Robbie Keane

[tetsujin1979]

It's on 101greatgoals.com here: http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/robbie-keane-aston-villa-9059366/
Quality isn't great, makes it hard to call if he was onside or not. Nice finish either way though.

<edit>

Actually, if you stop the video on 12 seconds, there's a player on the far side of the 6 yard area playing Keane on when the ball is headed back into the box.

[SkStu]

we got the first half hour of the game here this morning. He was definitely onside. A yard or two. Nice finish but all the perplexing Keane traits were on display for the rmainder of the half. The channel switched over to the originally scheduled Wigan Blackpool game for the rest. I would say Keane is a very frustrating player to play with.

[Serb]

He's well onside:

https://img.skitch.com/20110418-eche6i84tkncjs6nus1qb4iqh6.png

[SwanVsDalton]

we got the first half hour of the game here this morning. He was definitely onside. A yard or two. Nice finish but all the perplexing Keane traits were on display for the rmainder of the half. The channel switched over to the originally scheduled Wigan Blackpool game for the rest. I would say Keane is a very frustrating player to play with.

In fairness West Ham were dreadful, particularly in the second half. They barely strung three passes together, missed Parker quite a bit. Their only idea was to hit it long to Cole, with Keane playing quite deep in behind him which I found quite odd - seemed like manager's orders as opposed to his doing - since he was getting a decent bit of success in the first 15 pulling Villa's defenders around.

[Charlie Darwin]

Robbie can play as a deep-lying striker, but I think he lacks the pace to do it at the top level a la van der Vaart. I think it'd work against a team that was defending deep (think Italy in Bari) but not many teams will do that against West Ham.

[SkStu]

In fairness West Ham were dreadful, particularly in the second half. They barely strung three passes together, missed Parker quite a bit. Their only idea was to hit it long to Cole, with Keane playing quite deep in behind him which I found quite odd - seemed like manager's orders as opposed to his doing - since he was getting a decent bit of success in the first 15 pulling Villa's defenders around.

Oh yeah, i wasnt blaming Keane. He did a lot of good things in the 35 minutes i saw, including a lovely dummy and a nice reverse pass that put a West Ham player in and led to a half chance.

The main things i was referring to were his tendency to lie deep and look for the ball waaaay too much - to the extent that he was on top of his teammate at times and almost tackled one of them for the ball! Admirable enthusiasm and all but i felt his time would have been better spent looking for the room between Villas defence and midfield.

[Colbert Report]

Dropped to the bench today in favour of Freddie Sears. Is he injured or something?

[DannyInvincible]

Robbie started today and just missed a sitter after being played through one-on-one with Hart. Tried to dink it over the keeper but Hart managed to block it. Probably could and should have done better.

And West Ham have just scored to make it 2-1 to Manchester City now. Robbie had a part to play in heading on a cross that then bounced down off Lescott's arm in the box and into Ba's path who fired it home.

[SkStu]

And West Ham have just scored to make it 2-1 to Manchester City now. Robbie had a part to play in heading on a cross that then bounced down off Lescott's arm in the box and into Ba's path who fired it home.

i just hope he can repeat that piece of magic for Ireland!!! :D :D :D

[DannyInvincible]

Robbie on for Luis Boa Morte. Has just over half an hour to help West Ham in their desperate search for a goal.

[Maroon 7]

Just missed another sitter apparently. Going though a Liverpool like phase at West Ham where he's missing tap-ins.

[theworm2345]

Just missed a sitter, nearly completely whiffed. The touch was similar to Long's on Duff's goal against Wales.

[geysir]

Robbie misses an absolute sitter, the BBC understands.
Glad he's got that miss out of his system.

[geysir]

The miss of the season according to the BBC.
I feel a bit embarrassed here.

[rebelmusic]

You could see how embarassed he was afterwards. Terrible, if the hammers go down by 2 points, that miss will be pointed out sadly. Feel sorry for Robbie

[shakermaker1982]

How bad was it? He could have been a west ham legend....

[Murfinator]

Conspiracies at West Ham that hes missing chances on purpose so they'll go down and he doesn't have to sign for them. Supposedly hes been playing golf instead of training and generally showing a very poor all round attitude to the club.

[Maroon 7]

How bad was it? He could have been a west ham legend....

Haven't been on any West Ham forums but I'd say he's getting slaughtered. He's missed a fair few chances for them in recent weeks.

[DannyInvincible]

Conspiracies at West Ham that hes missing chances on purpose so they'll go down and he doesn't have to sign for them. Supposedly hes been playing golf instead of training and generally showing a very poor all round attitude to the club.

The suggestion being he'd rather go back to warming the bench for Spurs? Missing gilt-edged chances - haven't seen today's yet - isn't going to attract interest in his services from elsewhere. How could a player get away with skipping training to play golf anyway? :confused:

[Charlie Darwin]

Really doubt that. I remember him missing a few like that at Liverpool too.

[SkStu]

he always tries to guide them in like that - he done the same recently for Ireland but scored but i remember thinking at the time it could have turned out horribly. All he needed to do today was smack it in instep near post. Idiot.

[DannyInvincible]

With West Ham now all but mathematically relegated due to today's results, Robbie won't be with them next season. Presumably Spurs will try to offload him to another club on a permanent deal during the Summer.

[Charlie Darwin]

QPR would seem the logical option.

[Colbert Report]

"Robbie Keane will go back to Spurs with the striker's permanent move wholly dependant on the club staying up."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/919840/west-ham-hoping-to-hold-on-to-thomas-hitzlsperger?cc=5901

[AlaskaFox]

On the bench, they must not have too much faith in him after those misses.

[EastTerracer]

On the bench, they must not have too much faith in him after those misses.

West Ham fans probably won't remember Robbie with any fondness but the truth is he only started 5 league games since he joined them and they have deserved to go down this season, regardless of his miss last week.

Robbie hasn't looked sharp but I think that is understandable given he hasn't been playing much. I'm sure he was hoping that he'd get regular football there and it started well with a goal on his debut but his injury disrupted things. That shocking miss last week will ultimately be the lasting memory of his time at West Ham.

He will be looking for a permanent move again this summer and hopefully he'll realise that he can't wait for a Top-6 club to snap him up at this stage. I still think he has a lot to offer in the Premier League and, more importantly, for Ireland provided he plays regularly somewhere.

[Stuttgart88]

And he should drop his requirement to play in London.

A return to Wolves maybe, if they stay up?

[Drumcondra 69er]

Rumour about QPR, good traditonal London Irish support there, remains to be seen if they'd pay his wage demands though, That said, they could afford it.......

[Sullivinho]

Robbie will be 31 with a less than spectacular season behind him by the time the new one begins. Not the sturdiest position from which to be choosy. I'd like to think he's capable of a Larsson-esque Indian summer though and hopefully a fresh start will encourage that, rather than being parachuted into a relegation battle.

[rebelmusic]

The one thing he has to avoid now is another loan. He needs to move to a club and express the fact that he wants to stay there until he retires. He's played for more clubs then a chinese hooker at this stage.

Time to settle down Robbie!

[amaccann]

I wonder if the best thing Robbie should do would be to get out of England full stop. Fresh start and all that; a competitive team in Spain / Italy / Holland / Russia / somewhere might make far more sense than shipping off to A.N. Other club in England where all his baggage will come with him. Some new horizons might be a better idea than slogging it out.

[BonnieShels]

I wonder if the best thing Robbie should do would be to get out of England full stop. Fresh start and all that; a competitive team in Spain / Italy / Holland / Russia / somewhere might make far more sense than shipping off to A.N. Other club in England where all his baggage will come with him. Some new horizons might be a better idea than slogging it out.
Ideally for us yes. But there's a reason he wants to stay in London. I don't think those reasons will disappear if he signed for De Graafschap or Levante etc.
I do think its too late for him to do an "Aiden".

[Fixer82]

Can't see Robbie learning Russian. Though I'd love to hear him try to speak it...

[dr_peepee]

I hope he doesn't mess around now all summer. He needs to first accept a few truths and commit to a club to get a decent pre season in..

[Eminence Grise]

Can't see Robbie learning Russian. Though I'd love to hear him try to speak it...

If it does happen, those kind people at Google Translate offer this handy phrase for his first press conference:
Я поддерживается Спартак / Зенит / ЦСКА, так как я был мальчиком (YA podderzhivaet·sya Spartak / Zenit / TSSKA , tak kak ya byl malʹchikom).

I've supported Spartak/Zenit/CSKA since I was a boy.

[shakermaker1982]

Back to Celtic?

[DannyInvincible]

Ideally for us yes. But there's a reason he wants to stay in London. I don't think those reasons will disappear if he signed for De Graafschap or Levante etc.
I do think its too late for him to do an "Aiden".

Didn't Phil Babb head to Sporting Lisbon when he was around the same age as Robbie is now and win the Portuguese league's 'defender of the year' award or something? In saying that, Babb was, more or less, in the international wilderness by that point and his eventual two-for-one comeback-swansong ended in embarrassment.

[strangeirish]

Can't see Robbie learning Russian. Though I'd love to hear him try to speak it...
Needs to learn how to speak English first...

[an_ceannaire]

No premiership club will want anything to do with him now. He needs to face reality. He is not a premiership footballer anymore. A huge pay cut and a move down a division or back to Scotland is all he has left. Celtic or Cardiff maybe.
Robbie is no longer rated in England. Thats just a fact.
He should never have left Tottenham the first time.

[SwanVsDalton]

There's no reason why Robbie can't establish himself as a player in the Premier League, though he'll certainly have to accept not having top clubs come after him. It could depend on his desire at this stage - if Celtic come back for him, the idea of adulation, easy goals and flopping around a tiny pond might appeal to him. But I hope he still has the desire to get back to scoring Premiership goals because an early move, decent pre-season and a run of games could be all he needs.

[an_ceannaire]

But what premiership club is gonna wanna pay those wages for a fella who hasnt kicked a ball for Spurs in 2 years and was TERRIBLE for West Ham
His time at West Ham will do him terminal damage
Couldnt get a game for the worst team in the league and missed an open goal from 4 yards to keep the up. It was embarrassing.
Celtic has to be his best option now (for shame)

Cant see any premiership club wanting him, can you? He is not offering any value for money (wages)

[zero]

i reckon someone like leicester. i don't think QPR will go for him, maybe reading would if they go up. or norwich - that might be a good fit.

i wouldn't rule out a move stateside.

[an_ceannaire]

Norwich is a good shout but again, they might be lookiing for someone younger. Robbie's premiership days are gone I would fear. Celtic, or the Galaxy maybe

[SwanVsDalton]

But what premiership club is gonna wanna pay those wages for a fella who hasnt kicked a ball for Spurs in 2 years and was TERRIBLE for West Ham
His time at West Ham will do him terminal damage
Couldnt get a game for the worst team in the league and missed an open goal from 4 yards to keep the up. It was embarrassing.
Celtic has to be his best option now (for shame)

Cant see any premiership club wanting him, can you? He is not offering any value for money (wages)

I think you're overstating it. Wages would be a big issue, admittedly, but Robbie was injured for a long spell and one embarrassing miss is hardly terminal. I think he's got enough reputation clocked up that's he got one more shot at it - there's enough duff strikers rolling round the Prem who've had more than a couple of chance but have never had nearly the level of success Robbie's had.

His attitude to a move is key. Realistically he should be looking at someone like Wolves (if Mick could sign him, I'd sure he'd be interested) but Keane may still believe he's worth more, to a bigger club, than he actually is. MLS talk is well premature.

[Charlie Darwin]

There are about 14 Premier League clubs at any given time that would give an arm for Robbie's services. The only issues are his wage demands and not wanting to leave London, both of which can be worked around.

[Torn-Ado]

He's destined to go to Wolves.

[Crosby87]

The only issues are his wage demands and not wanting to leave London, both of which can be worked around.

You mean if he decides he will play somewhere other than London and take less money? :D

[Murfinator]

- High wages
- Poor performances for the past 2 and a half years
- Questionable dedication and attitude
- He's 31

I just don't see anyone in a top league bar the most desperate club willing to take a risk on this guy. Celtic is a possibility but most likely I could see him taking a lucrative offer to the MLS or Saudi Arabia. Could see him seeing out his last year on his spurs contract either on the bench or on loan someplace else before that.

Robbie can return to his best at a top team but ultimately he doesn't look to have the fight anymore, the fact that he was dropped in West Hams most desperate of desperate times says it all about how up for the challenge he was.

[SwanVsDalton]

- High wages
- Poor performances for the past 2 and a half years
- Questionable dedication and attitude
- He's 31

I just don't see anyone in a top league bar the most desperate club willing to take a risk on this guy. Celtic is a possibility but most likely I could see him taking a lucrative offer to the MLS or Saudi Arabia. Could see him seeing out his last year on his spurs contract either on the bench or on loan someplace else before that.

Robbie can return to his best at a top team but ultimately he doesn't look to have the fight anymore, the fact that he was dropped in West Hams most desperate of desperate times says it all about how up for the challenge he was.

He played, scored, got injured and then was rotated in a team which had 4-5 strikers. He was as much a victim of a dreadful team in terrible form and a manager's selection indecision as anything else - albeit his dreadful miss didn't help matters. Either way a striker struggling in that dross team isn't particularly surprising.

I don't think it's a question of fight so much as Robbie accepting he can't dictate the terms any more - if he accepts that he could go to any number of Premiership clubs and succeed.

Fulham, Wolves, Blackburn, Birmingham, Stoke, maybe even Everton or Villa would be interested if the price was right. Not top teams but hardly time to put out to pasture and get a big US/Middle East pay day. He's only 31 and this isn't Logan's Run.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Not the player he was though, he needs a decent new challenge.

Maybe he should move to Reading when Long inevitably moves on to the PL?