Keane and Defoe can't play together??????

ziedth

Do you remember this gem from a couple of years ago?

I think what they mean't was tha this manager can't make Keane and Defoe play together. I think i even said on a thread before the season started that mentality was crazy and fair play too them i think they have been very impressive together.

Edit: fair play to harry for getting it right with them. Hope they can keep it up.

StillRickyVilla

Your absolutely right mate, unless you are playing a longer direct style of football, its a complete myth that you have to have at least one tall player upfront!

colly_browy

I dont know lads - I still have my doubts.
I thought were were lucky yesterday - we were gifted two goals by WHAM mistakes and apart from that Ledley header from the free kick we didn't really create any clear cut chances.
We looked a bit clueless at times going forward - we kept hitting balls to Keane and Defoe's feet in really congested areas and as i say Cole and the full back don't make those schoolboy errors and i think we lose 1-0 and there'd probably be the same thread on this board this morning without the sarcasm.

StillRickyVilla

colly_browy wrote: »

I dont know lads - I still have my doubts.
I thought were were lucky yesterday - we were gifted two goals by WHAM mistakes and apart from that Ledley header from the free kick we didn't really create any clear cut chances.
We looked a bit clueless at times going forward - we kept hitting balls to Keane and Defoe's feet in really congested areas and as i say Cole and the full back don't make those schoolboy errors and i think we lose 1-0 and there'd probably be the same thread on this board this morning without the sarcasm.

Always hard to play away at Upton Park - none of the Top 4 are going to win easily there + we have the added dis-advantage that West Ham hate us & always play like their lives depend on it against Spurs (they even had the added motivation of trying to put one over Harry & Defoe!).

It was a tough game & your right, they congested the play in the centre, sometimes having 9 behind the ball making it very hard to impose our passing game on them.

This doesn't mean they can't play together. If we had remained behind, Harry probably would have turned to Crouch/Pav to mix it up at bit - but as it happened 2 pieces of class from 2 world-class players did it for us..

John W

colly_browy wrote: »

I dont know lads - I still have my doubts.
I thought were were lucky yesterday - we were gifted two goals by WHAM mistakes and apart from that Ledley header from the free kick we didn't really create any clear cut chances.
We looked a bit clueless at times going forward - we kept hitting balls to Keane and Defoe's feet in really congested areas and as i say Cole and the full back don't make those schoolboy errors and i think we lose 1-0 and there'd probably be the same thread on this board this morning without the sarcasm.

I am in agreement with you - I thought Keane was impressive against Hull, but I was not impressed V Liverpool or spammers TBH!

I think they can play together against certain teams, and probably more away from home - But having Crouch and Pav gives us options - I personnaly would like to see Keane pulled of a little earlier when it isn't working, but it's that ole captain thing again I am afraid.

TBH, If I were pav and an offer did come in from Italy, I would be off, cause he looks to be 4th choice at the moment, and I don't see too many minuets on the pitch for him while Harry continues with this policy for keane:o

StillRickyVilla

John W wrote: »

I am in agreement with you - I thought Keane was impressive against Hull, but I was not impressed V Liverpool or spammers TBH!

I think they can play together against certain teams, and probably more away from home - But having Crouch and Pav gives us options - I personnaly would like to see Keane pulled of a little earlier when it isn't working, but it's that ole captain thing again I am afraid.

TBH, If I were pav and an offer did come in from Italy, I would be off, cause he looks to be 4th choice at the moment, and I don't see too many minuets on the pitch for him while Harry continues with this policy for keane:o

The problem is we can't have everything for every minute of every game!

I find it mind-boggling that we are top of the league, with a 100% record, scored 9 conceded 2 & we are still criticising!!

I didn't think Torres was particularly effective against us, does that mean Liverpool drop him for the next game?

IMO if you believe in free-flowing, fast, attack-minded football you have to start with the front four of Lennon, Defoe, Keane & Modric.

If a match isn't going our way, then change things, but that hasn't happened yet!

I thought Keane was instrumental in a lot of our good work against Liverpool & Hull, but, through no fault of his own, struggled for space yesterday. But remember his darting runs forward or by slipping back into midfield areas may have created space for others even though at first glance on TV he didn't appear to contribute.

Without getting back into the old Crouch argument, I still don't understand how replacing Keane for Crouch could have improved things so far this season. Barring his additional height which means winning more flick-ons if we had played more direct. IMO, I see Crouch as someone to bring on if we are behind with 10 mins to go where his additional height might create something from a set-play or corner.

Conversely by losing Keane we would have lost all his clever runs, his movement which pulls defenders out of position, his clever dribbling & through balls and his ability to find space in the box (I don't care that he missed chances against Liverpool, he was quick & clever enough to get there in the first place is what matters!).

Can anyone enlighten me? (and your not allowed to use the words "he would have given us a different dimension" - what does that actually mean!?)