Liverpool FC Forum

[devaney]

geez you ppl are as fickle as economy. I am disappointed with how Keane has started his liverpool career... but I'm not too worried about him. First of all he's got talent... he's got more talent than Kuyt. And now you guys aren't even complaining about Kuyt anymore. Second of all he's got great character. He works hard and has the right attitude. He's not a world class striker like Torres or Villa, but he's a very good striker with great character... HE WON'T BECOME A FLOP I GUARANTEE YOU THAT!

I really do hope you are right - just two words - INTER MILAN !! I know that the departure of Lippi caused problems for Keane but the bottom line was that he simply was not good enough. Ok it is early days but I am fed up with these so-called strikers taking an unacceptable period to start scoring. Crouchy took 19 matches in the prm. How long is Robbie going to take. His work rate is fine but really what are we getting for £20m at the moment in comparison to Nando who did not cost a lot more.

I like Robbie and I really do hope he finds his scoring boots because we need them. We have not won one game in a truly convincing manner this  season. We need to start destroying teams rather than winning by the odd goal.

Inter Milan?

That's an absolutely pathetic argument to throw up and is completely irrelevant here.

Keane was very young when he went to Inter and they already had half a dozen established International strikers at the club, Keane never got the chance to prove himself there.  Why you have brought that up only you will know mate.

Is it feck. If he was good enough he would have done well there. Good players can adapt. End of.

I remember watching him in pre season there. He missed 2 consecutive penatlies.

You're getting awful outspoken these days you cheeky little fecker.

End of?

Why don't you stick to what you're best at - abusing our players in the match threads during games like a spoilt 5 year old.

John - I have given you some compelling facts about Robbie Keane and you chose to respond to somebody else that agrees with my sentiments and you accuse him of behaving like a 5 year old !!

Robbie didn't perform at Inter and he didn't perform very well for most of the time he was with Leeds.

Robbie chose not to join Liverpool when he was a lot younger. Exactly what was that all about. He preferred the idea of Wolves Coventry and Leeds I suppose. Inter the only really big name he failed to impress and at Spurs he averaged less than 15 goals a season over 6 years.

We have paid more for Robbie than Michael Owen has ever been sold for and whilst their goal scoring records do  compare the clubs they have played for don't. Michael has done all his work at the highest level including Real Madrid. I just hope that it eventually works out with Robbie but I remain to be convinced.

[JC_81]

John - I have given you some compelling facts about Robbie Keane and you chose to respond to somebody else

You haven't given me any compelling facts mate.  Facts maybe - in terms of his goalscoring record only.

You don't need to preach to me about Keane's goalscoring record (or lack of) throughout his career, I know all that, given the fact I am Irish I have always taken interest in Keane's career.  I have never argued against the fact that his goalscoring record isn't great and that only in his last season at Spurs can I remember him hitting the 20 goal mark.  Despite that I have always rated him as a player.

The only point I have argued against in this thread is that his perceived failure at Inter was significant.  It wasn't.  The fact he only made 6 first team appearances says it all.  They paid 12 million for him and stuck him in the reserves.  A 20yr old lad with only one season of Premiership football under his belt needs more than 6 games to prove himself in what was then a stronger league than the Premiership (at the time) all round, and a completely different style of football to boot. 

How many 20 year old players have successfully moved from the Premiership to a foreign club and flourished?  None.  How many players have come to the Premiership from Serie A at the age of 20 and flourished?  None.  Does the fact that Robbie Keane didn't manage to do it have any bearing on his performances 8 years later?  No.  He went abroad too young.

You criticise his goalscoring record since returning to the Premiership, and rightly so, but if you'd actually read any of my previous posts on the issue then you'd realise you don't need to debate that point with me.

And again, why are you bringing Michael Owen into this??

I simply said that criticising Keane's spell at Inter was daft, and it is, but don't turn this into a Keane bashing vs Keane happy clapper debate - because I am in neither camp.

[Cool Hand Luke]

One thing I don’t get in the whole Keane debate is how there are so many people who think that he has made a big difference to our team. I don’t see all this apparent great link up play and understanding with the other players.

So far the only thing I have seen is a guy trying his best but looking out of his depth. If people want to argue that he hasn’t made much of an impact but may do so in the future that is understandable, but so far he has been poor.

[Sabre]

Well CHL, the thing I don't get is that many people say there are too many poor players  in our team. Keane is poor, Kuyt is shíte, Dossena is not good enough, and Aurelio is shaky and unfit.

So either the remaining players are fúcking awesome and are able to keep the team on top of the table despite dragging those poor players... or perhaps the poor players are not that poor.

Personally I like a lot how Keane comes deep to offer a good pass to our midfielders and some of his movements have a lot of quality. I know the scoring stats say he's as good as Voronin or Bellamy so far, but IMHO he's far better than those players, and to do the link up, his job is better than Morientes for instance besides being more mobile.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Hull were third a couple of weeks ago, the table doesn't mean a great deal at this stage of the season, we are only in November.

Keane has failed to get heavily involved in games, he doesn't get into enough positions to receive the ball and dithers too much before making what is normally a poor decision.

What I was trying to say in my previous post was that so far Keane has not made much of an impact and had Kuyt, Gerrard, etc not managed to score so many late goals (goals that were mainly scored when Keane was already substitutes incidentally) then I imagine we would have many more fans telling us how poor he has been.

Our position in the Premiership and Champions League tables is saving Keane’s @rse so far because his contribution has been minimal.

[Sabre]

Did I say something that caused an answer that you had to delete?

I hope not because I didn't try to be controversial, honestly. I do understand 20M is a lot of money and we have to expect more of a player that costs that money. I do agree Keane isn't playing as a 20M player, and I do agree he can't continue with the same level as shown so far.

But I don't think he's been that poor nor the team is being hindered by him.

--------

Forget the above CHL, I just saw a "delete" as an answer.

I do understand what you say, and I agree bits of it, like people wouldn't be as understanding if we weren't top of the table.

Perhaps I'm just too happy clappy and patient with some players, and Agger, Keane and Alonso are one of those.  Not because they're pretty or Irish, but because I see quality on them.

I do read with attention some posters that have described Keane's career so far, I don't have that info since I didn't know the player well so far, but I like some bits of his game that I find promising. Sometimes, you feel that a player is not scoring as he should but you can see he will -- I've been wrong other times, it's just my opinion

[LFC2007]

If we want to attempt to get the best out of him then he needs to play, and when Torres gets back, they need to play together - that's why he was signed. With the schedule we have coming up, it's about the best opportunity they'll get all season to initiate something of a partnership. And, if we accept that we need him to start scoring much more regularly if we're to have a shot at the title, then he has to play. I think it's way too early to write him off. Fair enough if you've never rated him, but I don't seem to remember too many of that opinion. There was something that led most to believe he was a very good player, and at the very least a 'safe bet', 15 games shouldn't change the quality those same people saw in him. He's been below par and obviously severely lacking in confidence, but there's a quality player in there and that doesn't disappear over 15 games.

[Raffmaker]

I think Keane is Defo gonna flop. He is not much better or has more of an impact on the team than a Crouch or Bellamy in my opinion.

He certainly isn't prolific, is off the pace a fair bit from what I have been watching.

Robinho........plz yanks, put your hands in your short pockets.!
you pay for what u get!

Kuyt should be up front with Torres, he's quciker, stronger, etc.

[LFC Uber Elite Super Member]

Kuyt should be up front with Torres, he's quciker, stronger, etc.

'quciker'

Tell me your not trying to associate Kuyt with pace

[Scottbot]

One thing I don’t get in the whole Keane debate is how there are so many people who think that he has made a big difference to our team.

I don't think they do to be honest mate. I don't think anyone can rearly say (or has tried to say) he has been the catalyst (or even a big influence) for our current league position. But there are a fair number of posters who remain confident (or at least have some belief) that the manager, his team-mates and the player himself will figure out how to get the best of him in a liverpool shirt. That confidence (at least for me it is) is founded in the performances he has turned in for Spurs these past couple of years. Like Sabre, I think i am pretty patient when it comes to judging players and with Keane I am still waiting. There are exceptions to this, I made my mind up on Dossena very early and he's got some way to go to change it but i've watched Keane play very well for other clubs and country and believe he can and will discover that form for LFC.

[Sarge]

I won't pay 20M to get a "linking-up" player. Might as well save a few millions to get another torres.

Keane is here to score goals. There's no debate.

[Rush Job]

The only thing holding Keane back is confidence and the only way he`s going to get that is by scoring goals.
Compare the Kuyt of now to the one last november and you`ll see a huge contrast in apparent ability with the only difference being confidence.
Its getting to the stage now where Keane is often trying to find a pass when he could easy turn and have a shot or make a chance for his self.
I still think he`ll be a good player for us but he needs to find a goal or three soon, if that happens I`m sure we`ll start seeing a different Robbie.
No confidence, no player at the mo though.

[desmdlow]

Have anyone notice most of our recent strikers have take a long time to score their first goal except Torres?? (crouchie, Kuyt and Keane) Does Benitez have something to do with it?? i wonder..

Anyway i think Keane will have great goal returns for us when this season end. no matter what..

[Rush Job]

Have anyone notice most of our recent strikers have take a long time to score their first goal except Torres?? (crouchie, Kuyt and Keane) Does Benitez have something to do with it?? i wonder..

Yes its Rafas fault no doubt about it.
I reckon he tells them to be sh!t and what ever you do dont score.

[aCe']

Have anyone notice most of our recent strikers have take a long time to score their first goal except Torres?? (crouchie, Kuyt and Keane) Does Benitez have something to do with it?? i wonder..

Yes its Rafas fault no doubt about it.
I reckon he tells them to be sh!t and what ever you do dont score.

im sure rafa had alot to do with keane not scoring more goals..
sure keane hasnt looked anywhere as good as any would have expected him to but surely playing him alone upfront, benching him after he'd just scored, and taking him out of games even when we'r losing or chasing games couldnt have done him any good !

keane needs to step it up a bit and the next few games provide a pretty solid platform for him to build on but if rafa keeps treating him the way he has been i dont really think he'd be doing him or the team for all that matters any favors !