Sunday, December 14, 2008

Why Did Rafa Benitez Take Robbie Keane To Liverpool?


If Rafa Benitez was picking a team for the Champions League final tomorrow, then Robbie Keane would not be in it.

That’s the fact of the matter and that’s why Keane’s £20million move to Anfield in the summer is looking an increasingly bad bit of business.

I don’t put that down to Robbie Keane or his ability as a striker. Keane is a top-class striker who, on his day, is a terrific goal scorer, has a tremendous work rate and is a skilful and clever player with great vision.

But to bring that out now you need the Robbie Keane who is playing week-in and week-out and with that familiar swagger and style he shows when he’s on his game and full of confidence.

If the team gets chopped and changed every week and Keane keeps going into games knowing he will get subbed after 65 or 70 minutes then you will get a player low on confidence who is not playing to his potential.

Furthermore, Benitez knew what his favoured formation was when he bought Keane and that doesn’t accommodate him. Fernando Torres is the main man up front and Steven Gerrard is Mr. Liverpool in midfield.

That leaves little room for Keane and he is not a player who plays wide or just behind. His best position is playing alongside another striker and that brought the very best out of him at Tottenham last season.

Liverpool signed Keane on the basis off his performances for Tottenham last season when he was outstanding. But then they don’t play him, continually sub him and play him out of position. Which begs the question: Why sign him in the first place?

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