Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Ian Rush: Robbie Keane Was Unlucky At Liverpool

I feel sorry for Robbie Keane because I don’t think he was given enough of a chance to make it at Anfield.

As a striker you need to have a run of games and the absolute confidence of your manager. I’m not sure Keane ever really had either.

Some moves just don’t work out. Players look perfect for a particular club when they are signed, but for some reason it doesn’t turn out that way.

At least Rafa Benitez has taken a decision on Keane at the earliest possible opportunity and has moved him on.

I’m sure everyone at Liverpool will be wishing Keane good luck as he tries to get back on track at Spurs.

It was great to see Fernando Torres back in goalscoring form against Chelsea because Liverpool need him to be at his very best if they are to challenge for the title.

It had been some time since Torres last scored at Anfield but when the goals finally came they were well worth the wait and could not have been more timely.

He had looked sluggish in his previous game at Wigan so getting back on the score sheet will have lifted his confidence no end.

He also got through more than 90 minutes of the game, only being taken off when the match was all but over so he could get a standing ovation.

This will be as important to Torres as the goals he scored because he will now have even more faith in his own physical condition.

Mike Riley didn’t cover himself in any glory with his performance at Anfield on Sunday and I don’t think he should be given any big games after his latest poor display.

Sending off Frank Lampard was bad enough because I don’t think anyone in the ground thought it was a red card offence.

But even worse than that was his failure to spot Jose Bosingwa’s kung fu kick on Yossi Benayoun.

How a referee can miss something as blatant as this is beyond me. If players can be suspended for getting things wrong I think referees should do so as well.

There is a lot of talk about respect in football, but it must go both ways and referees have to be accountable for errors.

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