catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
The basic point for me is this: you just cant play one way and expect to bag a major piece of silverware like the PL or CL. Look at the way City this year were able to mix up their play when they had to; and look at the way Madrid played on Saturday night in just one game where they switched from a solid defence with bodies behind the ball to contain Liverpool early on and then pushed them back and played a possession based game. Liverpool have one gear and they either press and blow teams away early on or they struggle to a hard fought draw/win or else lose those tighter encounters. Klopp has moaned about not having the bench Madrid have. It would make no difference because tactically he's got one string to his bow.
I've said before that Keita looks bang average. In the Bundesliga he might be able carry the ball over distance and prompt attacks, but here in this league he'll be dispossessed before he gets within 30-40 yards of the opposition goal. They spent about £55M on him IIRC. They need an upgrade on Milner and Henderson for sure, but I'm not convinced he's the solution in the engine room.
Thats it. I think Keita looks fine, a little like how Gana did when he first came but probably slightly more comfortable on the ball. He never stood out for Leipzig like Lookman did when I was watching him though. No doubt he'll be the saviour now, just as Karius was better than De Gea.