Duff was absolutely terrible against Sheffield United. He was playing up front for a while but even out on the wing there was no excitement when he got the ball.
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Duff was absolutely terrible against Sheffield United. He was playing up front for a while but even out on the wing there was no excitement when he got the ball.
One of the UK papers descibed him this morning as a "no trick pony" :(
At least Kilbane has one trick!
Am the same have been waiting a long time for Miller to turn things around and there just isnt a sign of it happening to be honest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Andy Reid seems to be hitting good form, saw him on MOTD sat night and he looked to be pulling the strings for charlton, played in a few very good crosses.
Andy Reid is showing signs he is back to his best and the way he was playing for Forest week in week out - I have great faith in him. If he stays clear of injury this season he could have a fantastic season for both club and country.
Very worried about Duffs form. I thought the Newcastle move would be good for him and indeed it should've been but he doesn't look confident at all. I've no doubt he'll hit the heights again, after all, the saying goes "Form is temporary - Class is permanent."
I just wish he'd hurry up about it.
Reid is looking excellent again and hopefully will be given a starting role next week in the middle or just off the front 2.
Reid had another good game for Charlton on Saturday. Would definitely have in in the squad. With Douglas and Carlsley in the squad we have the room for good creative midfielder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peadar
How is Douglas doing currently?
I wouldn't drop Duff. He's done enough in green to keep his place and if anything needs an international game to escape from the club situation. I wouldn't be afraid to whip him off after 60 minutes though either.
Was watching some of the game against palermo last week and when they spoke of some of the fringe playrs getting in I expected to see alan o'brien. Not even on the bench. Is he injured? Mick McCarthy was very keen to take him to wolves loan and they refused? Makes you wonder why.
I'd leave Keane as a forward partnering Doyle, with Doyle as the more disciplined of the two in terms of what's expected. I think to get the best from Keane you have to give him a level of freedom to drop deep or drift wide. Then we'll get to see things like Sunday over the course of a game rather than pinning him down to a position i.e left of a three man attack etc His best work is done outside or around the area as opposed to in the box where we hope Doyle can become the clinical one.
drop keane, simply to drop the message that everyone is dispensible, and everyone has to fight for their place..Since 1999 he has had his flippin place etched in stone, hardly and inspiring motivational tool!!!
I think that one of the problems with Keane is his ability to whinge and moan that doesn't endear him to people. If he kept his head down and his mouth shut he mightn't get so much stick. How many times have we seen him with his two hands in the air having a go at the linesman or referee when it may have been his own greediness that caused him to lose the ball in the first place. Strikers have to be greedy to succeed but keane needs to remember that the only option isn't always a spectacular attempt on goal. Work hard Robbie but don't blame others when things go wrong.................then we might not be so quick to have a go!
After his performance from the last 2 weekends, playing behind the main target man, it may be time to move him from out and out striker, but there's still no reason to drop him until a more viable alternative emerges
Don't agree with dropping Robbie obviously but thought this was a good article from the Irish Times.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Record haul hides hard fact
Emmet Malone takes a look at Robbie Keane's scoring feats for the Republic of Ireland
Andy Reid's post-match assertion that Robbie Keane's hat-trick against San Marino on Wednesday represented "two fingers to the knockers" might well be viewed as an admirable display of loyalty by a team member to his captain, but the fact remains the Tottenham striker has a good deal more to do if he is to silence his critics.
Keane's goals brought his international tally to 29 in 70 games, an Irish record and a highly respectable ratio. However, the figures hide the fact the 26-year-old has consistently struggled to find the net in the Republic's biggest games since the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea, where he scored three times in four appearances and appeared to promise a huge amount for the future.
Since then, the Dubliner has scored 16 times in 33 appearances for Ireland with nine coming in 19 competitive games. Just as the Irish team has failed to beat a team of note in a competitive game since September 2001, however, so Keane has failed to score against a team of real quality in a game where there was anything at stake since his spot-kick in Suwon against Spain.
In 788 minutes of football over nine games against Russia, Switzerland, France, Germany and the Czech Republic, the striker has failed to find the net once. His only goal, in fact, against a team that turned out to be a serious group rival of Ireland's came in the home game against Israel.
He limped out of that game after 25 minutes having started brightly. But he failed to make the hoped for impact when the two sides met in Tel Aviv and, even if the games against the Israelis are included in his post-2002 World Cup statistics, he has found the net just once in over 10 hours of competitive football against Ireland's stronger opponents.
In contrast, Keane thrives against good teams in friendly games and weak teams in competitive matches. When there have been no qualifying points at stake he has found the net against the likes of the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Croatia.
And at first glance his overall competitive record looks impressive too - it actually amounts, at 19 goals in 39 games, to a significantly better strike rate than he achieved in non-competitive games. This is rather easily explained on the basis the FAI don't look to play friendly games against the likes of Albania, San Marino or the Faroe Islands.
These are, as it happens, precisely the sort of nations against which the Irish skipper has racked up the competitive goals. In the Euro 2004 campaign he managed two goals in six appearances - one each against Albania and Georgia.
Next time around it was four (two of them penalties) in nine with one coming against Cyprus, two against the Faroes and that early effort against Israel accounting for the fourth.
This time around he has been contained by the Germans, Cypriots and Czechs before finding his scoring touch against the part-timers who came to town on Wednesday and bringing his tally for the current campaign to an ostensibly impressive three in four games.
That he bagged his first international hat-trick on home turf is no great surprise either for, excluding the World Cup finals which were, obviously enough, played in neutral countries, Keane has only ever scored two competitive goals away from home - one against Malta in September 1999 and one in the 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam 12 months later.
Indeed, since those World Cup finals he has run up some 878 minutes of competitive football on foreign soil without scoring a single goal.
On Tuesday he heaped generous praise on young Reading striker Kevin Doyle who, as it would turn out, was to score his first international goal against the Sammarinese. Keane said at a press conference that while Doyle likes to play just off the central defenders he prefers to occupy a deeper role in the hope of "making things happen".
Against the better sides, however, it is far from clear how much he really does make happen even when he contributes in other ways. The reality is that unless Doyle matches even the most extravagant of expectations in the very near future, Steve Staunton must find a way of generating a better return from Keane's undoubted talents.
At Spurs, he looks at times to have the potential to be a top-class out-and-out striker but he rarely gets, or avails of, the opportunity to play that role for any sustained period of time. For Ireland he will, of course, continue to merit his inclusion in whatever way he is deployed because there are no real alternatives but the fact he has scored not far short of half the Republic's goals since the summer of 2002 shouldn't be allowed to obscure the simple fact that neither Keane nor his international team-mates find the net nearly often enough against quality opposition in matches that matter.
Unless that changes, Staunton's hopes of sparking a revival of the team's fortunes during the remaining three years of his contract will amount to little more than wishful thinking.
Good article but the bit about playing out and out striker for Spurs is rubbish. He plays just behind Berbatov and sometimes on the left wing and if spurs are chasing the game he plays as an attacking midfielder. The amount of times he plays as an out and out stirker for spurs is minimal.
Here's the goals scored by top scorer at the world cup:
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/klose-intlg.html
and Keane's:
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/robkeane-intlg.html
I can't say Klose has done too much better. Keane has yet to have an ideal partner since Quinn and he's probably more of an old fashioned no.10 than a centre forward.
To be fair he does say that.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
The problem is that Ireland rely on him to be an out-and-out goalscorer and can't afford to have him playing the Spurs type role. At least there looks to be a settled partnership with Doyle now, but we'll have to wait and see how that develops.Quote:
Originally Posted by Emmet Malone
Quote:
Originally Posted by malone
so thats what they're called. informative
Robbie came on in the 80th minute tonight and scored in the 83rd to give Spurs a win. Could this kick start his season??
Good goal too. Spurs had a freekick about 25 yards out which was passed short to Keane when Boro weren't expecting it. He took one or 2 steps and blasted it into the bottom corner.
/Edit - here it is:
http://www.badongo.com/file/1826013
My description was quite a bit off. :D Much further out then I thought.
No, Spurs were at home and 'boro are rubbish!Quote:
Originally Posted by cavan_fan
He went off injured just after it too. Getting a scan today on it. Hopefully not too serious as its a knee injury.
The defence were caught napping somewhat, several players strolling back with their backs to the ball when the kick was taken, good strike though.
I am totally sick of people posting on these type of sites comments along the lines of ‘Get rid of Robbie Keane’ or ‘Drop Robbie Keane’. I’ve thought about it quite a bit and I really can’t understand it at all.
If Ireland were blessed with Henry, Van Nistlerooy and Drogba as our alternatives over the past 6/7 years then I could understand the hysteria. But the alternatives to date are not even close to that class.
If we look at the players competing for two positions up front over the duration of Keane’s international career I doubt that many neutrals would argue that Keane is at least not in the top two in total or even the number one striker for the entire period. The players are (in no particular order) – Niall Quinn, Richard Sadlier, Keith O’Neill, David Connolly, Clinton Morrison, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Elliott, Alan Lee and most recently Anthony Stokes.
His record alone should be enough, however this is often held against him. The arguments tend to gravitate around the allegation that he either doesn’t score against the big teams or scores the vast majority of his goals against minnows. Now even if this argument does hold sway (I’m not sure it does – anyone), he still is significantly in front of the other best strikers in the history of Irish football (Quinn, Givens, Stapleton etc) in terms of return and also has at least 5 or six years left in him at international level.
Is it that people just enjoy knocking winners or picking on the big name players?
To me, Kevin Doyle is the first genuine striker to come through and perform consistently in the Premier League of recent years that could challenge Keane’s position as number one Irish striker. Even so, this still doesn’t mean Keane should be discarded as we generally play two strikers. So at worst Keane is striker number two.
Stokes is on the way. But he just represents potential at the moment. As does Elliott at Sunderland (personally I think that once he gets a decent run in the team again, he will do well). Morrison is slipping down the order. Lee is never really going to get there (except with the old school ‘gotta play a big man up front (regardless of class)’ brigade). There are some other bright spots (Clarke at Ipswich comes to mind.
However until we have 2 or 3 other alternatives that are not just potential and are delivering in the here and now, let’s just try and enjoy Keane’s talents for what they are and appreciate that we have a striker that can play as a proper number 10 AND score close to 15 Premier League goals in a year. So he can come across a little petulant and frustrating at times, but not every Irish sportsman be as self effacing as the Munster rugby team and their captain Paul O’Connell. As a nation, we love the Italian and Argentinian national teams and forgive their petulance from time to time as we enjoy all the good things they bring to to game. Lets do the same for Robbie Keane. Let’s enjoy the tricks and flicks, because after all if we are not going to qualify for Euro 08, lets build for the future and enjoy the skilful attacking players we have like Keane, McGeady and Andy Reid. That’s what really makes football worth watching.
robbie is our top all time goal scorer. i think he has scored a fair few of them against lesser teams and in friendlies but he did score the equaliser against the germans in WC2002!! i personally think he is a no. 10 and and not an out and out goalscorer. however due to our lacking in the goalscoring department in recent years much of that burden has fallen to him in recent years. perhaps with doyle on the scene now that may change. HOWEVER i don't think that you can just blindly pick him up front regardless of form / effort. he has been injured for a while now and only coming back to pushing for a place at spurs. unless he begins gettin his game regularly and is performing at a good level then an alternative to him for the san marino game has to be considered.
BTW i don't think robbie is a player that you can just sit back and watch his 'flicks and tricks' he is not ronaldhino!!!
thoroughly agree. it is both unlikely and unwise that robbie be dropped. he is by some distance our most technically gifted player. some may quibble with his goalscoring, but this is a problem that should be seen in an irish rather than a robbie keane context. as is said above he is not a number 9. he is not a good taker of one-on-ones, not good at scoring headers from crosses, doesnt have great pace, wont get up for long balls, isnt good with his back to goal(ie the abilities that spring to mind when talking about great goalscorers) but is still a pretty consistent scorer in a team that, realistically, doesnt provide him with abundant chances or decent passes to allow him to then do a little bit of work to create a good chance. we have been reliant, for the past few years, on him to do way too much, things that simply aren't in his make up. but, now, he finally has a fitting foil in doyle, a more typical centre forward and goalscorer.
the views of clarence seedorf on a young keane at inter are worth bearing in mind when discussing his role, and also the ronaldinho comparisons; "He is a phenomenon," said the Holland star.
"He is ready to play and he has some incredible moves in training, especially when it comes to dribbling.
"He's more or less in my position and I can tell you that he has just as good a chance as me of playing."(BBC)
Its surely worth noting that seedorf, a champions league winner coming from REal, thought that robbie was on a par with him in an attacking midfield role
i realise, or hope!, i'm probably preaching to the converted but its important to dispel the notion that robbie should be dropped, particularly in light of the potential that the doyle/keane partnership has. Anyone disagree?
I don't think Robbie Keane or anyone else should be an automatic choice in the first 11. He was poor in the last set of qualifiers. Some of the players need some competitiion for places and are clearly not performing in the abscence of it (O' Shea and Keane being two of the most prominent offenders).
With the number of talented young Irish strikers starting to make a name for themselves I think this is one position where we should be able to chop and change if things aren't going to plan. Saying that I think he should start the San Marino game even if Doyle is fit but if Stokes bangs in 15 goals from now until the end of the season I think he should be given a chance instead in one of the upcoming qualifiers.
I think it's easy to be critical of keane, he's our top goalscorer and unfortunately up until recently he's been our only striker with any real credentials.
As an Irishman, I can honestly say I hate the Italian and Argentinian national teams more than any other because of their petulance, arrogance, cheating, and general unsportsmanlike conduct on the football field, and there are certainly parallels between Robbie's attitude and that generally displayed by members of these national teams, which is why he irritates me so much. That said, I'd agree with you that given his record he shouldn't be dropped unless there are alternatives who are clearly of an equivalent standard. I remember during the Dutch friendly about 3 years ago, when he picked up the ball around the halfway line and started running towards the opposition goal without paying any attention to the movement of his teammates, I turned to my girlfriend of the time and began explaining how this kind of selfish, egotistical behaviour was why I disliked him so much. Halfway through my rant, he scored THAT goal, and I've pretty much kept my mouth shut about him since.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin77
I think the runs off the ball that night were fantastic and Keane knew that they basically opened the route to goal for him and he took advantage of it. Andy Reids run off the ball should be shown to all young players.
haha, yeah - my dad did the exact same.Quote:
Originally Posted by czarner
An English Spurs friend of mine was at the game last night. I asked him how did Robbie get on. His reply was "ok but lacked a yard of pace". That doesn't bother me so long as he still has his tricks and can beat a player.
Incidentally, the same guy met Alan Mullery who said John Giles was a "sh*t, and the slyest/dirtiest player he played against".
Is this the same Mr Giles: the proponent of the beautiful game we see every Saturday night on RTE?.
I fully endorse this Robbie love-in :)
Alan Mullery is a **** in my view. If you ever see him on tv he talks so much rubbish. I thought Keans movement for his goals was fantastic but Berbatov was top class also and Malbranque put on a great display but I thought Keane looked very good for someone who was out for about 12 games.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Only saw the highlights but it was the first time I saw Keane come back from a long lay off and could say he looked fit and reasonably sharp.
Any previous time he has been out injured for a number of weeks, I've always felt he looked chunky and sluggish when returning. Not last night though.
I don't know about that. :) Giles doesn't rate Riquelme or Ronaldo because they don't do to the dirty work.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
He rates them highly but not as top of the class midfielders. To be regarded by Johnny as being in the same league as Johnny, at least you have to have in your box of tricks the natural requirements of an all-round midfielder, that includes the ability to tackle, the awareness when to track back.
Anyone think Robbie's game is maturing?
I saw the game where he returned and came on a sub. He seems to have that bit more presence. A couple of his passes were sublime. A couple of times his vision is seconds ahead of the others. Looks like he has all the requirements for the role in the hole. He can lead attacks from the left from the right and from the middle. He's a handful for any defence.
Anyone think that he is our most important player after Shay?
Quote:
Originally Posted by eirebhoy
I wouldn't have Riquelme in my pub team. When you basically set up your team so that virtually all creativity has to come from one man you are screwed unless you have Maradona. Maradona won the 86 WC virtually on his own, take him out of that team and it was crap. Peckerman wasted so much talent by his misguided setup in the last WC.
BTW Keane is our #1 striker and has been for a while, people criticise him but he hasn't had a really suitable partner. Perhaps Doyle can fill the void. If you want to criticize Robbie then focus on the rubbish gymnastics of his. I cringe when he cartwheels.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Agree with you about Mullery but it is interesting to hear his unsolicited private view on Giles as someone who played against him.
Fingers crossed for Robbie that he'll remain injury free and get back to his best.
It's when he lets go of both the bow and arrow that i hate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Qwerty
He did that once, and he only did it because a mate of his in England asked him to do it if he scored in the World CupQuote:
Originally Posted by cavan_fan
I think its well known that Giles was a nasty piece of stuff on the pitch.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Take that back McD unless you have facts to back it up!!!!