Keane and Torres

[MFletcher]

How strange does it feel to have a genuinely top class striking partnership again?

 

[psl]

Not had one since Mellor and Baros.

[Sion]

It's like Owen and Heskey Mk II

[Magic8Ball]

How strange does it feel to have a genuinely top class striking partnership again?

 

feels like Rush and Beardsley somehow ... feels so ... Liverpool

[Guest spk]

dear oh dear ... keane in the title so this is bound to get closed imminently

[Rimbeux]

Maybe it will be a triumvirate...

[Florist Cinema Pond Goal]

Possibly but...

“I have an article from maybe 15 years ago which I wrote in a Spanish newspaper , El Mundo,and the title was, ‘Where are the Wingers?’ I was in the academy of Real Madrid and Vicente Del Bosque was its head. We used to talk: ‘Where are the wingers?’ The teams were all playing 4-3-3 and were trying to find players to put in the wide areas. They were difficult to find so you had to create them,” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle3601519.ece

 

Although Keane in all likelihood will play a withdrawn role behind Torres at Gerrard's expense given Rafa's reluctance to pair Crouch and Torres and Rafa's previous comments on our gameplan.

 

“We formulated a plan when he arrived, focusing on trying to keep him up front close to the defenders because with the speed that he has, if you give him a good pass he'll latch on to it. The problem is, with so many games we haven't had bags of time to work on specifics. We've tried with the group to work on certain technical individual aspects as well as helping the players to learn how to execute at crucial moments." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archivedirs...080331-1327.htm

 

But at Tottenham Keane and Berbatov played a more sharing kind of partnership, one where the responsibilities to drop deep/run in behind were split between the two reflected in a similar goal tally. I wouldn't expect Keane to get as many goals as he did at Tottenham but given Jol's comments about his adaptability and speaking to some Spurs fans I know he has the potential to do well in our system. One of our main problems last season was a lack of creativity when behind in big games and many bemoaned the lack of creative players in the final third - we've just signed one.

[Lanus]

Torres was one step towards the title and Keane is another step, however I don't think we should be getting too far ahead of ourselves. I'm delighted with the signing but i don't think it's going to see us winning the league this ter,. For one, I think Rafa will have a hard job in sorting out the position and role of Gerrard now that we have our designated support striker here with Keane.

 

All this said, I'm looking forward to the coming season as our first 11 has just improved. Let's hope for a better points total at the end with maybe a victory here and there aginst the other top 4 teams. maybe just maybe a 2nd or 3rd place finish... throw in a CL semi-final appearance, but of course!.... i'll be smiling at the end of the season.

[Rimbeux]

Torres was one step towards the title and Keane is another step, however I don't think we should be getting too far ahead of ourselves. I'm delighted with the signing but i don't think it's going to see us winning the league this ter,. For one, I think Rafa will have a hard job in sorting out the position and role of Gerrard now that we have our designated support striker here with Keane.

All this said, I'm looking forward to the coming season as our first 11 has just improved. Let's hope for a better points total at the end with maybe a victory here and there aginst the other top 4 teams. maybe just maybe a 2nd or 3rd place finish... throw in a CL semi-final appearance, but of course!.... i'll be smiling at the end of the season.

 

 

I'm not sure he will. Good and intelligent players can do more complicated things. How do Man Utd function and score goals without a centre forward? Bright and talented enough players who can play several positions within a game, within a move depending on the moment and movements around them.

 

To pick one out, and sorry to reprise Kaizer but he had a point here, it seems a hard enough job trying to get the concept of off the ball movement and getting into goalscoring positions from one position (right flank) into the head of Pennant without going into how and when to swap positions and channels in a fluid way. When you throw in Babel's current limited or apparently limited tactical awareness and it doesn't shock me that things have been kept fairly simple and rigid. I think Keane allows for a lot more

[GusMcLean]

Courtesey of -HH- on RAWK:

 

to the tune of

 

To 'Wild Rover'.

 

Our last number 7's have been quite obscene,

So Rafa said go forth and sign Robbie Keane,

We had Houghton and Whelan in great sides before,

Now the Kop has a great Irish hero once more.

And it's Keane wearing seven *clap clap clap clap*

He creates and he scores.

And he'll take us to heaven,

Like King Kenny before.

Edited July 28, 2008 by GusMcLean

[jimbolala]

i love the fact that we now have 3 players in gerrard torres and keane who can score 20 goals each over the season, with kuyt, babel getting a decent few .

[hideNseek]

i love the fact that we now have 3 players in gerrard torres and keane who can score 20 goals each over the season, with kuyt, babel getting a decent few .

Don't forget silky Voronin

[Cobs]

Courtesey of -HH- on RAWK:

 

to the tune of

 

To 'Wild Rover'.

 

Our last number 7's have been quite obscene,

So Rafa said go forth and sign Robbie Keane,

We had Houghton and Whelan in great sides before,

Now the Kop has a great Irish hero once more.

And it's Keane wearing seven *clap clap clap clap*

He creates and he scores.

And he'll take us to heaven,

Like King Kenny before.

 

[CaptainXabi]

I'm not sure he will. Good and intelligent players can do more complicated things. How do Man Utd function and score goals without a centre forward? Bright and talented enough players who can play several positions within a game, within a move depending on the moment and movements around them.

 

To pick one out, and sorry to reprise Kaizer but he had a point here, it seems a hard enough job trying to get the concept of off the ball movement and getting into goalscoring positions from one position (right flank) into the head of Pennant without going into how and when to swap positions and channels in a fluid way. When you throw in Babel's current limited or apparently limited tactical awareness and it doesn't shock me that things have been kept fairly simple and rigid. I think Keane allows for a lot more

I agree, I think Gerrard will nominally play RM and excel (as usual) and enjoy it. Without knowing him obviously, I think Stevie's attitude towards playing on the right is about wanting to make the most impact possible. I would imagine that seeing Zenden (not trying to pick on him) putting in average performances would make him think that he could be of more use centrally. I can't really blame him for thinking that.

Edited July 28, 2008 by CaptainXabi

[Maldini]

I'm not singing any song with Houghton in it, he'd dead to me, stick Aldo in.

 

It's still a big dodgy though.

[Earl Hafler]

Courtesey of -HH- on RAWK:

 

to the tune of

 

To 'Wild Rover'.

 

Our last number 7's have been quite obscene,

So Rafa said go forth and sign Robbie Keane,

We had Houghton and Whelan in great sides before,

Now the Kop has a great Irish hero once more.

And it's Keane wearing seven *clap clap clap clap*

He creates and he scores.

And he'll take us to heaven,

Like King Kenny before.

 

Our last number 7's have been f***ing w***

So Rafa sent Bobo to Spurs with the bank

" You must sign that Robbie, he's perfect for Tog

Or i'll flush yer f***ing fat permed heed straight down the bog "

And it's number 19

Come in, yer time is up

And set sail for Rome

Cause our names on the cup

Edited July 28, 2008 by Earl Hafler

[crisps]

Gerrard probably does see himself as a CM.

 

Quite weird how no-one expect Gerrard to play a CM role now

[Guest RedLegend]

Courtesey of -HH- on RAWK:

 

to the tune of

 

To 'Wild Rover'.

 

Our last number 7's have been quite obscene,

So Rafa said go forth and sign Robbie Keane,

We had Houghton and Whelan in great sides before,

Now the Kop has a great Irish hero once more.

And it's Keane wearing seven *clap clap clap clap*

He creates and he scores.

And he'll take us to heaven,

Like King Kenny before.

 

That was quick.

[Frosty Jack]

Describing McManaman, Smicer and Kewell as "Obscene"

 

[cymrococh]

Describing McManaman, Smicer and Kewell as "Obscene"

 

and 'f*cking w*nk'!

 

Plus neither song scans.

[Lanus]

I'm not sure he will. Good and intelligent players can do more complicated things. How do Man Utd function and score goals without a centre forward? Bright and talented enough players who can play several positions within a game, within a move depending on the moment and movements around them.

 

To pick one out, and sorry to reprise Kaizer but he had a point here, it seems a hard enough job trying to get the concept of off the ball movement and getting into goalscoring positions from one position (right flank) into the head of Pennant without going into how and when to swap positions and channels in a fluid way. When you throw in Babel's current limited or apparently limited tactical awareness and it doesn't shock me that things have been kept fairly simple and rigid. I think Keane allows for a lot more

 

Don't get me wrong, I think Gerrard will flourish in whatever position Rafa puts him in, however I do think that he played exceptionally well int he support striker role just behind Torres last season and I think that he will be missed in that role next season to some extent. If Rafa can maybe work out a way to have 2 strikers with Gerrard still in a central enough role and in behind the 2 lads witohut destroying the teams width, then we'll have improved an aweful lot in our forward play. I'm now looking forward to next season.

[New York Red]

Our front six have to be:

 

Torres-- Keane

 

Babel--Gerrard--Kuyt

 

Marscherano

 

 

 

I think that we still need to improve on the left or the right. I wouldnt swap the other four for anyone.

[John am Rhein]

Describing McManaman, Smicer and Kewell as "Obscene"

 

 

Unfair on Smicer - he was only mildy disgusting

[Rimbeux]

Don't get me wrong, I think Gerrard will flourish in whatever position Rafa puts him in, however I do think that he played exceptionally well int he support striker role just behind Torres last season and I think that he will be missed in that role next season to some extent. If Rafa can maybe work out a way to have 2 strikers with Gerrard still in a central enough role and in behind the 2 lads witohut destroying the teams width, then we'll have improved an aweful lot in our forward play. I'm now looking forward to next season.

 

 

I would say that expecting width from Keane or Gerrard or Kuyt or Babel from the right or the left is possibly wide of the mark (boom boom). I think the wide channels will essentially be left clear for the full back to run into later in a move, not occupied by a forward player or winger holding position looking for an early ball as has been our (failing) way.

 

Shorter and quicker passing with players able to take up the right position for the move rather than being restricted to a position for the match, something that suits the games of Gerrard, Keane and Babel in particular far better than being asked to hold one position. We should be moving beyond defined positions for attacking players and into correct decision making inside the move at the moment. It's something a few top teams across Europe and the PL currently do and have done recently to better effect than what we have attempted to do with a more traditional style.

[John am Rhein]

Shorter and quicker passing with players able to take up the right position for the move rather than being restricted to a position for the match, something that suits the games of Gerrard, Keane and Babel in particular far better than being asked to hold one position.

 

:applause: