Keita and Doumbia: The Differences In Roma’s Sey-Duo

Date: 20th March 2015 at 5:30pm
Written by:

Two Seydou’s have arrived at Roma in the last two transfer windows, one has gone on to be a key figure in Rudi Garcia’s side… The other has rarely shown face in a Giallorossi shirt.

Keita Doumbia Roma

The transfer of Seydou Doumbia to Roma was a long and protracted process, culminating in a last-ditch, deadline-day completion after Mattia Destro had been sent to AC Milan.

The move followed an impressive 61 goals in 95 games for CSKA Moscow, including seven this season. A fee of around €14 million was enough to convince the Ivorian to jump from the team which had finished bottom of Group E of this season’s Champions League. Roma, in the same group, were third.

That wasn’t quite that, though.

Doumbia’s side had a game the day after his transfer and duly, the new Roma signing took up his position on the bench in Malabo to see his Ivory Coast team-mates dispatch Algeria 3–1.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lewpJELIq3E[/youtube]

It was another fortnight until he was able to play for the Giallorossi, making his first start in a 0–0 draw against Parma that was prove something of a harbinger for his future involvement.

Monday’s game with Sampdoria was Doumbia’s fourth Roma appearance, yet Luis Muriel’s goal was the first he had seen scored in Italy.

During those games, at times Roma looked to be crying out for a striker –Doumbia may have failed to score on his debut, but that is forgivable.

That remains his only start to date, and in the following three matches he featured, Roma have taken 40 shots (18 on target) but scored just twice. Creating chances clearly isn’t a problem. Taking them is. From 1.75 goals before the turn of the year, Roma have netted just 1.10 goals in 2015.

seydou-doumbia-roma

Wisdom would suggest that a man with 121 goals in 202 league games would be a valuable asset to the team. Even with the caveat that his career to date has been in Japan, Switzerland and Russia, many would envy his European record. Standing at 19 goals in 28 European clashes, Doumbia looks even more impressive on paper.

Rudi Garcia must be aware of his abilities, and currently, 20 minutes at the end of games Roma need to win is his chosen way of utilising the Ivorian.

Granted 22 minutes to show his ability against the Blucerchiati, Doumbia could be forgiven for feeling the pressure to make his mark.

The Ivorian must have been even more disappointed in his (at that point) captain and namesake Seydou Keita. The veteran was not only sent off after violently disagreeing with his booking, but reacted so badly to the red card that he took a full 56 seconds to leave the field of play afterwards.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0BF_xTAN3c[/youtube]

With less than 10 minutes to play, such a vituperative explosion was not befitting of a veteran with such experience – much less one who was wearing the armband at the time.

In truth, although he is obviously an accomplished player, it can be difficult to see what Keita brings to Roma.

The Malian is an old head in the middle of the park, but so is Daniele De Rossi, and so is Francesco Totti. His pass completion percentage is high (90.7%) amongst midfielders, but lower than Miralem Pjanic (91.1%). His solitary assist puts him level with Morgan De Sanctis amongst others, but way behind the likes of Pjanic, Florenzi and Totti.

Parma - Roma

Rudi Garcia seems to have come to rely on Keita. Now at 1560 Serie A minutes, he has amassed a figure higher than he has logged in any season since 2009-10, save for his spell at Dalian Aerbin in the Chinese Super League.

Quite aside from 35-year-old Keita’s continued importance, there are undercurrents within Roma suggesting that Rudi Garcia’s style doesn’t quite match up with the club’s ethos.

The idea of signing young players and moving them on at a profit is a fine one and flagship signings such as Juan Iturbe and Erik Lamela added weight to the concept.

Yet in each of the three seasons of James Palotta’s stewardship, the average age of Roma’s fee-paid signings has increased, from 22 to almost 24.

The average age of the squad is creeping upwards, too. Keita is one of seven over-30s to have logged substantial game time this year – by contrast, only five under-25s have done so, though the impressive cameos of Daniele Verde might well see that figure rise to six.

AS Roma v Torino FC - Serie A

It would be nonsense to say that Seydou Keita is to blame for all Roma’s failings, though his involvement makes the side a little less dynamic and a little more deliberate. Equally, it would be nonsense to suggest that Seydou Doumbia could solve all their problems, though a proven goalscorer, he would be a valuable asset.

The Seydous seem to occupy different ends of Rudi Garcia’s teamsheet but given the stagnation the Giallorossi are suffering, he might have more success by switching them around.

With Keita set to miss the game at relegation threatened Cesena through suspension, his hand may be forced. Against such a forgiving defence, it would have offered a perfect opportunity for Doumbia to break his duck.

 

Comments are closed.