Robbie Keane

[DannyInvincible]

Is Martins more valuable only if such an evaluation is made relative to the ability of his team-mates? The Seattle Sounders appear to rely more on Martins than Galaxy rely on Robbie. Martins seems to have been more clinical in exploiting his opportunities but being "more valuable to his team" doesn't necessarily make one player better than another.

[tricky_colour]

Keane not even on the bench tonight for LA Galaxy due to a "nagging inury": https://twitter.com/LAGalaxyInsider/status/526071412943880192

His wife must be a terrible woman.

[DeLorean]

Terrible article. It was like they were trying to find ways to make Martins seem more important than Keane. No wonder TOWK liked it.

Reminded me of this. (http://www.independent.ie/sport/copa-del-rey-final-can-real-madrid-beat-barcelona-without-cristiano-ronaldo-30192718.html) Can't believe Ancelotti still hasn't got rid of that liability!


Compare that to their (Real Madrid's) record with the Portuguese superstar (Cristiano Ronaldo), and surprisingly, Real are, on paper at least, marginally better. A win ratio of 78 per cent goes up to 80 per cent, while the number of goals scored also goes up slightly, from 2.7 goals per game to 2.8 goals per game.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Terrible article. It was like they were trying to find ways to make Martins seem more important than Keane. No wonder TOWK liked it.

Reminded me of this. (http://www.independent.ie/sport/copa-del-rey-final-can-real-madrid-beat-barcelona-without-cristiano-ronaldo-30192718.html) Can't believe Ancelotti still hasn't got rid of that liability!

And they call me paranoid. The article doesn't criticise Keane in any way.

[DeLorean]

Klinsmann's glowing praise for Robbie (http://balls.ie/football/4565-jurgen-klinsmann-robbie-keane/)

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

DeLorean has evened the score.

[paul_oshea]

He never praised the player. The person yes.

[geysir]

Unless you believe Robbie has little of interest to give as a player, then you can claim Klinsmann doesn't praise the player.

"With Robbie you have a player that always gives you everything."

[Charlie Darwin]

Since when has a player's personality not been part of his game? Or have I been misinterpreting all this time when Balotelli's been criticised for being a lazy ****er?

[Closed Account]

El capitano starts tonight in the playoff.

I know stutts has played in goal(could be wrong) but what position did the rest of ye play?

Personally I've played every position, but when I played center back, id much prefer to play against a Shane Long than a Robbie Keane. Robbie stretches your your synapses rather than your hamstrings. Robbie can make a 5 yard dart off your shoulder that is far harder to defend than a lung busting 20 yard dash into the corner.

[tetsujin1979]

scored the second, Landon Donovan with the first. Touch of offside about it, but I think it was ok.
LA Galaxy currently leading 2-0

[Closed Account]

Goal and and 2 assists now. G'lad

[Littlest Hobo]

keane is clearly enjoying his football in la la land and is up to 20 for the season and having laid on twice as many. has a knack of making ordinary defences look very brutal, so I can see him keeping the 'championship' lads busy on Friday night.

[Stuttgart88]

El capitano starts tonight in the playoff.

I know stutts has played in goal(could be wrong) but what position did the rest of ye play?

Personally I've played every position, but when I played center back, id much prefer to play against a Shane Long than a Robbie Keane. Robbie stretches your your synapses rather than your hamstrings. Robbie can make a 5 yard dart off your shoulder that is far harder to defend than a lung busting 20 yard dash into the corner.
Agreed. Btw I have also played centre back and centre forward.

[DannyInvincible]

Robbie's goal against Real Salt Lake:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQmrhgROEUo

[DannyInvincible]

Nice pass here to assist Donovan:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ7q5MFAnw4

[Stuttgart88]

Pretty tidy finish by Donovan too. Keane's earlier chipped assist was good too.

[geysir]

A Robbie Keane inspired LA Galaxy are through to the MLS final V NE Revolution. They beat Seattle last night, on away goals, great atmosphere and a huge crowd, 45k or thereabouts. Though, had Martins not missed an absolute sitter for Seattle, it might well have been a different story for Galaxy.

Robbie's winning trophies

Western Conference Champions

http://www.lagalaxy.com/sites/losangeles/files/imagecache/620x350/image_nodes/2014/11/Snapseed%20%286%29%20copy.jpg

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

LOL. If anyone is curious about the reference to Nigerian International Obafemi Martins, refer to post #6702 on the previous page.

[tetsujin1979]

Live announcement of the MLS 2014 MVP: http://www.mlssoccer.com/mlscup/2014/news/article/2014/12/03/volkswagen-mls-mvp-announcement-be-streamed-live-mlssoccercom?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=News&utm_campaign=Unpaid

[DeLorean]

Congratulations to Robbie! (http://m.lagalaxy.com/news/2014/12/robbie-keane-named-2014-volkswagen-mls-most-valuable-player)

[KK77]

Well done to Robbie. Always a dream to win honours in the career you earn the crust in.

[DannyInvincible]

Fair play to Robbie. He's really taken the MLS by storm. I wonder would his presence there have aroused the interest of US-born players with Irish roots potentially eligible to play for us...

[DeLorean]

It's a great achievement to be fair. His professionalism really can't be overstated. Many thought he was taking the easy way out by joining to the States and living the good life. I'm sure the lifestyle was important in his decision, but instead of going winding down he obviously put his heart and soul into giving as much as he possibly could for his team. This is a fantastic recognition of his time there to add to his championships.

[DeLorean]

WATCH: The goals that bagged Robbie Keane the MLS MVP (http://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/celeb-life/watch-the-goals-that-bagged-robbie-keane-the-mls-mvp-300902.html)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ81smMY4ho

[dong]

Congratulations to Robbie! (http://m.lagalaxy.com/news/2014/12/robbie-keane-named-2014-volkswagen-mls-most-valuable-player)
They love a few stats don't they?

[DannyInvincible]

They love a few stats don't they?

Football's 'Moneyball' revolution is well underway and is not merely confined to the US. :)

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Bradley Wright-Phillips and former King's Lynn youth team player Dom Dwyer are the only players ahead of Keane in the scoring stakes.

[DeLorean]

Is that final on Sunday a first leg or one off game? Anyway, it's live on BT Sports 2 around 8ish.

[DannyInvincible]

It's a one-off.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/robbie-keane-retirement-no-chance-ill-play-on-until-i-drop-30798338.html

At least four more years for Robbie after pipping Nguyen, Martins & Wright-Phillips to MVP award.

[Crosby87]

MLS going up against the NFL for the final? Should get a nice robust Nielsen rating of 0.00.

[tetsujin1979]

Bradley Wright-Phillips and former King's Lynn youth team player Dom Dwyer are the only players ahead of Keane in the scoring stakes.


http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/robbie-keane-retirement-no-chance-ill-play-on-until-i-drop-30798338.html

At least four more years for Robbie after pipping Nguyen, Martins & Wright-Phillips to MVP award.
Give over, he beat every other player in the MLS - including Thierry Henry, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey - for the award. Each of the finalists played well this season and deserved their nomination, regardless of who they used to play for.

[Crosby87]

Its true, Henry leaving got ink in the New York Times skinny sports section even. It was decent ink in the tabs. Profile in WSJ.
The other 2 blokes with him in the mvp race are good players.
Unless you are being sarcastic Adam which I just considered.

[tetsujin1979]

interview from Ken Early with Robbie Keane in today's Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/king-robbie-keane-ready-as-always-for-crowning-glory-1.2028952
Hopefully this excerpt puts one more argument about Robbie to bed

There’s something I want him to clear up. In 2011 he said, somewhat mysteriously, that “if I didn’t play for Ireland and someone else comes in, I’ve always said I would walk away.” Did he mean that he would walk away from Ireland if he was no longer starting the matches? We both know that the Scotland game last month in Glasgow was the first time he had started a competitive Ireland match on the bench since 2001.

I can see he’s slightly irritated by the question, as though this isn’t the time to be asking about his future with Ireland. But he answers it anyway.

“No, I said ‘if I’m not wanted’. If you’re not wanted - if you’re not picked for the squad, you won’t go. So I’m very lucky that people still want me. So as long as they want me, I’ll keep playing.”

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I'm still confused because there was, quite rightly, not a chance in hell of Robbie Keane not being selected for squads four years ago. 2011 is not that long ago. I do recall conjecture over who should/would be starting up front for Ireland. I do not recall anyone surmising that he shouldn't be getting selected for squads. It's quite a big jump from not being an automatic starter to not being picked for squads. That's why the walking away comment is a source of confusion because - and I reiterate - not being picked for squads was irrelevant and out of the question. It was never brought up as a possibility. Rotation was and even that never gained steam.

I believe what I believe but it's not really that important and I respect other people's right to disagree about it.

And RE: the two prior posts you quoted, I will admit I was being a little banterous with the first one but I wasn't trying to be with the second one. I was honestly just naming the players he was competing with for the award.

[Stuttgart88]

The "walk away" comment is still only a source of confusion for you methinks. In everybody else's book it's pretty clear. Liam Mackey set the remarks in context ages back, not that I needed any explanation of what he pretty obviously meant. Richard Dunne is playing great football, week in week out for QPR these days and looks healthy. He thought it was time to walk away, his words. Nobody doubted he meant to retire gracefully. But it remains a huge bone of contention for you when Keane says that when he is no longer wanted he'll retire gracefully too, no matter how many time he sets it straight.

[Closed Account]

Keane!

[back of the net]

Robbie has just made it 2-1 to galaxy in the second half of extra time in tonights MLS cup final

Nice tidy finish inside the box from a long pass

[back of the net]

Robbies Goal


http://gfycat.com/JollyFailingAdeliepenguin

Edit: Robbies Winner

FT Galaxy 2 New England Revs 1

[DeLorean]

Typical Keane goal. Was having a poor game otherwise, booked for an incredibly cynical foul and could have got a second yellow shortly after he scored. Great to see him looking so sharp deep into extra time though. Alan Gordon was gas copying Keane doing head over heels celebration! Result now... 2-1. Brilliant.

[tetsujin1979]

won MVP of the final too!

[BonnieShels]

Everyone seemed to move in slow motion. Jaysus.

[tetsujin1979]

noticed that the New England Revolution striker is named Patrick Mullins, according to his wikipedia entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Mullins_%28soccer%29 - he has no international caps, wonder if he qualifies to play for Ireland?

[geysir]

Everyone seemed to move in slow motion. Jaysus.
It is extra time and the adrenalin well was dry, except for Robbie.
They move a bit faster in this one, more frames per second would be an accurate description.


http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2014/12/07/goal-robbie-keane-rips-it-and-re-ignites-crowd#ooid=Rxcms1cjqc4ovwpsfNHeJC60wYvr3CNA

[BonnieShels]

Still like they are running in treacle.

[geysir]

That perception could just be related to your amphetamine psychosis.

[BonnieShels]

No it isn't. I'm clean tonight.

[KK77]

Congratulations to Robbie. That's three championship winning medals for him now in the MLS. Dream stuff.

[DeLorean]

Yeah, maybe he was better off being shafted at Liverpool as things have turned out. I'd take 3 MLS titles over one English League Cup any day, which is all Liverpool have won since he left. He already had one of those anyway.