I didn't see the game or this passage of play - it could just be that in that moment Arthur weighed up the chances of having a counter attack versus retaining possession.
Quite simply, we want Keita to be the controller in our matches. So under Rafa, this was the role of Xabi.
Quite simply, we want Keita to be the controller in our matches. So under Rafa, this was the role of Xabi.
He was our deep controller. He usually decided the tempo of the game, even decided the point of attack. He stayed outside the attack itself as a passing option to refocus our attack elsewhere, hoover up clearances and support the defence in dealing with long balls forward.
At Barcelona, Xabi was their controller but often did so higher up the pitch - as an 'advanced controller' and this looks a lot more like what we role want Keita to perform.
He isn't dropping in the CB as much to help them move the ball forward, he is providing an option
He isn't dropping in the CB as much to help them move the ball forward, he is providing an option
instead early buildup phase ahead of them between the lines, as a receiver to break the early press - turn and move the ball forward quickly.
Once the ball is in the final though, what he does more resembles Xabi in that he stays in support and doesn't get ahead of the ball too
Once the ball is in the final though, what he does more resembles Xabi in that he stays in support and doesn't get ahead of the ball too
much. The beauty of his partnership with Gini is he is the best we have at those runs from deep and 3rd man runs to open up defences and move people about to create spaces for others.
Where he differs though, is he also performs the role as a ball carrier - which neither Xavi
Where he differs though, is he also performs the role as a ball carrier - which neither Xavi
or Xabi did. It is more something we associate with Iniesta (the playmaker, the penetrative player) at Barca than we did with Xavi (the advanced controller).
Which means whoever is partnered with him needs the tactical intelligence to know when they should drop in for Keita
Which means whoever is partnered with him needs the tactical intelligence to know when they should drop in for Keita
allowing him to carry the ball forward and when to run ahead of him to make spaces and angles to pick his passes better.
The reason this is a problem for our fanbase, is they have been sold on him being a weird mix of 'Ribery + Kante'. Or 'Deco + Makelele'.
The reason this is a problem for our fanbase, is they have been sold on him being a weird mix of 'Ribery + Kante'. Or 'Deco + Makelele'.
This is data people seeing his numerical output, seeing what that compares to - and then putting two names together that don't really fit. So people expected the impossible of him - to both protect the defence and be ahead of the ball in the finishing phase. How?
At Leipzig, he played as the sharp end of the stick in a counter attacking team - they would sit in, then spring out. He would be behind the ball then spring ahead of the line of pressure once it was one back to receive and play the throughball / have the final shot himself.
But we don't play that way and that role doesn't exist in our team most games. We needed a player who would help us break down teams. This is what that looks like. Patience, moving players around, opening little spaces before trying to wedge in a crowbar and pop them open.
