Robbie Keane

[kingfunk]

So tell me then why Torres is dragged in to this and used to slag Rafa?

As for Keane, I'm as lost about as anyone else. Why buy him in the 1st place if we don't use him? Are we negotiating to sell him and not risking him because of that?

Just one of the mysteries of the modern world!

[blacky]

Have to say I am fairly pissed off over the keane situation. We practically tapped the lad up. He was settled at spurs and playing some of the best footie of his carreer. We used the fact that he is a boyhood red to attract him to anfield and now we seem to be systematically destroying his confidence. Saturday reeked of cutting off yer nose to spite yer face. Don't know what point rafa is trying to prove but in my world you have a better chance of winning a game when you have yer best players on the pitch. Keane might be low on confidence but he is a creative player and had a very decent goalscoring record in the prem. Far better record than Benni and Kuyt or lucas for that matter. Either play him or sell him the lad deserves better than this.

[bobbyfallon]

Have to say I am fairly pissed off over the keane situation. We practically tapped the lad up. He was settled at spurs and playing some of the best footie of his carreer. We used the fact that he is a boyhood red to attract him to anfield and now we seem to be systematically destroying his confidence. Saturday reeked of cutting off yer nose to spite yer face. Don't know what point rafa is trying to prove but in my world you have a better chance of winning a game when you have yer best players on the pitch. Keane might be low on confidence but he is a creative player and had a very decent goalscoring record in the prem. Far better record than Benni and Kuyt or lucas for that matter. Either play him or sell him the lad deserves better than this.

[kingfunk]

Have to say I am fairly pissed off over the keane situation. We practically tapped the lad up. He was settled at spurs and playing some of the best footie of his carreer. We used the fact that he is a boyhood red to attract him to anfield and now we seem to be systematically destroying his confidence. Saturday reeked of cutting off yer nose to spite yer face. Don't know what point rafa is trying to prove but in my world you have a better chance of winning a game when you have yer best players on the pitch. Keane might be low on confidence but he is a creative player and had a very decent goalscoring record in the prem. Far better record than Benni and Kuyt or lucas for that matter. Either play him or sell him the lad deserves better than this.

[dww]

Have to say I am fairly pissed off over the keane situation. We practically tapped the lad up. He was settled at spurs and playing some of the best footie of his carreer. We used the fact that he is a boyhood red to attract him to anfield and now we seem to be systematically destroying his confidence. Saturday reeked of cutting off yer nose to spite yer face. Don't know what point rafa is trying to prove but in my world you have a better chance of winning a game when you have yer best players on the pitch. Keane might be low on confidence but he is a creative player and had a very decent goalscoring record in the prem. Far better record than Benni and Kuyt or lucas for that matter. Either play him or sell him the lad deserves better than this.

I just think that this is completely wrong. Rafa has treated Keane in much the way Fergie treated Tevez last season. When Keane has played he has in many aspects he has played well IMO. I also think that most Spurs fans I talk to think he has played best when he has had some bench time.

I get the impression that people think that if they don't understand Rafa's thinking that he is just being a stubborn ****. I tend to be of the opinion that whether or not I would agree with him he very rarely does anything without a sound reasoning behind it.

[wiw]

I'm reading Paco Loret's book on Rafa at the moment and it says that one thing Rafa hates is players that think they should be in the team on reputation alone. It doesn't matter how much the player cost or who the player is. None of us know what's going on with Keane, but going solely on the Preston game he doesn't deserve to be in the starting 11 imo

Now I don't know what Keane's been like in training but I imagine the only response to any kind of setback/disappointment/****e display Rafa is satisfied with is for the player to work even harder - anything less and they wont feature.

At the end of the day, it's become painfully obvious that Keane is **** as the lone striker. Whether we like it or not Rafa wanted to play 4-2-3-1 at Stoke and chose Kuyt ahead of Keane.

As Torres returns I can see Keane getting a lot more playing time

[Roboklopp]

I'm reading Paco Loret's book on Rafa at the moment and it says that one thing Rafa hates is players that think they should be in the team on reputation alone. It doesn't matter how much the player cost or who the player is. None of us know what's going on with Keane, but going solely on the Preston game he doesn't deserve to be in the starting 11 imo

Now I don't know what Keane's been like in training but I imagine the only response to any kind of setback/disappointment/****e display Rafa is satisfied with is for the player to work even harder - anything less and they wont feature.

At the end of the day, it's become painfully obvious that Keane is **** as the lone striker. Whether we like it or not Rafa wanted to play 4-2-3-1 at Stoke and chose Kuyt ahead of Keane.

As Torres returns I can see Keane getting a lot more playing time

Read that book after Istanbul- good isnt it?

I dont think Rafa drops players after 1 poor performance if they are meeting certain other requirements in training/attitude he looks out for, so there must be more to the whole Keane thing than meets the eye immediately. On the fact of it tho, I am strongly against the usage/treatment of the lad.

[dww]

I'm reading Paco Loret's book on Rafa at the moment and it says that one thing Rafa hates is players that think they should be in the team on reputation alone. It doesn't matter how much the player cost or who the player is. None of us know what's going on with Keane, but going solely on the Preston game he doesn't deserve to be in the starting 11 imo

Now I don't know what Keane's been like in training but I imagine the only response to any kind of setback/disappointment/****e display Rafa is satisfied with is for the player to work even harder - anything less and they wont feature.

At the end of the day, it's become painfully obvious that Keane is **** as the lone striker. Whether we like it or not Rafa wanted to play 4-2-3-1 at Stoke and chose Kuyt ahead of Keane.

As Torres returns I can see Keane getting a lot more playing time

I think that statement about Rafa seems very reasonable from what we have seen. It is also something I am right behind.

I don't think that is fair on Keane actually. I thought his movement against Preston was excellent. He can function as a lone striker IMO but like Kuyt needs players to get close to him when up front to really shine. At the minute Gerrard seems to operate a bit too deep and Riera and Benayoun in the last game were miles away from Kuyt all the time. I think Keane would have struggled in the same role but that either can do well if the rest of the team has the sort of intelligent movement they had against Newcastle. I would say that at the minute players seem unwilling to take risks at the right times early in a game and unless we either keep the pressure up (like against Bolton) or the opposition crumble (like Newcastle) then one or two players go into their shell. We seem to lack on pitch leadership without Alonso.

[wiw]

I think that statement about Rafa seems very reasonable from what we have seen. It is also something I am right behind.

I don't think that is fair on Keane actually. I thought his movement against Preston was excellent. He can function as a lone striker IMO but like Kuyt needs players to get close to him when up front to really shine. At the minute Gerrard seems to operate a bit too deep and Riera and Benayoun in the last game were miles away from Kuyt all the time. I think Keane would have struggled in the same role but that either can do well if the rest of the team has the sort of intelligent movement they had against Newcastle. I would say that at the minute players seem unwilling to take risks at the right times early in a game and unless we either keep the pressure up (like against Bolton) or the opposition crumble (like Newcastle) then one or two players go into their shell. We seem to lack on pitch leadership without Alonso.

Ok perhaps it was a bit harsh. His general play was good but his finishing was absolutely woeful. I think the key was that Kuyt can head a ball...if you know you're not going to get much joy through the middle it's better to have someone in the middle who can head crosses in?

Agree with the risk taking/Alonso points

[wiw]

Read that book after Istanbul- good isnt it?

I dont think Rafa drops players after 1 poor performance if they are meeting certain other requirements in training/attitude he looks out for, so there must be more to the whole Keane thing than meets the eye immediately. On the fact of it tho, I am strongly against the usage/treatment of the lad.

Yeah i'm enjoying it so far

We'll see if it pays off at the end of the season I guess. Him and Torres are going to be raring to go though

[dww]

Ok perhaps it was a bit harsh. His general play was good but his finishing was absolutely woeful. I think the key was that Kuyt can head a ball...if you know you're not going to get much joy through the middle it's better to have someone in the middle who can head crosses in?

Agree with the risk taking/Alonso points

I can sort of see that argument re: Kuyt and heading but he is not a targetman and we haven't really been putting in many headable crosses of late so I can't see it as a huge advantage. Certainly against Stoke I think there were strong cases for Babel instead of Riera (in order to have someone else try and get close to Kuyt) or Keane up top to provide more direct runs centrally whereas Kuyt tends to roam more freely. Stoke have a very narrow defense set up largely to make crosses less effective IMO (not dissimilar to methods used by Houllier or Ranieri in their times in the PL).

[YNWA_IRE]

I reckon Rafa only bought Keane because he was sure he would get Barry and offload Alonso. That would have meant Gerrard dropping back into CM probably with Barry on the left (Barry would be able to provide cover for SG as when he plays CM sometimes his positional/tactical awareness is not the best). Meaning Keane would be playing in his favourite position just behind Torres.

When Barry didn't sign and Alonso stayed all of a sudden there was no room for Keane in Rafas system because Gerrard was going to play in the same position as last year. Keane is not the type of player to play up top on his own so now he is struggling to fit him into the team.

[Roboklopp]

I reckon Rafa only bought Keane because he was sure he would get Barry and offload Alonso. That would have meant Gerrard dropping back into CM probably with Barry on the left (Barry would be able to provide cover for SG as when he plays CM sometimes his positional/tactical awareness is not the best). Meaning Keane would be playing in his favourite position just behind Torres.

When Barry didn't sign and Alonso stayed all of a sudden there was no room for Keane in Rafas system because Gerrard was going to play in the same position as last year. Keane is not the type of player to play up top on his own so now he is struggling to fit him into the team.

Hmm. Does make some sense that, aye.

[Shanks]

Things are obviously not right between him and Rafa.
If he doesn't get a start against the pie eaters then it's game over for Robbie
IMO.

[kop-al-74]

I'm now starting to feel sorry for him. When the camera's on him warming up or on the bench he just looks like a lad looking out the window as his mates play football on the street but he's grounded for getting in trouble at school so he cant play too.
He must be scundered sitting on that bench when he knows he can do more damage that Kuyt, Benayoun etc. Still dont know why Rafa bought him if he's treating him like this. Leaves a bad taste.

Feel sorry for him?

Why?

The guy's at best a mid table team player and never good enough for Liverpool.I have never understood personaly why he was signed when we were crying out for wide players.I hope rafa realises asap of the mistake he has made and recoups some of the money paid for him.

£20m,that is daylight robbery for a player of his calibre.I can never understand the signing of Keane.