There is a parameter to ascertain an ideal baseball player and they are often judged by five tools. A top player is usually said to be the ‘5 tool player’ as he is supposed to have all the tool/abilities which are required in baseball. The five tools are namely hitting average, hitting power, baserunning speed, throwing abilities and fielding abilities. Now if we try to judge a football midfielder using the same analogy, we guess the five tools which would be required in a complete midfielder are passing ability, defensive work rate, strength on the ball, tackling and creativity.
Naby Keita happens to be one such midfielder who seems to have all the tools to be a complete midfielder and yet he is just 23. Liverpool finalised his deal last season only and he joined the squad on July 1, 2018. The Guinean midfielder has been impressive in the preseason, and the Reds would be hopeful of a big season from their new no.8.
Former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has worn the number over the years and it’s perfect that the legend himself had presented Keita with the no. 8 jersey. At his prime, Gerrard used to do everything in midfield, from scoring essential goals to slogging it out in midfield with oppositions. One can never forget how he ended up playing in 3 different positions in the 2005 Champions League final. Over the past few seasons, Liverpool have been threatening to challenge for big trophies, but they have come up short on last hurdles as they have lost three finals under Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds are playing one of the most attractive brands of football. However, one can always sense that this side lacks a bit of spine. They seemed to lack players who would take the game by the scruff of the neck when the going got tough. However, in the last few transfer windows, Klopp has tried to rectify that. In defence, they have a leading voice in Virgil Van Dijk, and they have improved leaps and bound since January. Now they have added Keita, who can be that man in midfield.
With all his technical abilities on the ball, Keita is willing to get his hands dirty in midfield and fight it out with opponents in a midfield scrap. He has had disciplinary issues as he sometimes lets the heat of the moment get better of him, but that shows that the player doesn’t mind stamping his authority on the game. With time and experience, he will certainly cut down on his recklessness.
Ever since the departure of Gerrard, the Reds have lacked a midfielder with a spine. Club captain Jordan Henderson tries his best with whatever limited abilities he has but it’s fair to say, regarding talents and skills, he is nowhere near the former Liverpool legend. Keita can be that man in midfield who can be the perfect box to box midfielder.
He has a creative side to his game and has those driving runs in him which can unlock defences against teams who would sit back and ‘park the bus’. He is also known to break down plays, and those skills will help the side against top quality opponents. The 23-year-old can add a bit more of goalscoring threat to his game but one shouldn’t judge him on that as at RB Leipzig, he had often been playing in a more conservative role.
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He showcased his abilities to the world in the first game of the season as he ran riot over West Ham United midfielders Mark Noble and Declan Rice. He will have sterner tests up ahead, but one can surely say that the replacement for Gerrard has finally arrived at Liverpool.
