Robbie Keane

[DeLorean]

Articles like that praising Keane are always welcome, but is there even a question of him not making the squad? Are far as I'm concerned there is no discussion.

[samhaydenjr]

Articles like that praising Keane are always welcome, but is there even a question of him not making the squad? Are far as I'm concerned there is no discussion.

Keane has got to be in the squad, as far as I'm concerned. Right now, I kind of see him as like Brian O'Driscoll in his last year - yes his contribution to overall play has diminished, but you know he still has some tricks up his sleeve that can change a game. I take on Sadlier's point about him not being suited to being the lone striker in Martin O'Neill's system but if we needed a late goal to sneak through to the last 16, it would be good to know we have someone with his eye for goal and boundless self-confidence on the bench - he still has a phenomenal goalscoring record in MLS, with 20 in 24 games this season, plus he will be less than halfway through his season next June and so will be relatively fresh, which may allow him to close the gap a little on younger players who will be just off gruelling European seasons

[backstothewall]

Keane has got to be in the squad, as far as I'm concerned. Right now, I kind of see him as like Brian O'Driscoll in his last year - yes his contribution to overall play has diminished, but you know he still has some tricks up his sleeve that can change a game. I take on Sadlier's point about him not being suited to being the lone striker in Martin O'Neill's system but if we needed a late goal to sneak through to the last 16, it would be good to know we have someone with his eye for goal and boundless self-confidence on the bench - he still has a phenomenal goalscoring record in MLS, with 20 in 24 games this season, plus he will be less than halfway through his season next June and so will be relatively fresh, which may allow him to close the gap a little on younger players who will be just off gruelling European seasons

Totally agree. He won't start, but there is likely to be a moment when we need a goal. If I put myself in that moment, I'd rather be looking down the bench at Robbie than anyone else we have available.

He's worth taking to bring on in the 118th minute for a penalty shoot-out if we should get that far

[tetsujin1979]

Led the line for LA Galaxy in their first game of the seasson on Thursday night in a CONCACAF Champions League game against Santos Laguna of Mexico: http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2016/02...inal-first-leg
The game finished 0-0 with the return leg in Mexico next week

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/0...h-touches-ball

What's ailing LA Galaxy star Robbie Keane? Not enough touches on the ball

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video...FLEGRdft7g8Ep7

Tubes meets Robbie Keane.

[Closed Account]

Things have come full circle, TOWK is now the our official Robbie Keane correspondent. I, for one, welcome our new TOWK overlord.

[DeLorean]

That Messi fella has finally joined the 50+ club

BBC Sport

[OwlsFan]

Was amused when camera panned to Robbie when the national anthem was being played. When he saw himself on TV, the chest went out and the vocal cords extended.

Getting worried about our striker options if Long gets injured.

[DeLorean]

The question was put to MON the other day about the possibility of bringing Keane along even if he doesn't make the squad. O'Neill didn't exactly rule it out. We're getting fairly near the stage now where you'd have to question what value there'll actually be in Keane taking one of the twenty-three places, cruel and all as it would be if he missed out. It's certainly not the way I'd like to see him finish his Ireland career but if he has less to offer than somebody like Doyle, then it has to be a consideration. I'm not sure Murphy has anything more to offer but he's an O'Neill-type, so he's safe out.

[tetsujin1979]

recovering from knee surgery after returning to LA: http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2016/03...urgery-insider

[Stuttgart88]

Notice lack of panic and hysteria over a Robbie Keane knee injury!

[DeLorean]

He must be hanging on by a thread squad wise?

[jbyrne]

the fact that long was our only fit striker on Tuesday highlights our lack of options. Robbie will be needed in france

[DeLorean]

Four strikers getting injured in a couple of days would highlight a lack of options in any squad. It's unlikely that will be an issue come June.

[jbyrne]

Four strikers getting injured in a couple of days would highlight a lack of options in any squad. It's unlikely that will be an issue come June.

the fact that no one was called up to replace those injured says a lot about our realistic options though

[DeLorean]

Our realistic options are Long, Walters, Murphy, Keane and Doyle. At a push Pilkington or McClean could do a job.

I suppose my question was asked under the assumption that all of these will be available when the squad is named. Will he be needed in France if all of those are available? He wasn't needed in the four most recent games he was available for, Germany, Poland and B&H.... not even from the bench.

[Stuttgart88]

Despite our reservations about Keane I'd have been curious to see how he (or a player of his style / attributes) would have fared during that nice spell in the first half against Slovakia where Wes was finding space with ease.

I'd still have him in the squad because he is different to our other options. Long, Walters, Murphy and Doyle are all variations on a theme.

[paul_oshea]

I think if robbie is given enough time, and certainly if we play like we did against slovakia first half he will score a goal in the Euros. I don't like how he is being written off. He can't play on his own up front, but with a diamond formation and a fast man beside him up top he would still thrive. It's a bit annoying that he hasnt had that chance yet under MON.

[geysir]

If we play Robbie and someone fast beside him, that implies playing with 2 up front, we would in all likelihood be beaten in every game in France using that tactic.

We'll probably be set up with McCarthy and Whelan as anchors in a 4231, similar to how we were set against Bosnia Herz over both legs, I think the peak of MO'N so far was reached against Bosnia Herz, how we reacted after being being out played away and not giving an inch at home. Walters or Long up front
Robbie's chances to get on the pitch in France will be limited.