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Just imagine it. A forward tandem of Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane. It’s pretty scary, isn’t it?
Liverpool fans are surely drooling at the news that Liverpool has signed Keane in a $40 million transfer from Tottenham.
What was that about Liverpool bargain shopping?
Apparently there was some money laying around at Anfield for Liverpool to make a quality off-season signing and it comes in the form of Keane, whose skill and finishing ability will be a welcome improvement on the Dirk Kuyt experiment.
What do you think about Keane moving to Liverpool? Are the Reds serious title contenders now? Will Rafa Benitez still find a way to squander points and ruin Liverpool’s chances at a league title? Share your thoughts below.
“You can buy all the strikers you want, they still have a shaky defence.”
Which Liverpool team have you been watching? They have a rock solid defense. We shipped out Riise (weak link) and will probably ship out Arbeloa and/or Finnan as well (other weaker links) but Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, and Dossena are top class (and Mascherano is the best defensive midfielder in the league). Throw in support like Hyppia, Degen, Aurelio, and young blood like Insua and Hobbs (though he’s on loan this year) and they have a superb lineup back there. When Carragher is your third best defender after Skrtel and Agger…you are looking pretty good in my book. They had, what, the second or third best defensive record last year? Scoring goals consistently is the problem…not stopping them. Besides, Reina is the three-time reigning Gold Glove winner in the EPL…he’s clearly on par with Cech and Van der Sar for the best keeper in the league.
Aside from that, I’m happy about Keane’s arrival. I am confused as to what lineup we’ll use because I was loving the 4-2-3-1 we fell into last year. We had our most success in that but Keane doesn’t fit in. Kuyt was poor the first half of the season at striker but brilliant the second half as an attacking midfielder on the right so he should slot back in there. Keane is obviously a slight upgrade over Crouchy but I feel that his arrival will force us back to a 4-4-2 and will cause Alonso to lose his first team slot. If Barry doesn’t arrive, I see the first team as follows:
Torres Keane
Gerrard
Babel Mascherano Kuyt
Dossena Skrtel Agger Carragher
Obviously, with Degen and Finnan starting some games at RB to rest Carra and Hyppia resting Skrtel and Agger and Arbeloa/Aurelio resting Dossena. Then, obviously, Alonso/Lucas would rest Gerrard and Mascherano with Yossi resting both wingers. Voronin could slot into the strikers or Gerrard’s spot as well if he isn’t sold. And who knows…maybe Pacheco will come up for some games.
keano was a huge part of spurs but he will be replaced by either villa or arshavin. berbatov appears to be staying, and now he has someone to feed him with modric signing. spurs should also sign bentley finally within the week. spurs will be far better this year than last, and with arsenal losing hleb and flamini they could take their place in the top four. or they could flop, but on paper they have improved greatly.
coys
You can buy all the strikers you want, they still have a shaky defence.
I would much rather see Kuyt play as part of the forward rotation than a pure winger. I don’t know that his quickness or quality of crosses are good enough. Of course, if the Liverpool doesn’t go out and find another winger they may not have a choice.
Livepool fan here. A lot is made about how Liverpool rotates, but the big players always make it into the lineup (Gerrard, Torres, Masch, Carragher etc) and Keane will be one of those.
Torres Keane
Babel Masch Gerrard Kuyt
Looks good to me.
People that hammer on about rotation reveal their ignorance about Liverpool, Benitez, and the EPL.
This is a good signing for Liverpool. Robbie has averaged 13 goals a year in the Premiership for Tottenham over the past 6 seasons. Hopefully some of those will go to breaking 0-0 ties with the dross of the EPL…like Everton.
Maybe I got it backwards 🙂
@ Betinho – are you crazy? When did Rafa not rotate? 2 seasons ago he was in the middle of changing the lineup for 99 (NINETY-FREAKIN-NINE) straight games, and only switched up for game 100 because he was getting hammered in the press.
Randall has it right, this is all a cruel set up to drive me crazy when Rafa gets his rotation going. Crap, we’ll see Torres and Keane start together a dozen times. I’d rather have seen Barry in there with Mascherano and drop Alonzo, but Keane will fit in beautifully.
As far as wingers, my favorite Liverpool lineup is when Gerrard and Kuyt take the wings. The couple of times it has happened, they’ve done some nice stuff switching sides with each other and overlapping with the other attackers.
Wow. Torres, Keane, Voronin, Babel, Kuyt. Holy crap.
I’ve been wamting to ask this for awhile. 2 seasons ago it was Rafa not rotating. Last season rotating too much. All the guy does is compete well in Europe and keep Liverpool (with less talent than the other big 4 IMO) in the top 4. What’s all the complaining about?
I guess he will stick with ManU when they play Liverpool then. However, he HATES Liverpool. It will at least give me some barbs to insert under his skin.
YES, my friend is Irish. How did you know?
“I have a friend who is a rabid ManU fan, and his favorite player is Keane. How does this happen?”
Easy answer, they’re two different players. Roy Keane played on Man U for years and years as a midfielder if I remember right, and is now manager now at (Irish chaired) Sunderland.
Robbie Keane is current Irish striking extraordinare, class of the world, and will bring Liverpool to the promised land in 2010 just like his now teammate Torres lead Spain.
(I’m not Irish I swear)
I am a Liverpool fan that applauds this move with some trepidation. I think Keane is class, but his arrival will only lead to more rotating from Rafa. Towards the end of the season they settled on a 4-2-3-1 formation that was working, and Rafa seemed to be comfortable sticking with. Now what? I’d say the best formation would consist of Reina and four along the back with;
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso/Barry
Keane Babel
Torres
However, I can’t see Rafa sticking with it on a consistent basis. Oh well, I suppose I’d rather have Keane in the rotation rather than Crouch.
I’m way more excited about the Reds getting Keane than I would have been about Barry. Maybe I’m misguided but I can’t wait until the opening kickoff with Torres and Keane standing at midfield wearing red.
@ Sin2R,
It doesn’t even need to be discussed. Club over player every time, it’s a universal rule. From birth until death you must support the club.
Gunners for Life !!
ROBBIE IS A RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EPL TITLE HERE WE COME!
It was Luka Modric not Niko Krancjar, and you’re right, Spurs won’t crack the top 4 unless they upgrade a few more positions and replace Keane, and even then I think top 6 and an FA cup run is a more realistic aim.
Arshavin anyone?
While Keane’s a huge improvement up top, there still is a bit of work to do.
If we complete the swoop for Barry I’ll feel very confident.
$40 Million? Wow. Too much. Is 3rd place rather than 4th really worth that?
But take it easy on Kuyt, I saw several games last year where ‘pools redemption only came about because of the grit and tireless work of Kuyt. He may not be silky smooth, but he makes things happen.
Love Keane, hate Liverpool.
I hope they finish 5th.
I’ve talked to some people who were saying that the addition of Niko Krancjar (sp) and Gio Dos Santos would have Spurs crack into the top 4 this year. I don’t see it at all, I think there’s a better chance that they’d be relegated than finish in the top 4, although neither will happen and they’ll be somewhere around 10th.
Liverpool will still finish 4th.
i fully expect rafa to toss out tandems of keane/voronin (for example) than keane with torres.
hes apparently allergic to simply playing your best team available- no clue why people keep expecting that to change.
Silly money (since he’s 28), but that front line is great now. I consider them very serious contenders now.
This means they keep Berbatov, right?
if he was in any other league in europe, he would have been worth half that amount.
Happy Peruvian Independence Day, Ives!!
Sad to see Keane go, as he was Spurs through and through. But “was” is the operative word. He wanted out and 20 million pounds is a nice return.
I hope we can covince Berba to stay.
i think if they can sign a better right back (rafina) and get barry while keeping alonso liverpool will win the title. sure i would love to have a silva or quaresma but quiet frankly gerrard can play in that right wing role just fine if need be.
Gerrard – Masch – Alonso – Barry
Keane
Torres
Hopefully this will put them over the last hurdle, which is beating the other big 3. If they can take a couple games from them, then they will be in the running
I would like to see more Babel this year with Dirk out on the other wing. Keane and El Nino up top with Stevie G sliding in behind them…
Nice attack. They are not title challengers yet though. Arsenal are still ahead of them in my opinion as well.
5 years on, and Rafa still hasn’t bought a true winger.
As a huge keane fan but an even bigger spurs fan this is probably my saddest day as a fan. It feels worse than losing to Arsenal.
Liverpool stronger…but not as strong as Man U. This puts them even with Chelsea and still a shade below the red devils. If Man U loses Ronaldo then it will be very close.
What does everyone think about Sunderland’s spending spree? Chimbonda, Diouf, Tainio amounts to a nice trio of signings for Roy Keane’s squad.
They’ll find a way to drop points against the likes of Wigan, Middleborough, West Ham, and the rest of the mid-table teams, while feasting on the minnows, battling hard against the other top 3, and making the CL semis. And Rafa will win just enough games to keep from being fired.
20 bucks says your friend is Irish. And I’m not fearing Liverpool yet.
On the face of it, a good addition. But 40 MILLION?!?! Really? Is he worth that much?
Ouch, I think ManU and Chelski just looked over their shoulders. I am not a huge Liverpool fan, but I think Keane is pure class.
On another note: I have a friend who is a rabid ManU fan, and his favorite player is Keane. How does this happen? Does he support the club or player? One cannot support both ManU and Liverpool. Right?
Kuyt wanted him there as well, makes me wonder if he will play on the side as he did with the Dutch. As a Liverpool fan I’m excited, Torres was great and now has the old vet to work with. Big step up from Crouch to Keane.