Roy Keane's abysmal form

[Superhoops]

Roy Keane's form this season has been 'abysmal'.

This is not another rant by the 'I Hate RMK brigade', but is an assessment from the man himself.

Discussing MU's poor start to the season. Keane has blamed himself for not setting a good enough example on the field for the rest of the team to follow. Keane said 'I thought my form for the Republic of Ireland was poor, but the other night my performance against Lyon was abysmal'.

While this is refreshingly honest and reflects the high standards that Keane expects of himself, it is also worrying from ROI's point of view. If his form does not improve (a) is he likely to ask Brian Kerr to leave him out of the France game, or (b) will Brian Kerr leave him out anyway.

If he does play and does not perform then what? Will Kerr take stick for playing him even though Roy said he was not playing well enough?

The cynic in me says that Roy might be having second thoughts about returning to international football. The optimist in me says that Roy will kick himself up the a**e and will come out in Paris with all guns blazing and lead us to getting a result.

Although I hope it is the latter and he can stick his fingers up at those of us who had the temerity to question his return, I fear it will end up in disappontment.

[thejollyrodger]

i think roy will keep playing for ireland as long as its still possible for him. Same goes for Utd. The only real question for me is, can he keep playing? Is it just bad form with injuries or is he not up to it anymore?

Time will tell when all uniteds players are back. If they are not performing well and getting the results then there is a major problem at Old Trafford. Same goes for France. If he cant do the business in Paris maybe its time to call it a day.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

Lat's hope Paris is not his waterloo. Personally, I think he will be ok for the France game. Saw him against Bolton last week and he was arguably the best player on the park. He is still a bit rusty and needs a run of games. He is never going to be the player he once was. However, we don't have too many players that are playing at his level and his presence is important. Fingers crossed.

[thecorner]

at least he has the balls to admit and do something about it.lot of other players out there just happy to turn up and collect his wages

[TerryPhelan]

Keano is past it internationally. Give us back Mick Milligan, Liam Daish and the boys - bread and butter men who did exactly what it said on the tin.

But nah, while I think Keano might be having second thoughts about his international return - especially considering how out-of-sorts and off the pace he looked against the Swiss - I can see him raising his game against the Frogs and we will do another Amsterdam ArenA, 2-2 (though he will probably be so ****ered from the effort of it that we won't see him kick a ball (or player) until the home leg). With Holland most likely going to be out, I reckon Kerr will stick the Mighty Kev in alongside him - if only to make Keane appear better, might be good for his confidence...

[Superhoops]

SH('stripes'?!)

Dav, just to put your mind at rest, and something I am sure you would understand judging from other posts by you and about you! -

If you are wearing 'stripes' and are lying on the ground horizontal, all tired and emotional (maybe with drink involved!) those 'stripes' to the casual onlooker become 'hoops'. Savvy!

[lopez]

Wasn't that the battle where the Irish born Duke beat the French army?

Let's hope Paris IS his Waterloo..

Born was about the only thing Irish about him.

SH(stripes), Davros? Wasn't that a bar of major illegal activity in the late eighties in Ireland's second city (and I'm not talking about drilling here - well not with a firearm anyway )?

[Condex]

Wasn't much wrong with Keane or O'Sheas form tonight against Liverpool

[Beanie]

Keane was immense last night very impressed with his preformance, O'shea did OK as well and Finnan looked well up for it, bollocking the linesman, setting up the goal and to top it off getting pole-axed by Keane

[drummerboy]

I'm sure Brian Kerr watched O’Shea and Keane performances with interest last night. Playing the two of them together in midfield could be an option for Ireland, as O’Shea has been very poor at full back recently.

[dublinred]

I can't stand keane but I can't fault his performance last night was back to his best getting stuck in , booked and lucky not to be sent off vintage Keane not like the one touch pussyfooting he had been playing until now this season , hopefully he will get better with a few more matches under his belt he is defo up for the big matches and they dont come any bigger than paris.

[inexile]

i thought all 3 irishmen did very well last night i did think keane was top class to be fair he does the anchorman job so well that you probably dont even notice him at times but how hard did Liverpool have to work to get the ball up to Cisse last night? Thats a sign Keane was on his game. I was impressed with O'Shea too did the basics well and looked to get forward too which I wasn't sure he would do. Finnan again did the basics well especially because he isnt a natural winger but i thought he and Josemi are developing into a nice little partnership. Good to see three Irishmen playing in such a high profile match, the form of the Irish in general seems to be improving Morrison started at the weekend for Birmingham, Carr scored and O'Brien is really improving, Elliott scored 2 for Sunderland, Macken and Dunne did well for Man City albeit against Palace, Gary Doherty is getting regular games for Norwich,Robbie Keane is back in the Spurs team just needs a goal or two, the only worrying this are around 2 of our more creative players Reid who has been banished to the reserves until he can get a move in January and Duff who cant get into the Chelsea team ahead of Joe Cole which is really worrying

[NeilMcD]

Keane ran midfield last night against Gerrard and Alonso, and then Hamman in the second half. He controlled teh play got some great tackles in, got the crowd going when it was needed and up the tempo too. His best game for Utd since last seasons semi final against Arsenal. If he plays like that iin Paris, the inexperienced french central midfielders wont have a chance. Gerrard and Alonso and Hamman are all established internationals with pleny of experience and O shea and Keane ran the show. Has to be good for Ireland.

[Colm55]

Take it you're being ironic (or wearing ManUre-tinted spectacles ) ......one scored an o.g.& the other was lucky to stay on the park

However,desperate times seem to call for desperate measures,so guess if they're 'fit',they'll both play!

Good man Davros, telling it how you see it. But who would you replace them with? take Paris in three weeks time, who would you prefer to see in the centre of midfield? if not Keane, Kevin 'Zinadine' Kilbane? maybe mattie holland, what about bringing Mark Kinsella back from exile, Graham Kavanagh perhaps? ? The french will shake in their boots. If your going to criticise keanes performance telling us he was lucky to stay on the park, and desperate times call for desperate measures, you could at least give an alternative midfield pairing, but you can't. Why is that?

[inexile]

i can see why ferguson played o shea in midfield last night. I reckon it was to get his confidence back up while any mistakes he would have made wouldnt be disaster! he started well and bossed midfield with Keane and after a good performance hopefully his confidence will improve from an Irish point of view but i hope he is **** for united

[Plastic Paddy]

Rather have Carsley,Delap & Kilbane-at least they've always wanted to play for their country

You missed this thread then Dav?

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=17623

PP

[Beavis]

O'Shea was completely at fault for the goal last night,not because he was unlucky enough to turn the ball into his net but he allowed Finnan get away from him far too easily(badly ball watching).Sadly I'm rating him less every game I see him.
Keane was very good.First time in a long time he's been so aggresive.

[inexile]

i wouldnt say completely at fault to be honest they always say if you cant win the ball do enough to make it difficult for the attacker and he did to be fair hence finnans header going in off his legs

[carnstien]

Keane was unbelievable in central midfield last night. Every time Liverpool gained any kind of momentum he put in a crunching tackle and that was that, as well as that his passing was as good as ever.

If you think Kav, Holland and Kilbane are better option in central midfield you are an idiot, there is no other way to put it, you are simply a moron who should be locked up and the key thrown away.

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

Do they do have Specsavers in Galway?

Davros, are you sure you weren't that 16 year-old that Keane allegedly assaulted?!
You should know by now that Carnstein wears blinkers. He has about as much knowledge of football as Howard Wilkinson. Maybe that's a compliment. Wilko did win a league title.