinion but I think our thinking is if we don't cough up now and pay what others won't we may never get him rightly or wrongly.
04 Jul 2017 12:04:23
Swish, I do enjoy responses like yours. Twisting my post to make it an attack on Klopp is an impressive feat. I doth my cap to you.
04 Jul 2017 12:17:12
Just a bit of fun Putney but I think if the coach thinks He's worth the cost then why fight it? No doubt he's a good player but I for one don't have knowledge to know how klopp intends to use him- nobody does but we've had a weak squad for years. Players like this puts us on a level playing field to compete on more fronts. That can only be a good thing.
04 Jul 2017 15:27:50
You are blatantly wrong on all the three fronts.
1. He is better than all except Coutinho, but then He is different to Coutinho. He will compliment Coutinho and will dictate the from the middle of the park. Lallana is just a pressing midfielder. He has 0 vision in picking players. He offers nothing when there is no space for him to turn or move.
He is better than both Henderson and Wijnaldum.
Henderson can't pass. He is so conservative with his passing that we rely too much on Matip to bring the ball out from deep.
The team struggled in the absence of Coutinho ( with all others on the pitch )
Kieta is a playmaker unlike a B2B midfielder who could only win the ball back for you and hand it to a better midfielder to pick the player ahead!
04 Jul 2017 15:28:59
I doubt the owners are stupid/ naive enough to put themselves and our club in a similar financial position to what we were in under H+G. If we can't realisticly afford him he wouldn't be an option
Personally I don't think he's worth 70m, and I don't think the club will pay anything close to 70m.
But if they did, the money would be there because it's available and who cares.