Robbie Keane

[ofjames]

Robbie starts for spurs today at old trafford.

I think Redknapp has rested a good few players for the Inter CL game during the week

Regardless, a big performance from Keane is surely required if he is to have a future at Spurs beyond January.

[AlaskaFox]

He definitely needs to have a good game today.

[paul_oshea]

Even if he has a big game he will be a bit part player....in a way it could be more detrimental for us if he has a good game today....

[The Fly]

Starts for Spurs today, in the late kick-off against Man United.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9137317.stm

[Charlie Darwin]

He's playing well so far. Spurs seem to be resisting the urge to lump the ball up the way they would with Crouch or Pav.

[AlaskaFox]

Yeah, he's linking up well with Lennon. His passing and positioning has been decent.

[Charlie Darwin]

Was Crouch injured in the warm-up? It seems he was named in the initial line-up.

[AlaskaFox]

And now he's off. On comes big Roman.

[tricky_colour]

I thought he was Russian.

[Junior]

Mate of mine was at the game. Said Keane was barely in the game. I watched MOTD and have to say, I didnt notice him once.

[irishfan86]

Mate of mine was at the game. Said Keane was barely in the game. I watched MOTD and have to say, I didnt notice him once.

He was playing as the lone striker, which doesn't suit him. Same reason he didn't do that well at Liverpool.

Maybe people would saying I'm making excuses, but I wouldn't expect much of Messi playing as a lone forward either (not saying Keane is Messi just comparing a hypothetical situation where a player plays out of position).

[elroy]

Problem with RK is that when things are going his way, he always gives them impression that he is trying to hard, is too anxious etc, which is only to the detriment to his game. He naturally is a pretty good finisher but when he gets anxious etc, doesnt happen for him at all.

[Stuttgart88]

I also think that Robbie's career long problem is that he is neither fish nor fowl: he's not a lazy single-purpose forward like Jermaine Defoe, nor is he a classic Argentinian style no. 10, or a Totti type player. He's somewhere in between. Like elroy says though, when he's confident and feeling the love he's a lot better.

[Murfinator]

I always saw Keane as a fox in the box type player like Inzaghi or Makaay. His main asset isn't his finishing, skill, link up play, speed, creativity or anything like that its his positional sense. He's the type of player who can do nothing for 89 minutes then pop up and score the winner out of nowhere.

[DannyInvincible]

I always saw Keane as a fox in the box type player like Inzaghi or Makaay. His main asset isn't his finishing, skill, link up play, speed, creativity or anything like that its his positional sense. He's the type of player who can do nothing for 89 minutes then pop up and score the winner out of nowhere.

I'm not so sure he's so "limited", for want of a better word. When Robbie provided the link between midfield and the front two for much of our game away to Italy in Bari last campaign, I thought he had a fantastic game. He carried the ball forward with competence and ease and looked more than able for such a role in spite of the Italians' willingness to rest on their laurels.

[rebelmusic]

Didnt get off the bench tonight. Pav was crap when he came on but Bale gave him the easiest goal to score of all time. Would have been a great game for Robbie to have come on with the service Bale was providing.

[tetsujin1979]

someone recently asked what the goals tally was for players in Premier League games before November, I'm sorry but I can't find the original post, but Robbie's thread is as good a place as any for this, seeing as how he is the top Irish goalscorer in Premier League games taking place before November, from 2006-2007 to 2010-2011 (i.e. how long I've been collecting data for Irish Abroad)
some late night coding, a facebook chat with magicme and the realisation that 1-5 are all less than 11 (don't ask) later

Player 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 Total
Robbie Keane 0 6 0 5 0 11
Kevin Doyle 4 3 0 3 0 10
Damien Duff 1 0 1 2 0 4
Richard Dunne 1 0 1 2 0 4
Stephen Hunt 0 2 0 2 0 4
Stephen Ireland 0 0 3 1 0 4
Rory Delap 0 0 1 0 1 2
Andy Reid 0 0 0 2 0 2
Shane Long 0 2 0 0 0 2
John O'Shea 0 0 0 1 0 1
Liam Lawrence 0 0 1 0 0 1
Liam Miller 0 1 0 0 0 1
Glenn Whelan 0 0 0 1 0 1
Caleb Folan 0 0 1 0 0 1
Jonathan Walters 0 0 0 0 1 1
Andy Keogh 0 0 0 1 0 1


as always, don't take it as gospel, I'm open to correction on anything

[tetsujin1979]

Not even on the bench for spurs today vs bolton

[Crosby87]

Needs to leave Totts post haste.
Harry looked miserable today.

[elroy]

For all Pavs negatives, would you have backed Keane to finish that chance Pav finished? Im not sure. Robbie def needs to get out, obvious that Harry has no time for him now.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm not sure that's really relevant - Pav's technical ability is outstanding, but I wouldn't back him to score from six yards the way I would Robbie.

[rebelmusic]

Seems Robbie's had an ankle injury, explains why he wasn't on the bench recently. Apparently he's in contention for a start at the weekend if he can get fit. Pav is injured now so it's Robbie's last chance really.

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6497989,00.html

[Murfinator]

In truth I don't think there's a place for any of Spurs 4 strikers there long term, Van Der Vaart seems to be the main man there now and they're going to need someone who can play the lone striker sufficiently to accommodate him. Given that they play two flying wingers who hug the touchline aerial presence would be essential as well as an ability to link up play. Crouch does both of these things but he's absolute pants when it comes to scoring goals himself which really isn't good enough for anything other than the short term. Pav is a possibility too but he maybe doesn't seem quite good enough though I've always felt he's never had a fair run in the team.

I don't think Robbie or Defoe fit into the system at all anymore as anything other than impact players to bring off the bench with a change of formation. They showed clips on the premiership a few weeks back of Robbie and VdV playing together and vdv constantly getting into robbies positions, getting in each others way basically.

On the other hand VdV is too good for spurs and will probably take the huff and move elsewhere when they fail to get a top 4 spots this season, so all is not lost.

[rebelmusic]

"
This time last month The Sun were reporting that Juventus had 'emerged as the surprise candidates to end Robbie Keane's Tottenham misery'.

Now they seem to think things have become even worse, and that the Irishman's new destination is the... Vancouver Whitecaps.

Never heard of them? That's because they're from Canada, and have not previously existed. The paper reveals that they'll be making their MLS debut in 2011, and want Keane as their marquee signing.

To lend the story some credit, they throw in the fact that former Tottenham chief executive Paul Barber is in charge at the Whitecaps."




EEEk

[AlaskaFox]

2000km from LA. Claudine won't be happy.

[rebelmusic]

Wasn't there talk that she was pushing him to join an MLS side?

[Bluebeard]

"
This time last month The Sun were reporting that Juventus had 'emerged as the surprise candidates to end Robbie Keane's Tottenham misery'.

Now they seem to think things have become even worse, and that the Irishman's new destination is the... Vancouver Whitecaps.

Never heard of them? That's because they're from Canada, and have not previously existed. The paper reveals that they'll be making their MLS debut in 2011, and want Keane as their marquee signing.

To lend the story some credit, they throw in the fact that former Tottenham chief executive Paul Barber is in charge at the Whitecaps."




EEEk

Didn't Johnny Giles used to play for Vancouver Whitecaps?

EDIT: Just checked - he managed them, and Liam Buckley and Mick Martin played for them.

[Colbert Report]

Peter Beardsley played for them as well back in the early 80s.

[Stuttgart88]

Did Ray Hankin play for them? Ex-Leeds and, briefly, Shamrock Rovers.

[Colbert Report]

Did Ray Hankin play for them? Ex-Leeds and, briefly, Shamrock Rovers.

Off the top of my head, I think he played for them from 1981-82, scoring 23 goals in 49 matches.

[AlaskaFox]

Off the top of my head, I think he played for them from 1981-82, scoring 23 goals in 49 matches.

Also played for them in 1980, 8 goals in 24 games. Thanks wikipedia!

[Colbert Report]

Also played for them in 1980, 8 goals in 24 games. Thanks wikipedia!

What is this "wikipedia" you speak of?

[elroy]

Christ he is a few years off the MLS yet. Would be nothing short of a terrible move (except for the cash side perhaps). Cant see it happening.

[Colbert Report]

It wouldn't even be worth it for the money. He's apparently on 80k a week because of that big contract Liverpool gave him when they bought him off Spurs. Vancouver wouldn't be able to offer him even a quarter of that kind of money. He's be lucky to make more than a million or two Canadian for the entire season. I'd love to see him come over here in his late thirties but he has more than a few good years left at a mid-table club in England. I'd love to see him play for Villa, Blackburn, Wigan, etc.

[irishfan86]

The whitecaps have played here for 24 years, "not previously existed," f*ck off

[SkStu]

It wouldn't even be worth it for the money. He's apparently on 80k a week because of that big contract Liverpool gave him when they bought him off Spurs. Vancouver wouldn't be able to offer him even a quarter of that kind of money. He's be lucky to make more than a million or two Canadian for the entire season. I'd love to see him come over here in his late thirties but he has more than a few good years left at a mid-table club in England. I'd love to see him play for Villa, Blackburn, Wigan, etc.

all i can say to that, CR, is...

GO RIDERS!

:) :)

[Colbert Report]

all i can say to that, CR, is...

GO RIDERS!

:) :)

I sat through the most miserable four hours of my life last Sunday at McMahon Stadium.

[livehead1]

It wouldn't even be worth it for the money. He's apparently on 80k a week because of that big contract Liverpool gave him when they bought him off Spurs. Vancouver wouldn't be able to offer him even a quarter of that kind of money. He's be lucky to make more than a million or two Canadian for the entire season. I'd love to see him come over here in his late thirties but he has more than a few good years left at a mid-table club in England. I'd love to see him play for Villa, Blackburn, Wigan, etc.


He was on that money prior to joining Liverpool, ever since his Inter Milan days. Not short of a bob or two!

[rebelmusic]

Keane in the squad for the liverpool match but not even on the bench. Seriously...time to leave. And it shouldn't be one of these deadline day transfers. He should make a decision in the coming weeks.

[Colbert Report]

He's still just coming back from an ankle injury, isn't that why he missed the Norway match?

[rebelmusic]

Maybe but Pav and Defoe were on the bench. Robbie is obviously 5th now in the pecking order which is unacceptable for him. I know he's probably the most transferred player in history, but he needs to go to a lower league side where he'll get his game. Aston Villa would be the best option, but even somewhere like Wolves or Stoke at this stage would do. He just needs to be playing.

[AlaskaFox]

Everton is the best option I think. Villa will have Agbonlahor when he comes back from injury. Everton have nobody capable of double figures goalwise.

[irishfan86]

I'd say there'd be interest in Spain if he was willing. I think he'd suit the style of play there as well...

[EalingGreen]

Maybe but Pav and Defoe were on the bench. Robbie is obviously 5th now in the pecking order which is unacceptable for him.I am pretty certain that his days at Spurs under Redknapp were numbered from the moment 'Arry heard Keane (Spurs Captain, btw) had organised a players Xmas Party in Dublin under the guise of as "golfing trip". (Redknapp had specifically banned any Xmas do).

The only reason he is still at the Lane must be because they can't get a transfer fee sufficient to satisfy the Chairman, Levy. But as soon as they do, or his contract runs into its final year, he'll go (assuming 'Arry is still in charge).

As it was, 'Arry accepted the (temporary) compromise of a loan to Celtic, so eager was he to get him away from the place.

Of course, it is not to say he will never play again under him, but if he should, it will only be a matter of pure pragmatism from 'Arry (injury crisis, "dead rubber" or shop window etc).

[Stuttgart88]

While you're here EG - has Modric become much more two footed since his injury last year?

[EalingGreen]

While you're here EG - has Modric become much more two footed since his injury last year?Tbh, can't say I've noticed any difference. That said, I wouldn't have said he was esp one-footed previously or two-footed since - I've always thought him v.talented, with excellent all-round technique.

Meanwhile, re Keane: Mail has it he's on his way to Villa for £6m. Dunno if this story has "legs", but it is at least credible i.e. fee may be acceptable, since it is probably as much as Spurs will get, without being laughable. Meanwhile, it's low enough for Villla to meet RK's wage demands. It's Premier League, so the standard is high enough to satisfy RK's ego/career prospects, yet with so little competition for places he's likely to start regularly. And he's well enough known in the game for Villa/Houllier to be able to sell it to the fans as a "big" signing.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1334191/Aston-Villa-plan-6m-January-bid-Spurs-striker-Robbie-Keane.html

[shakermaker1982]

Keane is on 75k a week?............mouth drops to floor.

[tetsujin1979]

Keane is on 75k a week?............mouth drops to floor.
was on massive wages at Leeds, when he moved to Spurs they were still paying part of his wages for the first few seasons (Fowler had a similar deal when he transferred to Man City). He had an increase when he moved to Liverpool, and is presumably on the same or better after moving back to Spurs.

[shakermaker1982]

was on massive wages at Leeds, when he moved to Spurs they were still paying part of his wages for the first few seasons (Fowler had a similar deal when he transferred to Man City). He had an increase when he moved to Liverpool, and is presumably on the same or better after moving back to Spurs.

Only in football (and maybe banking) would you ditch your job & head to a major rival, fail in spectacular fashion, come back with your tail between your legs and end up on better money!!!

I thought he might be on 50k......crazy world. Then again Yaya Toure is supposed to be on £250k.

[Serb]

It's no surprise at all to me that Robbie is on £75k a week. He has a couple more goals than Nicolas Anelka on only a few more appearances than him in the Premier League. Anelka signed a contract extension after the World Cup which undoubtedly saw his £120k per week salary increased.

People seem to be forgetting that Robbie Keane is actually a top class striker who has scored goals consistently throughout his career, for club and country.