Robbie Keane

[OwlsFan]

Its no coincidence that Robbie is always the guy poaching all these goals for us. A true Irish sporting legend. I hope he continues for another campaign. For those who use the 'he never scores in big matches', last night was yet another thorn in that argument.

For some bizarre reason(other than he waves his arms around), this is not enough for some people. For them it is not sufficient that our striker scores goals, he must also clear balls off the line, command the centre of the defence, be our midfield general, cross the ball from the wings and make as well as score goals. Robbie you're a failure with 60 goals and counting. The team has carried you long enough. Return to America and play soccer (or is it football?)

Sigh. Only in Ireland.

[DannyInvincible]

Wow. 3-2 v Russia was the other?

Yup, that's the other.

[DannyInvincible]

For some bizarre reason(other than he waves his arms around), this is not enough for some people. For them it is not sufficient that our striker scores goals, he must also clear balls off the line, command the centre of the defence, be our midfield general, cross the ball from the wings and make as well as score goals. Robbie you're a failure with 60 goals and counting. The team has carried you long enough. Return to America and play soccer (or is it football?)

Sigh. Only in Ireland.

Last night, he was even lifting Shane Long off the ground with both arms. Long had gone down under a slight knock and seemed intent on staying there feigning injury in the hope of winning a free-kick whilst we were in seriously desperate need of a goal. Robbie intervened and told him to catch himself on.

[Charlie Darwin]

For some bizarre reason(other than he waves his arms around), this is not enough for some people. For them it is not sufficient that our striker scores goals, he must also clear balls off the line, command the centre of the defence, be our midfield general, cross the ball from the wings and make as well as score goals. Robbie you're a failure with 60 goals and counting. The team has carried you long enough. Return to America and play soccer (or is it football?)

Sigh. Only in Ireland.
I never heard anybody criticise Shay Given for 'only' keeping the ball out of the net. Some on here would presumably have him operating as a trequartista.

[Grafter]

Love him or loathe him, I hope he plays for Ireland as long as he has regular club football...

[Metrostars]

There were lots of rumors circulating stateside after the transfer window just closed re Kaka. How does that affect Robbie? Well, the rumors are that Kaka may be heading to LA after this season with AC Milan. Currently, MLS allows just 3 DP's (Designated Players) per team, LA's 3 are Keane, Donovan and Omar Gonzalez(USA CB). There are also rumors that MLS will up the DPs to 4 next year. But if they do and Kaka is on for LA, then Keane is most likely the odd man out despite his popularity there.

[Closed Account 2]

When he signed for the Galaxy didn't Juan Pablo Angel then get bumped (due to designated or foreign player quota being exceeded) to Chivas USA? Might happen to Robbie if he still wants to live in LA

[harry crumb]

How did he manage to stay on as long as he did? Contributed nothing to the game. Kept dropping deep where you don't want him.

Shane Long was the only outlet ball up front.

[Colbert Report]

There were lots of rumors circulating stateside after the transfer window just closed re Kaka. How does that affect Robbie? Well, the rumors are that Kaka may be heading to LA after this season with AC Milan. Currently, MLS allows just 3 DP's (Designated Players) per team, LA's 3 are Keane, Donovan and Omar Gonzalez(USA CB). There are also rumors that MLS will up the DPs to 4 next year. But if they do and Kaka is on for LA, then Keane is most likely the odd man out despite his popularity there.

The MLS will just change the rules, the same way they always do when a marquee name wants to come to MLS.

[Stuttgart88]

Shane Long was the only outlet ball up front.We shouldn't need "outlet balls". We need passes. Long huffed and puffed but made dreadful decisions again most of the night. I thought Keane did fine.

[Junior]

We shouldn't need "outlet balls". We need passes. Long huffed and puffed but made dreadful decisions again most of the night. I thought Keane did fine.

I'd go with this - Long was pretty awful whilst Keane was fairly quiet/non existent. Neither is what we wanted but Long deserved the hook before Robbie.

[BonnieShels]

Long was unbelievably frustrating last night. As he was on Friday night.

[geysir]

Nothing went for Long all evening.
Possibly Harry is taking the píss out of those idiots who are always on Keane's back, but I doubt he has the nous to do that.

[harry crumb]

We shouldn't need "outlet balls". We need passes. Long huffed and puffed but made dreadful decisions again most of the night. I thought Keane did fine.

An outlet ball is a pass.

[geysir]

It's a hoofed ball up to the front players.
We need passes not hoof balls.

[Kingdom]

Ah yes the outlet ball. for some reason it reminded me of the moment where Jon Walters "showed incredible strength" according to George Hamilton, just as the reply showed Jon controlling the ball badly with his: face.

[geysir]

I do stand (on the odd occasion) to be corrected but was George not commending Walters for showing great strength muscling in ahead of some Austrian player pestering him?

Ah yes, the 'outlet ball', If you want to get Stutts' blood up in an instant, just use one of those US American sports terminology.

[BonnieShels]

I do stand (on the odd occasion) to be corrected but was George not commending Walters for showing great strength muscling in ahead of some Austrian player pestering him?

Ah yes, the 'outlet ball', If you want to get Stutts' blood up in an instant, just use one of those US American sports terminology.

Or mix it up:

The holding midfielder played an outlet ball across the midfield stripe to the offensive player nearest the defensive goalbox.

[geysir]

I wonder what would happen to language if Robbie decided to mix it up.
LA/Tallaght.

[Fixer82]

I wonder what would happen to language if Robbie decided to mix it up.
LA/Tallaght.

TaL.A.

[BonnieShels]

Eh...

Tallafornia?

[geysir]

Tal A sounds cool.

Tallafornia almost rhymes with corny.

[tetsujin1979]

Tal A sounds cool.

Tallafornia almost rhymes with corny.
it rhymes with cornea, which is fitting seeing as I wanted to rip mine out after seeing Tallafornia

[Crosby87]

Claudine: Trap is a good man.
http://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/claudines-going-to-miss-trapattonis-italian-charm-29595335.html

[DannyInvincible]

Claudine: Trap is a good man.
http://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/claudines-going-to-miss-trapattonis-italian-charm-29595335.html

Sometimes, he remembered his players' families better than he remembered the players!

[Crosby87]

Brief bit of showing off in practice.
http://www.thescore.ie/robbie-keane-training-goal-la-galaxy-1105855-Sep2013/

[Stuttgart88]

Quality. I credit the SFAI for that :)

[tetsujin1979]

opened and finished the scoring for LA Galaxy in a 5-0 win against Chivas USA: http://www.lagalaxy.com/video/2013/10/06/la-galaxy-5-chivas-usa-0-1062013

[geysir]

Loewe said that Robbie had words with him on the sidelines, annoyed that he did not shake Noel King's hand before celebrating victory.
It must be bad when a Tallaght man has to teach you good manners.
Fair play to Robbie though.

[Fixer82]

Fair play Robbie

[tricky_colour]

opened and finished the scoring for LA Galaxy in a 5-0 win against Chivas USA: http://www.lagalaxy.com/video/2013/10/06/la-galaxy-5-chivas-usa-0-1062013

Thought he was offside for the second but it was a perfectly timed run.
I do not envy the linemen in their jobs, I mean basically you have to be look in two places at the same time
which is physically impossible unless you are boz-eyed (perhaps he is), plus there is another Galaxy player right in front
of him blocking his vision!
I expect he didn't see it andy just gave the decision to the home side, always the best option!

[DannyInvincible]

With his 61st goal for us tonight, Robbie is now up to an impressive joint-17th in the list of top all-time goalscorers in international football: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_players_with_50_or_mo re_international_goals

[Charlie Darwin]

With his 61st goal for us tonight, Robbie is now up to an impressive joint-17th in the list of top all-time goalscorers in international football: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_players_with_50_or_mo re_international_goals
And if you'll believe some of his critics, he's still not a patch on Frank Stapleton and the like.

[harry crumb]

Another goal and another poor display.

The debate will continue.

[BonnieShels]

He's brutal.
Not half the player Stokes will ever be.

[Crosby87]

Bring back Caleb Folan!

[tricky_colour]

Bring back Caleb Folan!

He hasn't gone away!!

[tricky_colour]

With his 61st goal for us tonight, Robbie is now up to an impressive joint-17th in the list of top all-time goalscorers in international football: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_players_with_50_or_mo re_international_goals

Three more goals would take him to 14th, seven or eight more would take him into the top ten.
A lot of the players ahead of him are retired or 35 years old, his 7 so far this year is his second
best tally, he averages about 61/16 ie 3.8125 international goals a year

[SkStu]

Another goal and another poor display.

The debate will continue.

There is no debating the currency of goals.

[pineapple stu]

One behind Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, FFS.

I know he had injury problems, but still.

One behind Ronaldo.

[Duggie]

Another goal and another poor display.

The debate will continue.

Holy jaysus are u for real, the guy scores his 61st YES 61ST goal for us and some people still spout this sh1t. eeeh just exactly who else is going to score the goals for us?????? It wasnt a poor display either, time and time again he got into the right position only for a sh1t ball to be played into the box. look at the movement for mcgeady's(own goal)..who would have been on the end of it only for the defender to take it off his toe. john o'shea 1st goal in 10 YEARS! stokes isnt up to it and doyle well hes gone backwards fast. i honestly wonder that the people who question robbie are either jealous of him or havent a fcking clue about football. wait till he retires, then see where we will be.

[SwanVsDalton]

Holy jaysus are u for real, the guy scores his 61st YES 61ST goal for us and some people still spout this sh1t. eeeh just exactly who else is going to score the goals for us?????? It wasnt a poor display either, time and time again he got into the right position only for a sh1t ball to be played into the box. look at the movement for mcgeady's(own goal)..who would have been on the end of it only for the defender to take it off his toe. john o'shea 1st goal in 10 YEARS! stokes isnt up to it and doyle well hes gone backwards fast. i honestly wonder that the people who question robbie are either jealous of him or havent a fcking clue about football. wait till he retires, then see where we will be.

Bang on. Countless times Robbie found space around the six-yard box only for a cross to go sailing past him or be blocked down. I'd give the team overall a pass given new system/new manager/strikers on the wing etc but it certainly wasn't Robbie's fault.

[BonnieShels]

Bang on. Countless times Robbie found space around the six-yard box only for a cross to go sailing past him or be blocked down. I'd give the team overall a pass given new system/new manager/strikers on the wing etc but it certainly wasn't Robbie's fault.

Just like Paddy Madden in his brief pomp for us.

[BonnieShels]

One behind Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, FFS.

I know he had injury problems, but still.

One behind Ronaldo.

It's funny, on BBC last night they were talking up Rooney getting his 38th and "only" being 11 behind Charlton. We have a guy who's scored 61 and we whinge.

[Crosby87]

is there a list that only includes competitive matches?

[OwlsFan]

Is there a list that rules out friendlies, penalties, scores against non-top sides, tap-ins, inside the box and home goals?

[DannyInvincible]

is there a list that only includes competitive matches?

It's easy enough to work it out from this list which specifies the competition in which each of his goals were scored: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_Keane#International_goals

By my count, 30 of his current total have come in competitive fixtures (not including those scored in the Carling Nations Cup).

[BonnieShels]

is there a list that only includes competitive matches?

Competitive in the sense of "non-friendly" or competitive in the sense that it wasn't against a "minnow"?

[WexCar]

By my count according to Wiki he has 39 competitive goals(not including those scored in the Carling Nations Cup)


scored 39 goals in 30 competitive games

of those 30 games Ireland's record is W20 D8 L2

6 Go Ahead Goals (in games we won or drew)

10 Game Winning Goals (in games we won or drew)

8 Game Tying Goals (in games we won or drew)

13 goals were just padding in games we were already ahead & won

2 goals in games we lost (1 GAG v. Sweden, 1 goal v. Russia)

in games we drew he scored 8 goals in 8 games,

games we won and w/o his goals we would have drawn: 14 goals in 10 games,

games we won but w/o his goals we would have lost: 2 goals in 1 games,

he scored 15 goals in 10 games in which he was the only Irish scorer.

For what its worth, in friendlies he has 22 goals 17 games

our record in those 17 games, W15 : D2

Failed to score in 83 of his 130 caps.

[DannyInvincible]

By my count according to Wiki he has 39 competitive goals(not including those scored in the Carling Nations Cup)

Indeed, you are correct. I'd like to be able to blame a typo for my declared but incorrect tally of 30 earlier, but I counted through them rather hastily without realising that some lines in the Wiki list counted for more than one goal. In my defence, I was rushed as my lunch-break at work was nearing its end. :o