Liverpool FC Forum

[Reg]

If I was a Mod I'd lock every thread where Mr Owens' name is mentioned !!

[aCe']

If I was a Mod I'd lock every thread where Mr Owens' name is mentioned !!

well that would leave us with...
mmm... the fit bird's thread.... i'd be okay with that...

[roberto green]

I have heard it from a work colleague today (who's mate is John Toshack's nephew) that Keane will go back to Spurs with O'Hara and Lennon + £5m coming our way.

It was mentioned earlier on this thread I think. This is now what I think will happen.

IMO that's not a bad deal...Lennon offers us real width and O'Hara is one for the future an LB.

That MUST signal the end of Dossena, Pennant and a few other fringe players.

OK so I may have got O'Hara's position wrong and he is more of a midfielder then a full back.

I've spoken to a mate tonight who's a spurs fan and he rates the kid highly.

Those suggesting that Lennon and Pennant are much of a muchness are wrong IMO. Lennon has a lot more pace and is a bit more direct.

I am not keen on Keane leaving by the way. In fact i think it's a travesty he's not being given more time to prove his worth to us all. I simply accept the fact that it looks like his days are numbered at Liverpool.

All I can say is there is definitely some kind of EGO clash between Benitez and Keane if he goes this early something deffo has happened

[Thewaykokid]

I honestly believe we have been too harsh on Keane in comparison to our other striking options. Its a proven fact that Keane does much better in the second half of the season. It was even the same with El Nino , well, he started pretty good, but he really took it home towards the end of the season, most of you can agree on that.
Give the lad more time, i say end of this season, because the way things are sounding, i don't see us getting anyone better next transfer window.

[ConnO'var]

Further doubt cast over Keane's Anfield future - Soccernet

Liverpool have denied reports that they are planning to offload Robbie Keane in the January transfer window after pundit and former Anfield player Mark Lawrenson claimed the striker's future was in doubt.

Keane scores against PSV and celebrates his first goal for Liverpool back in October in the Champions League. Lawrenson, who won five league titles during his time at Anfield, told Irish radio station Today FM's The Last Word that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes Keane could be set for a move in January, just months after his £20.3-million summer arrival.

''I had a drink with Steven Gerrard at a function on Saturday night, and we were talking about Robbie Keane,'' Lawrenson said. ''He was saying to me that they [Keane and Gerrard] share the same agent and he thinks something is going to happen with Robbie Keane in January. He thinks he's going to be moved on.''

In a statement reported by The Guardian Liverpool said: ''Mark Lawrenson's remarks are his interpretation of a PRIVATE CHAT between the two of them. They do not accurately reflect Steven's opinion of Robbie Keane and they certainly do not tally with Steven's recollection of the conversation itself.''

Last week 28-year-old Keane, who has scored just twice in the Premier League since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspurs, refuted claims that he would be leaving the club he supported as a boy and insisted the goals would come.

Keane has slipped down the pecking order at Liverpool: in the club's last two league games against Hull City and Blackburn Rovers he was an unused substitute and visibly unhappy to be subbed after 65 minutes in Liverpool's 0-0 draw with West Ham earlier this month.

***************************

If this is true then this is Journalism of the worst kind. A private chat (likely "Off the record") being used in an article? How low can you go? And from an ex-red no less.....

As captain, Stevie really needs to be careful about what he says and in whose company. How damaging can this be to us with the lack of "proper" strikers in the squad.

[HacksawJimDuggin]

and adding to that, we have already screwed barry. he have lost the villa's arm band, his testimonial match is uncertain and faith of the his club.
keane took a chance on lfc too. the least is for the club to stand behind the player too.
financially we cant fight madrid or the shieks, but players are still willing to move to choose lfc over money because we offer something "special"
a club with a glorious history and special fans, a club players can feel at home to. sell keane and we will have lost this magical "substance" that we can be proud of.

Barry...he's another I wouldn't be surprised to see us move for (again) in January.

If not then he'll join in the summer for sure.

barry move to liverpool ? why ?
Unless mascherano is sold i wouldnt be willing to pay big money for him.. surely only 2 of Mascherano, Barry, Alonso, Lucas would be starting and thats assuming we go for only 1 upfront.. meaning Keane would be on the ench too..
if we had him i'd honestly play him alongside Alonso... but that said, that would mean that our bench would probably cost more than our starting 11 and thus the need to sell to strengthen our still incomplete starting 11... id sell mascherano and get Barry if and only if that means we dont end up paying extra...

for now, we need to get a right winger imo before we start thinking about changing the middle of the park YET AGAIN ...

Simple answer is Rafa obviously likes Barry.

If he doesn't sign in Jan then it'll be the summer.

Doesn't necessarily mean we have to sell Mascha or anyone else for that matter.

[account deleted by request]

Be careful what you wish for
By Norman Hubbard
There was a time when Liverpool's No. 7 shirt ranked among the most prized in football, when, for a decade and a half, it was in the possession of first Kevin Keegan and then Kenny Dalglish. Now, however, an observer could be forgiven for thinking it denotes the greatest underachiever at Anfield. For five years, it belonged to the unlamented Harry Kewell before Robbie Keane inherited his jersey and, perhaps, his mantle.

Having arrived with his reputation high and a status as a proven Premier League performer who can contribute both invention and goals, Keane now finds himself among the ranks of the squad players.

Blackburn, forever cold and frequently raining, is rarely the most pleasant place to visit, but it was especially awkward for the Irishman, who was demoted to the bench on Saturday and then ignored as Rafael Benitez preferred to introduce the ingénu Nabil El Zhar. His previous Premier League outing was curtailed when Benitez favoured another of the untried, David Ngog, at a time when Liverpool required a goal.

His impotence in successive stalemates, against Fulham and West Ham, cost Keane his place on the pitch and, it appears, in the pecking order.

Frustration is a shared emotion. Benitez has withdrawn the striker 15 times this season. A qualification in lip-reading is not required to see Keane's disappointment on the frequent occasions he is replaced. His impish streak appears to have been mislaid, the grin that was once a fixture replaced by an expression of irritation. The moral, for a boyhood Liverpool fan, would appear to be 'be careful what you wish for'.

Five months after his £20 million move, Benitez has been forced to deny that Keane is available for transfer. It is indicative of his struggles, however. With four goals from 23 games, the notion that Keane would become a third guarantee of 20 goals a season - along with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres - is growing far-fetched.

There are echoes of Peter Crouch's slow start at Anfield, but Liverpool's recent history is littered with expensive attackers who, Torres apart, failed to justify their price tag. Keane's, probably inflated because Rick Parry paid over the odds as a result of his inability to recruit Gareth Barry, is high for a club where finance is an issue.

It is an eye-catching figure. So is £47 million, the purchase price of the strike partnership that Keane and Torres can comprise, though Manchester United often do - and Manchester City probably soon will - field a costlier duo. Sadly for Keane, money exerts a greater hold on the imagination when it is deemed to have been wasted and a meagre goal return is the simplest measure of underachievement.

Thus far, his two Premier League strikes have come against West Bromwich Albion, a side whose defending is of a Championship standard. While he has fared better in Europe, an attempt at an extravagant finish away against Atletico Madrid was a memorable attempt at flamboyance that backfired.

His integration has been hampered by the fragility of Torres' hamstrings. Much of his value to Tottenham lay in his understanding with Dimitar Berbatov, but no such instinctive alliance has been forged; indeed, rather than the role of the Spaniard's accomplice, Keane has had to operate as his understudy.

Willing runner as Keane is, he lacks Torres' speed and struggles to provide the same incision when operating as the most advanced player. Springing offside traps was never his forte. Ryan Babel, quicker but raw, and the workhorse Dirk Kuyt are better suited to the role of Torres' deputy.

Robbie Keane and Fernando Torres: Not quite the strike dream team they were meant to be.

Yet Keane's efforts are not entirely in vain. Four Premier League assists reflect a determination to be involved, and an ability to create, in other areas of the pitch. A wonderful pass for Ngog to score in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven this week was a further example of his craft and a highlight of a fine overall display.

However, Gerrard's continuing proficiency at the support striker's role - and the theory that Benitez prefers not to use his captain in the centre of midfield - limits Keane's opportunities in his preferred position. While Gerrard remains an outstanding right-sided midfielder, his deployment in a central berth can result in a straight choice between him and Keane.

So, last Saturday against Blackburn, Liverpool's second most expensive signing was consigned to the bench. When Albert Riera and Andrea Dossena joined him among the replacements at Ewood Park, it meant that Benitez's three biggest summer buys - combined cost £35 million - were omitted.

If that is an indictment of his recruitment, their league position is a vindication of his management. The situation, and one few foresaw, is that Torres has started less than half their Premier League fixtures, Keane has only scored in a solitary match and Liverpool top the table.

There are managers whose obstinacy would not permit them to drop such a flagship signing, and there are those who, whether from boldness, footballing romanticism or a desire to imbue a player with confidence, would continue to select Keane.

Benitez's is a brand of pragmatism that borders on the utilitarian, where individuals are only valued for their contribution to the cause. The greater good was served by Keane's marginalisation at Blackburn, even if the Irishman's interests were not.

And if anyone is qualified to challenge the notion that recognised goalscorers are required to win a title, it is Benitez. When he first secured La Liga for Valencia, midfielder Ruben Baraja top-scored with a mere seven.

Keane, who came with a far greater domestic pedigree than most of Benitez's buys, may have been signed to end the 19-season wait for a 19th title. It may be to the detriment of their strikers if Liverpool prove to be the new Valencia. It may at least ensure Keane is not the new Kewell.

[Number 9]

Too many Jouro's getting on the lads back.Lawro is a as well,I cant stand the man.The Journo's are just doing whats expected though,its easy writing for them when a player with big expectations and a high price tag does'nt hit it off as well as everyone thought he would.
The way I see it things are gonna go one of two ways:
The rumours are true and he will be off in January.Not what I want personally but if we bring in another striker that bangs in plenty of goals,I wont complain.

Or Maybe Rafa is holding him back.Maybe he's waiting until Torres is back and let them both loose together.Possibly working together in training to understand eachothers game more and develop a partnership that works.
If we keep Keane and they are both FIT they must start almost every game together,i'm talking 90%.None of this 4-5-1 one week 4-4-2 the next.
We will need them both at their very best because you just know that this League is gonna hit boiling point after Xmas.Its heads down for 3 teams with one thing on their minds and we need to be scoring goals every week.

I hope we keep Keane because I really dont see why him and Torres cant form a lethal partnership.I'd just love to see if anything would have been different if Torres would have stayed fit.Im not talking about our point tally,I mean if Keane would be in the position he is in now,or if they'd have formed a partnership.
Hopefully Keane (if he stays) sees his next opportunity as a new start and forgets about the grey first few months he had.The ability is there and its about time he showed it.
I'd give him to season end and if his game has not improved dramatically by then it should be sorry son...off ya go!

[Cool Hand Luke]

Rafa fu(ked up big time with the signing of Keane.

I fail to believe that we couldn’t get a better quality and more suited partner for Torres than Keane for the money we spent.

Keane can only play in a 4-4-2 with an appropriate strike partner.

Keane is out of his depth at the top level.

Keane is Rafa’s signing, no one else’s.

[Igor Zidane]

90% of people thought Keane would be a good signing , to expensive granted ,but a good signing never the less . His potential partnership with Torres was touted as the perfect match and many agreed ,me included. The Torres Keane partnership has hardly been given a chance and hopefully once they start playing together on a regular basis they will be formidable. I still think Keane will come good , he's far to good .

[redhayesy]

90% of people thought Keane would be a good signing , to expensive granted ,but a good signing never the less . His potential partnership with Torres was touted as the perfect match and many agreed ,me included. The Torres Keane partnership has hardly been given a chance and hopefully once they start playing together on a regular basis they will be formidable. I still think Keane will come good , he's far to good .

top post igor mate, we have given worst signings in the past more time to prove themselves,keane will come good i honestly believe that- starting with a goal or two against arsenal,if he needs a start in a game to really show his worth let's start with sunday, i hope he does start & finish the game as i'm optamistic he will prove the critics wrong!!

[DanAn]

90% of people thought Keane would be a good signing , to expensive granted ,but a good signing never the less . His potential partnership with Torres was touted as the perfect match and many agreed ,me included. The Torres Keane partnership has hardly been given a chance and hopefully once they start playing together on a regular basis they will be formidable. I still think Keane will come good , he's far to good .

I disagree. 90% said he was a good player sure, but most went on to say not only is his price tag rediculous but he is the wrong player for us. He does not fit into our 4-2-3-1 formation which was working so successfully at the end of last season.

I also still think he will turn out to be good for us. Class is permanent and eventually I think he will prevail. But it does not change the fact that he did not then nor does he now suit liverpools preferred formation.

[Thewaykokid]

90% of people thought Keane would be a good signing , to expensive granted ,but a good signing never the less . His potential partnership with Torres was touted as the perfect match and many agreed ,me included. The Torres Keane partnership has hardly been given a chance and hopefully once they start playing together on a regular basis they will be formidable. I still think Keane will come good , he's far to good .

good on ya son back the player 

I'd like to see more of this around here 

[Toffeehater]

Too many Jouro's getting on the lads back.Lawro is a as well,I cant stand the man.The Journo's are just doing whats expected though,its easy writing for them when a player with big expectations and a high price tag does'nt hit it off as well as everyone thought he would.
The way I see it things are gonna go one of two ways:
The rumours are true and he will be off in January.Not what I want personally but if we bring in another striker that bangs in plenty of goals,I wont complain.

Or Maybe Rafa is holding him back.Maybe he's waiting until Torres is back and let them both loose together.Possibly working together in training to understand eachothers game more and develop a partnership that works.
If we keep Keane and they are both FIT they must start almost every game together,i'm talking 90%.None of this 4-5-1 one week 4-4-2 the next.
We will need them both at their very best because you just know that this League is gonna hit boiling point after Xmas.Its heads down for 3 teams with one thing on their minds and we need to be scoring goals every week.

I hope we keep Keane because I really dont see why him and Torres cant form a lethal partnership.I'd just love to see if anything would have been different if Torres would have stayed fit.Im not talking about our point tally,I mean if Keane would be in the position he is in now,or if they'd have formed a partnership.
Hopefully Keane (if he stays) sees his next opportunity as a new start and forgets about the grey first few months he had.The ability is there and its about time he showed it.
I'd give him to season end and if his game has not improved dramatically by then it should be sorry son...off ya go!

Spot on , good post

[Effes]

Steven Gerrard has hinted that Robbie Keane could be sold by Liverpool in January as he struggles to establish himself at Anfield.

Keane has been plagued by poor form since his £20.3million move from Tottenham Hotspur in August and he has been linked with a move back to the capital when the transfer window reopens in January.

Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, has denied that he will offload Keane, insisting he remains a key part of his plans, while the player himself has reiterated his desire to stay on Merseyside and fight for his place.

However, Mark Lawrenson, in an interview with Irish radio station Today FM, claims Gerrard has told him Keane could be sold in January.

"Sorry to name drop but I had a drink with Steven Gerrard at a function on Saturday night, and we were talking about Robbie Keane," Lawrenson said. "He was saying to me that they [Keane and Gerrard] share the same agent and he thinks something is going to happen with Robbie Keane in January.

"He thinks he's going to be moved on."

The nightmare start to Keane's Liverpool career reached a nadir on Saturday afternoon when Benitez left the striker on the substitutes' bench as Liverpool pushed for a winner against Hull City. For the second weekend running, Keane was left to scamper up and down the touchline as first Nabil El Zhar, then Ryan Babel and most tellingly Lucas Leiva were thrown on to try to make the breakthrough.

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol....386.ece
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think it's insane to seel him in January