Robbie Keane

[tetsujin1979]

From Grant Wahl (Sport Illustrated's soccer correspondant) on twitter:
from https://twitter.com/#!/GrantWahl/statuses/127017220957151232 (https://twitter.com/#!/GrantWahl/statuses/127017220957151232)

LA's Robbie Keane tells me his injury recovery is going more quickly than expected, good chance to be back on field in next couple of weeks.
from https://twitter.com/#!/GrantWahl/statuses/127027208593223683

LA hoping Robbie Keane will be ready for 2nd MLS playoff game on Nov 2 or 3; expecting him to be with Ireland for Euro playoffs Nov 11 & 15.

[EastTerracer]

Injury update from the LA Galaxy today - they are still hopeful Robbie might be able to play for them next week.

http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2011/10/donovan-keane-both-road-recovery-galaxy

[back of the net]

Robbie took part in his full training session today (wednesday) with Galaxy . He came through it fine. It looks like his first game back for galaxy could next thursday ....New York Red bulls and Thierry


http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2011/10/galaxy-preparing-usual-despite-previously-undetermined-opponent


(Note:New york confirmed as opponent since article was released)

[EastTerracer]

Robbie Keane has travelled with the LA Galaxy squad for the 1st leg of the playoffs against the New York Red Bulls tomorrow. Sounds like he might be on the bench but more likely they will wait until the second leg on Thursday for his comeback.

[Charlie Darwin]

Robbie starts for LA Galaxy tonight.

[EastTerracer]

Live on ESPN at 7pm Irish time.

I hope to god he's fully fit or this is very risky!

[Colbert Report]

How do the play-offs work? Is this a one off game or do they play two legs?

[gustavo]

Just had a shot off the post

[EastTerracer]

How do the play-offs work? Is this a one off game or do they play two legs?

Two legs - second leg is in LA on Thursday night.

[mark12345]

Robbie looked quite good, except for rounding the keeper and not squaring to waiting team mate, in the opening half. Half time now. Beckham has lashed out at Henry after he took him down quite cynically.

[mark12345]

Henry on a yellow. Believe he misses the second leg.

[Colbert Report]

Robbie lasts 82 minutes, not bad!

[geysir]

I suppose the result doesn't matter but I'm curious all the same.

[punkrocket]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/1030/keanerobbie.html

1-0 to LA. Good to see Robbie get so much game time with another one to come on Thursday, so should be getting back into the swing of it by the end of next week.

[Crosby87]

Also it was cold and windy yesterday down there in Jersey and it will be a nice warm up (Cold up?) for Estonia.
Golden Balls was complaining about how stupid playoffs are. Do not think he will be back with LA next year.

[Metrostars]

Second leg of the LA-NY playoff tonight at 8pm PST(3am GMT). Should LA win, they'll play at home on Sunday, lose and they're done for the year.

[EastTerracer]

Second leg of the LA-NY playoff tonight at 8pm PST(3am GMT). Should LA win, they'll play at home on Sunday, lose and they're done for the year.

LA Galaxy 2-1 up with 15 minutes left (3-1 on aggregate). No goals for Keane so far but he had a couple of chances in the first half and hit the post with one.

If LA finish this off then they play a semi-final at home on Sunday against Real Salt Lake. Hopefully that gives Robbie enough time to catch a Sunday night flight back to Dublin.

[tommy_c12000]

Pardon my ignorance, but what the hell are New York doing in the Western Conference? Should they not be in the Eastern Conference?

[nigel-harps1954]

Pardon my ignorance, but what the hell are New York doing in the Western Conference? Should they not be in the Eastern Conference?

They're Americans, they can do what they want......even move cities.

[Closed Account]

Pardon my ignorance, but what the hell are New York doing in the Western Conference? Should they not be in the Eastern Conference?
Its the nature of the playoff system, top 10(top 3 from each conference plus remaining 4 wildcard teams) qualify. New York finished 10th, a wildcard position. The seeding of the wildcards meant that New York, an eastern team went into the western side of the draw. Similiarly, Colorado Rapids could of won the Eastern Conference.

[jbyrne]

gets a good report here...
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/1104/keaner_ireland.html

[Closed Account]

Starting in the offensive line for the Galaxy against Real Salt Lake (KO 2am). Surely worm or someone else across the atlantic will be watching. I'm off to bed.

[EastTerracer]

Starting in the offensive line for the Galaxy against Real Salt Lake (KO 2am). Surely worm or someone else across the atlantic will be watching. I'm off to bed.

I'll be watching Joe. Will post up an update at the end of the game.

[theworm2345]

Starting in the offensive line for the Galaxy against Real Salt Lake (KO 2am). Surely worm or someone else across the atlantic will be watching. I'm off to bed.
I am offended, I may have low standards but I won't be wasting my time watching that ****. In fact I'd rather watch Ryman League. My only hopes are that Keane (and Chris Birchall who will be playing for T&T) come through it without injury if they play.

[Colbert Report]

Keane gets injured not five seconds into the match!

[Colbert Report]

ESPN's keys to the game: (I swear I'm not making this up)

LA: Attack the backline
RSL: Possession in the midfield

[Charlie Darwin]

LA got a soft penalty which Landon Donovan scored. 1-1 now - dreadful defending from a corner within a minute of going ahead.

[Colbert Report]

Keano hits the post in the 32nd minute off a rebound from a corner

[Charlie Darwin]

Great effort, very unlucky. He's now hit the post in all three play-off games without scoring. Let's hope that figure doesn't become four on Friday.

[Colbert Report]

Curls one wide in the 42nd minute, created something from nothing, nutmegged his marker. Commentators going on about how he's looking stronger every game he plays, and how he deserves a goal with how he's played so far tonight.

[Charlie Darwin]

It's funny but Robbie actually looks comparatively quick in this league. He does look sharp though, which is good.

LA keeper is well dodgy.

[Colbert Report]

I hate to say it, but Beckham looks like a world class player out there tonight. Man against boys. Mind you this is not exactly top flight football.

[Colbert Report]

Unbelieveable goal from Keano. Brilliant stuff. He'll be well up for the playoffs!

[TrapAPony]

Goal Robbie

[Charlie Darwin]

Just used his newfound pace to skin the centre half for a great solo goal. The standard of the game is good - two good teams with poor defences.

I think he was forced into going himself because the other Galaxy attackers were so slow to get up to support him. Good practice for Friday that.

[Colbert Report]

Robbie almost scores again in the 80th minute, hits it wide from a very tight angle. Inferior opposition, true, but he's looked very sharp tonight all in all.

[cclinton]

cripes Robbie... all the past celebrations rolled into one... omg.

[EastTerracer]

A few highlight's of Keane's performance tonight... you might have to watch an ad first though.

His goal (http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=20963)

Shot just wide (http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=20955)

Hits the post

(http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=20954)

[EastTerracer]

All over now. The MLS Cup Final is on November 20th - LA Galaxy v Houston Dynamo. The only thing Robbie has ever won was the league cup with Spurs so he'll be itching to win a league title. I'm sure that won't be on his mind for the next 10 days though.

[Colbert Report]

He misses an easy one in the 92nd minute, in clear on a breakaway. He really should have about four goals at this stage.

[Supreme feet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOvZMVeCD8c

[Charlie Darwin]

Another one-on-one badly missed in injury time there. Keeper stood up well in fairness. Should've had a hat trick at least. Will need to be more prolific against Estonia.

[theworm2345]

Another one-on-one badly missed in injury time there. Keeper stood up well in fairness. Should've had a hat trick at least. Will need to be more prolific against Estonia.
Sounds like he's still lacking the sharpness he was missing in Andorra. I'd obviously start him against Estonia, even more so with the lack of other options we have (and their collective inexperience in any competitive internationals, much less in one of this magnitude) but I do think there has to be a shorter leash than usual there.

[Closed Account]

Good to hear.

[geysir]

I suppose it makes sense, that if an English commentator says 'that was a nice curled shot from Robbie', the US short version is 'Robbie hits a curler'.

Is that right, that the final is on Nov20 at Galaxy's home ground?

[brine3]

If the Estonians defend as badly as Real Salt Lake then we're sorted.

[Metrostars]

I only saw the second half but Robbie played well. He could have easily had 3 or 4 although Salt Lake were throwing a lot of people forward in the last 10 minutes so he had tons of room.


I suppose it makes sense, that if an English commentator says 'that was a nice curled shot from Robbie', the US short version is 'Robbie hits a curler'.

Is that right, that the final is on Nov20 at Galaxy's home ground?
Correct. The MLS Cup final location is usually decided before the season.

[amaccann]

Good god that's some awful defending, it'd be harder not to score in those circumstances. But as prep. for any big game, you want your top striker scoring & in the mood. Bring on the Estonians.

[thejollyrodger]

great to see robbie getting a goal. I was starting to worry about all the injuries. Hopefully he can get us a result in Estonia

[Noelys Guitar]

I suppose it makes sense, that if an English commentator says 'that was a nice curled shot from Robbie', the US short version is 'Robbie hits a curler'.

Is that right, that the final is on Nov20 at Galaxy's home ground?
Correct Geysir. I definetely worry about jet lag and the amount of travelling Keane has to do over the next few days. It always takes me at least two days to get over jet lag and thats just flying from the east coast of the US back to Ireland.