Kevin Doyle

Well, despite some people here predicting that just about every team in the Premiership wanted Doyle, he remains at Reading. I have often wondered about this pro-Doyle anti-Keane thing many supporters have. There are a few behind me at Lansdowne who ignore any misplaced pass by Doyle but the minute Robbie loses possession, they're down on him like a ton of bricks. It is because Doyle was originally LoI ? Doyle isn't a bad player but is overrated by many and if you gave me the choice of Keane or Doyle, I'd always go for Keane.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

It is because Doyle was originally LoI ?

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Yes :D

Doyle and Hunt know they are at a brilliant club and don't need to move - Coppell I'm sure persuaded them to stay. I'd imagine there were a number of clubs after the pair of them but they'll be back in the PL next August so why mess a good thing up? Just ask Robbie.

Robbie vs Doyle? I rate both players so cannot really comment but have noticed the Pro Keane lobby tend to be from Dublin :)

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Well, despite some people here predicting that just about every team in the Premiership wanted Doyle, he remains at Reading. I have often wondered about this pro-Doyle anti-Keane thing many supporters have. There are a few behind me at Lansdowne who ignore any misplaced pass by Doyle but the minute Robbie loses possession, they're down on him like a ton of bricks. It is because Doyle was originally LoI ? Doyle isn't a bad player but is overrated by many and if you gave me the choice of Keane or Doyle, I'd always go for Keane.

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RK has done far more for Ireland than Doyle, obviously as he has been playing far longer. Over the past couple of yrs Doyle has played far better than Keane in the green shirt if not necessarily at club level. We are lucky to have the two of them as it's about the only area of the pitch where we do have outstanding quality, and maybe the wings.

Yeah like the public sector worker and the private sector worker. Do not set Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle at loggerheads. They are not the problem.

dont you mean loggerbees? Loggerhead is 10 miles down the road....

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Originally Posted by Ciaran

If you're going to say that any position is sorted then it has to be the man between the sticks.

Keane and Doyle haven't forged a particularly good partnership. In the last 2 years Keane has scored 5 and Doyle 6, its hardly a good return for 20+ games. But then more of that is down to delivery than finishing.

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I didn't mean to a disservice to Given, true enough though possibly our most important player, especially for the big games. I don't think Keane and Doyle are an ideal partnership but if the rest of the team plays well I'm sure they'll improve. I don't think any other partnership is an option anyway.

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Originally Posted by Ciaran

Keane and Doyle haven't forged a particularly good partnership. In the last 2 years Keane has scored 5 and Doyle 6, its hardly a good return for 20+ games. But then more of that is down to delivery than finishing.

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They've started together 17 times. Keane has scored 10. Doyle 4.

Keane's total goal to start ratio for Ireland is 43%. With Doyle it's 59%.
Doyle's total goal to start ratio for Ireland is 30%. With Keane it's 24%.

It's not all about goals of course though.

They are some really interesting statistics. Maybe its my Wexford bias, but I was always a little critical of Keane's willingness to pass to Doyle in key positions.

However, since Trap took over they look a lot more like a functioning strike partnership. The performance in the away Georgia match I thought was particularly good.

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Originally Posted by Diarmo

They are some really interesting statistics. Maybe its my Wexford bias, but I was always a little critical of Keane's willingness to pass to Doyle in key positions.

However, since Trap took over they look a lot more like a functioning strike partnership. The performance in the away Georgia match I thought was particularly good.

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Thats probably down to some decent coaching on the training pitch in the run up to games now, for the last couple of seasons they havent had that under Staunton. Im a big fan of Doyle and Keane and I still think they have the makings of a very good partnership

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Originally Posted by Diarmo

Maybe its my Wexford bias, but I was always a little critical of Keane's willingness to pass to Doyle in key positions.

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No, I think there were times we could all see that Doyle was frustrated when Keane elected not to pass. I'd say it wasn't usually outright selfishness though, more a case of poor decision making. Robbie's a skillful player so taking his man on is always an option for him, but too frequently from Doyle's (and our) perspective it has been the wrong option.

Somewhat geekishly I do recall one intance in the Norway friendly where Doyle was screaming for a pass inside but Robbie went solo, but in that instance I think Norway's CB positioned himself well to cut out any prospective pass.

Personally I reckon the reason the partnership hasn't wholly gelled is because each has to work so hard to compensate for central midfield's weaknesses that they're usually very far apart and quite a distance from the midfield. Robbie is always dropping deep and Doyle is often seen out wide cutting the supply route from opposing full backs. If our midfield had a better grip on the game I think you'd see Keane & Doyle perform better both individually and together.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Personally I reckon the reason the partnership hasn't wholly gelled is because each has to work so hard to compensate for central midfield's weaknesses that they're usually very far apart and quite a distance from the midfield. Robbie is always dropping deep and Doyle is often seen out wide cutting the supply route from opposing full backs. If our midfield had a better grip on the game I think you'd see Keane & Doyle perform better both individually and together.

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Definately a factor. They were dead on their feet toward the end of the Cyprus game...

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Originally Posted by dr_peepee

Definately a factor. They were dead on their feet toward the end of the Cyprus game...

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Lucky we dont have a Berbatov type character up front who couldnt be arsed putting in the hard work.

Just been awarded Irish International player of the year. Well deserved

Well done to Kevin Doyle, deserved the award. Had tough competition to win it, Shay Given and................. John O' Shea.

Scored again at last against...well you probably know who. A few more now before the Bulgaria game would be good. Long scored as well.

Long's goal was a cracker actually, ran on to a through ball into the penalty area, steadied himself, and shot across the keeper to the far side of the goal.
Doyle's was a header on the far post from a corner, was harder to miss to be honest. If you leave a player like Doyle all alone from a set piece, you deserve everything you get.

also, was it doyle who played long in for his goal? haven't seen the goals as i was at five-a-side, but thought i heard that on the radio on the way home.

doyle's been our best player in the last few internationals by far. no bias there either.

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Originally Posted by magnumpi

also, was it doyle who played long in for his goal? haven't seen the goals as i was at five-a-side, but thought i heard that on the radio on the way home.

doyle's been our best player in the last few internationals by far. no bias there either.

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No it was Stephen Hunt that played Long in according to the report on BBC-http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot..._1/7908429.stm

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Originally Posted by BarelyLegal

No it was Stephen Hunt that played Long in according to the report on BBC-http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot..._1/7908429.stm

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Yes, a very nice pass from from SHunt setup Long for the winner. I just watched the highlight clip on Reading World to be sure.