How do you solve a problem like Keano?
Monday, July 27, 2009 at 3:48PM Why do people persist in reading so much into pre-season games? Ok, so we lost 2-0 to Celtic who fielded a team of reserves. We didn’t pass particularly well or finish chances with any ruthless killer instinct. We defended poorly and played with little confidence. We still spent most of the game with possession and had far more chances on goal than they did. So as disappointing as it might appear, it wasn’t as bad as it seems the morning after. For a start, the team that lined up isn’t exactly our first eleven is it? Especially the centre-back pairing. Dear God, that centre-back pairing...
Analysing individual performances in this type of game is also a redundant exercise. Much like salivating over the 5-0 thrashing of Roma this time last year. Remember the hype that followed? There were plenty of people leaving White Hart Lane that day believing the swashbuckling style of play was a preview of the season ahead. And what did we get instead? Two points from eight games. Could be worse I guess. We could be losing 6-1 to Orient with our strongest eleven.
The mentality of the players is vital and yes, it would be nice if they comfortably asserted themselves in these type of games to prove they are heading for the opening game with a bit of a swagger - but as long as they play well when it matters I couldn’t give a toss about a nothing game(s) at Wembley that cost around £70 to witness. Harsh on the wallet that.
I’m pretty sure this was our first pre-season defeat for a few years which proves how it counts for very little. And as for individual performances (like I said, I’m not going to read too much into them) I’ve been impressed with Livermore, Naughton and Bostock. Not so much Dervite. Livermore could be involved for us this season. Bostock has a while to go, but roll him out for the Carling Cup. As for Naughton. Let's hope we take care of the lad and he doesn't end up doing a Gunter. And elsewhere (away from Wembley), should we even bother to lick our lips at the prospect of welcoming back wildcard Giovani dos Santos who picked up the ‘player of the tournament’ award for Mexico, brushing aside a USA b-team 5-0 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final? Adel has gone out on loan. Something tells me Harry will do the same with Gio.
There is still no clear indication of anything yet. Hence the weary sluggish impatience.
But there is one player who has looked decisively average for a rather prolonged period of time, so long that you wonder if he can recover from his hibernation. This particular concern stretches back across the summer months and all the way to the last Jan window. So we can read far more into it than 90 minutes against Scotlands second best team.
I’m obviously talking about our Irish Windmill, Robbie Keane. He doesn’t even point and wag his finger with the same accomplished moan that endeared us for so very long. Liverpool, it would seem, destroyed his confidence. Can’t be easy knowing you are not good enough for a Top 4 side. Even worse when you find yourself wondering what if the gaffer had played me in position rather than out of it? We only signed him because Defoe got injured. It's all very apologetic.
No whispers of anyone wanting a punt on him and considering how difficult we are making it for anyone to sign Darren Bent, I doubt Keane will be sold off – at least not until January if he’s left warming the bench with Defoe banging them in alongside Crouch.
I guess this is where our frustrations sit at the minute. We can’t really take a guess on how we’ll start without knowing who exactly will line-up as Harry’s first-team eleven. And if Crouch does sign (looking likely) then Robbie’s depression might take him into a state of coma.
A major priority has to be to kick-start Robbie Keane back to his pre-Anfield form. We need all our players buzzing for the new season. How we manage to get Keano back to his best remains the biggest challenge for Harry. Unless there is no way back and the lad is in unrecoverable decline. His failings are far more evident since his return due to the decimation experienced under Rafa. The impatience of Spurs fans is a given thanks mainly to the fact that we turn on players pretty quickly (in this case, it’s more to do with the fact that Robbie left us in the first place and returned with his tail between his legs).
How do we rejuvenate him? Or is this tainted love?
All we can do is wait and hope. Personally, I don’t have a clue other than taking him aside and slapping him across the face, shaking him vigorously and telling him to get a grip and start believing again.
I’m available if Harry needs me to have a word. For a reasonable fee of course. Happy to slap Pascal around for free.
Reader Comments (56)
hudd is a fat slow plodder who will never be prem standard. For christs sake sell him !!
I urge all internet knobs to stop calling corluka - 'Charlie'. Its fooking cringeworthy.
As cringeworthy as referring to Hudd as a pig?
There doesnt seem a clear transfer policy, previously it was buy the best up and coming talent and get an experienced coach to hone there skills. Now its just seems we are buying 'journey men' who started at top clubs only to working there way down the league picking up big cheques on the way. Viera and Crouch are not the answer. The players we have good enough and on any day can beat any team but sometimes they seem to lack confidence and Harry just needs to put his arm around them and get them fighting for the CLUB not slaggin them off in public.
Just prepare yourselves for another average season at WHL.
just swap roobie keane for wayne rooney. keano will be back with his best stirke partner and england's no 1 is ours. done. both man u and us win.
Now back to Keano i say sell him and go get the Hunt ,some will say Huntalar is unproven but which is worse unproven or someone with little or no interest.Give me the Hunt who will be hungry and add to that a deal for young villa will not resist then we are getting somewhere but would still love arteta from everton most he would finish the midfield for me.Get Young then offer modric for arteta straight swap and we have areal quality about us.At the back its a centre half to keep us in games till Dawson/Woody get back is it Turner or is it Bassong well you tell me.
Modric for Arteta? Are you insane? Don't get me wrong, I think Arteta is one of the most under-rated player in the prem, but he is starting to hit that period of 'niggles after coming back from a long period out'. and once the knees gone once, well just ask Ledley what it's like recovering from that.
As for selling Keano to get Hunt? Doesn't really balance the books, which is I suspect Levy's prime requirement this summer, and will Hunt sit on the bench if Harry starts with Defoe and Crouch?
Nope I say stick with what we have up front after Bent has gone, wide scale changes and disruption I don't think is what we need. Just look at the team dynamics when Berb started sulking just because he happened to believe that he was better than the rest of the team in the second season (which skill and quality wise he was, but in terms of effort he was way down).
Didn't rate Turner from today's game,but has been solid for Hull in the last 12 months. The most competent defender on show today was actually Collins from the Spam, and that was including our 'stand in' defenders (who weren't bad, they just didn't have a lot to do).