Liverpool FC Forum

by **Bermenstein** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:57 pm

bigmick wrote:
Bermenstein wrote:
bigmick wrote:...........Now based on his performance against Everton, he is no use to us whatsoever. I don't think I've ever seen a more inept performance from a player of his ability, and it's got me worried......

....Well if Keane is Rubbish IYO..........I could be wrong, and stand to be corrected. Just quote this back to me at the end of the season,
and call me the biggest fooookwit you want, and I would gladly accept the derision. I'll run the gauntlet right or wrong.

Feels a bit wierd having all that "well if Keane is rubbish IYO etc etc" stuff thrown at me.

It's a good post mate and I agree with nearly all of it. I could have written it meself, infact I probably have, quite a few times.

I'm no Keane basher bud, you got the wrong fella

Well I apologize if I got you wrong on Keane, but I understand that CURRENTLY, as you say, he is certainly off his game.

He needs to be given a genuine chance with full games consecutively. Maybe 6 on the trot.
If he then fails, well then he's only got himself blame.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. And I do believe he has a touch of class.

by **SupitsJonF** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:29 pm

I agree, Keane does need a run of games. But now is not the time, in the position we are in we need a 4-5-1 with masch, alonso, gerrard just behind torres, and torres. We cannot afford trial and error at this stage, just being level with United (not soon) and 3 points in front of Villa to give an off form player time.

by **Sabre** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:17 pm

It really does my head in with all this Keane bashing. Torres also had a stinker against Everton. Did you notice that?

I think all of us want Liverpool winning, and all of us would like to see Keane scoring.

I think the problem with Keane is his price tag. If Riera was cráp, it would be just a bad buy. If Keane doesn't perform, people can't help looking at Rafa.

I always try to forget about price tags when I analyse players, meaning, it's not the player's fault. Needless to say at the end of season or next year I'll criticise Rafa if he sells keane for 8M because that would necessarily mean a bad investment. THAT is Rafa's responsability.

But Keane? Keane just came to a club he felt like coming. It's not his fault how the english market is.

And, I don't know if this is going to be controversial but it's my honest opinion. Certainly Keane is not playing like his price tag says, I admit that, but I have no doubts he provides more than Bellamy, Voronin, Kuyt in that position and Morientes.

Not good enough for 20 M so far, true, but look at Rafa for that responsability, not Keane.

Keane has done interesting things during this season in the build up, scored few goals, missed several clear chances, and some of them due to him trying to make it beautiful. But you have to wonder if the stick you may be giving to Keane is related to his price tag. If it is, then look at Rafa.

by **bigmick** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:34 pm

There's no doubt Sabes that much of the stick Keane gets in price tag related. To be honest though, considering how he's actually played in the main, I don't think he could complain about the rap he gets either at the ground (from what I witness on the telly of course) or on the forums. Most fans seem to me to be broadly supportive of him.

Indeed, the debate which has had a good airing on here as to whether or not the treatment of him has contributed to his apparent lack of confidence, is precisely because some people have faith in him becoming a good player for us I think. The price tag you are quite right has nothing to do with him, but I think they do often play on players minds. Keane for all his "I'm an old pro and I have no doubts in my ability" talk, strikes me as precisely the sort of fella who would be bothered by such a thing. He's clearly bothered by something as he's an absolute shadow of the one we bought, regardless of what we paid for him.

I don't know if anyone remembers the lad that came on here just after Keane signed, and works in one of the Hotels in Liverpool. He said that Keane had given him a 20 quid tip for carrying his bag. When someone said "well a scores feck all to him etc" the fella (and I can't remember who it was, sorry) pointed out that many rich people don't. He went on to say that Keane was very down to Earth, his Mrs was lovely etc and the bloke seemed very humble. That's how I read him too, I don't buy this "big time Charlie at Spurs" line. Martin Jol never gave that impression when he was asked about the player. He really does strike me as the kind of player who will respond to the "arm around the shoulder/bit of love" type of manegerial appraoch. This is one of the reasons I was very firmly in the "ridiculous selection" camp on both of the occasions we dropped him this season when he had scored two goals in the previous game.

The fee though does look a bit steep I must admit. Even if it was a Parry signing

<- That's me trying to keep a straight face.

by **dawson99** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:40 pm

No matter how good Keane is, may be, he's not doing it for us. And that's morientes style worrying.

I hope he gets a decent run though and shows what he has been doing his whole career

by **Igor Zidane** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:44 pm

dawson99 wrote:No matter how good Keane is, may be, he's not doing it for us. And that's morientes style worrying.

I hope he gets a decent run though and shows what he has been doing his whole career

You could be right actually Daws . I remember saying the same sort of thing about morientes (you know the one .He's to good a player to not come good). I still think he'll be ok though . Starting this Sunday .

by **Ciggy** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:24 pm

Well the Spurs fans have been chanting his name for the last hour maybe we can swap him for the Russian fella.

by **Sabre** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:26 pm

but I think they do often play on players minds. Keane for all his "I'm an old pro and I have no doubts in my ability" talk, strikes me as precisely the sort of fella who would be bothered by such a thing. He's clearly bothered by something as he's an absolute shadow of the one we bought, regardless of what we paid for him.

I suspect he might be bothered with that, that's what I call the pressure of big clubs. I think it's an universal phenomenom, it happens in Spain and in England. There are players that are very good at a mid team, they go to a big club, and they bottle it. Then come back to a mid team, and be very good again.

Anfield is very supportive, but also very intimidating. The feel of being doing an awful match, and looking at the Kop with all that support, requires tough minds.

I think that sometimes that illness can be healed with a talk, sitting down the player a bit, and having patience. This is difficult though, in a big club things are different, there's never time. Even less if you're on top of the table and your price tag is 20M.

I hope that Rafa and the fans have patience with Keane. When I say he's quality I'm honest. Yes, I've seen the Messis and the Maradonas and the Zidanes playing on front of me, but there are other kinds of quality. And Keane is a quality player.

I think he has a bit of the big club syndrome, but I think he'll get over it. More than anything, the results must help. Give me 3 goals in 5 matches, a lot of points, and the concerns will be swiftly converted in praises. That's how things work in big clubs.

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:38 pm

puroresu wrote:
Cool Hand Luke wrote:I think Eidur Gudjohnsen is a good option who should be attainable.

He has proven he can perform at the top end of the Premiership (although he was inconsistent) and is not playing much at Barcelona so a loan deal until the end of the season might be on.

Also, he is the style of striker (or second striker) that would work well with Torres. You don’t find him occupying the box much, he holds his position between the half line and the box well. He is always there to pick the ball up “in-between the lines” and has the technique and vision to create chances.

It sound like there is very little cash to spend but we probably wouldn’t want him on a permanent basis anyway because he is inconsistent and apparently he doesn’t have the best life style (gambling, late nights, etc).

A loan deal until the end of the season could prove to an astute bit of business and be beneficial for us, the player and Barcelona.

Not sure about that. His played a fair bit this year and is really playing his part in the great season Barca are having.

He has only started 6 games in the league, 1 in the Champions League and 1 in the domestic cup so they might consider loaning him out. We could even offer them Babel in a swap loan, who knows. But it would definitely be worth an enquiry.

by **aCe'** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:30 am

Liverpool Legend Rush: Benitez Must Pick Keane

The Liverpool striking legend feels that Liverpool's manager has the key to turning round the performances of the enigmatic Irishman.
Robbie Keane is a shadow of the player he was at Tottenham Hotpsur. Since moving north to Anfield for around £20 million in the summer, the Irishman has shown merely brief flashes of the verve and attacking flair, as well as goalscoring, that he showed during his highly entertaining spell with Spurs.

Keane came into the Liverpool side for Monday night's Merseyside derby with Everton, and turned in yet another disappointing performance in a season of them that has left Reds fans scratching their heads in bafflement at the player's poor form.

Now former Liverpool centre-forward Ian Rush, a man whom one would expect to know a little bit about what makes goalscorers tick, thinks that Keane needs some security, and that Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is the man to help provide it.

"Robbie Keane didn’t have the best of games against Everton and I’m sure he will know that himself because he has always been an honest player," Rush writes in today's Liverpool Echo.

"He didn’t get any chances, didn’t create anything of note and by and large struggled to impose himself on the game.

"It could have all been so different had Fernando Torres played the ball square to Keane for a tap-in when through on goal but you wouldn’t get too many centre forwards doing that in that position so Torres can’t be criticised for taking a shot.

But other than that it’s hard to think of another moment when Keane looked like a chance was about to come his way."

And the former Welsh international feels that the only way Keane will begin to settle in properly is when Benitez gives him a run in the side and makes him feel wanted and comfortable.

Rush adds: "If he is going to get back to the level we all know he can reach then Rafa Benitez is going to have to take Keane to one side and tell him he will be in his starting line up for the next four or five games."

Meanwhile, Rush also thinks that the FA Cup tie with Everton on Sunday now assumes greater significance for Liverpool after Monday's disappointing league draw with the Toffees.

"Getting through to the next round of the cup would be great, especially if it comes at the expense of your local rivals. But for me the most important thing is to use the game as a springboard for the rest of the season," said Rush.

Liverpool now find themselves trailing Manchester United in the league, as Rafa Benitez's attempt to avail the world of some "facts" the other week begins to look increasingly ill-advised.

by **bigmick** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:41 am

Yeah bit come on, what does Rush know about being a striker FFS? Just goes to show that those who went on about Keane being repeatedly subbed, and dropped when he had just scored two goals and the possibility it might damage his confidence were talking sh!t doesn't it?

by **Madmax** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 2:01 am

Ever since he made the 20mill move his been under pressure and i know for a fact keane feels it. Given the fact that he does play shyte at times i would still give him a full 90mins. You never know, only takes a moment of magic to change everything.

by **taff** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 2:01 am

Thats a standard piece from Rush a striker, they have a kind of union. I would be amazed if he said anything different to be honest. The problem we have is anxiety. Let me explain. If I stroll around Cardiff I stop and chat but if Im late for something I walk curtly past with a polite hello. Anxiety makes you behave differently and we are at war in a title race so the pressure is on. I think that keane will come good as he seems that type of character but he has to meet Benitez halfway on this. If we are to compare with the Mancs and their charge to the title then we can compare Keane and Tevez who is being frozen out but still comes up with the goods when he plays.

Confidence is important yes but the team coming first is more important. Benitez could have handled Keane better but Keane should have delivered more from the start of the season. Is he good enough to remain and make an impact then yes.

The one thing that might depress me is Sabres point that some players just cant handle a big club. Personally I think Keane is not in that category but a small part of me thinks that maybe he is.

And I have no time for Rick Parry but I really dont think he forced the Keane signing. And to be honest if it was Barry and Keane and lose Alonso I am happier with Alonso staying and just getting Keane

by **SupitsJonF** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:12 am

What if in order to see if Keane will get better he has to start 4 games, and in during all 4 of those games he fails to find his form and they all end up draws, losses, or 1-0 wins? The last option would be best, but surely we would be out of the running and in dangerous waters if it ended up one of the first two.

by **LegBarnes** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:23 am

taff wrote:Thats a standard piece from Rush a striker, they have a kind of union. I would be amazed if he said anything different to be honest. The problem we have is anxiety. Let me explain. If I stroll around Cardiff I stop and chat but if Im late for something I walk curtly past with a polite hello. Anxiety makes you behave differently and we are at war in a title race so the pressure is on. I think that keane will come good as he seems that type of character but he has to meet Benitez halfway on this. If we are to compare with the Mancs and their charge to the title then we can compare Keane and Tevez who is being frozen out but still comes up with the goods when he plays.

Confidence is important yes but the team coming first is more important. Benitez could have handled Keane better but Keane should have delivered more from the start of the season. Is he good enough to remain and make an impact then yes.

The one thing that might depress me is Sabres point that some players just cant handle a big club. Personally I think Keane is not in that category but a small part of me thinks that maybe he is.

And I have no time for Rick Parry but I really dont think he forced the Keane signing. And to be honest if it was Barry and Keane and lose Alonso I am happier with Alonso staying and just getting Keane

cool what part of cardiff you live taff ? I am in roath ?

About keane yeah keep playing him and just have to hope he comes good i for one didn't think he had bad game vrs everton not good just not bad.

He put alot of good runs that might not have looked good but they did make space for others he is a smart player and opens gaps in defences even when he don't have the ball.

I think he be happyer if he just knew he was gonna play week in week out.

What you gotta remember is he has come from a club where he was the number one player and always in lineup , now he is 2nd fiddle to torres and that gives him more pressure but also his ego has taken a knock as well which can be hard for a striker.

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Given that keane is currently rubbish.. - Do we need a new striker?

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