Friday, October 24, 2008

Keane Absence Would Be No Real Loss For Rafa As He Prepares To Stifle Chelsea


Robbie Keane scored a goal and hobbled off with a groin injury in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. But which occurrence was the most familiar?

Keane’s career has not exactly been characterised by injury but his time at Anfield has not been marked by a glut of goals either.

Keane doubled his Liverpool tally on Wednesday night from 14 appearances and has not yet scored for the club in the Premier League. Scoring is not his strength at the moment.

So if Rafael Benitez is genuinely concerned that the Irishman might not be fit to play at Chelsea on Sunday, he shouldn’t be.

Losing Fernando Torres to injury is a genuine blow but Keane’s possible absence is more of an irritation than a disappointment.

Even if neither are ready to play this weekend, it will not change the gameplan. Benitez usually tries to bore Chelsea into submission at Stamford Bridge and snatch a goal.

It doesn’t often work but that hasn’t put him off and regardless of improvements this season, not conceding rather than scoring was always going to be Liverpool’s priority.

No comments: