Bhoy Keane might leave Liverpool light

Premier League / Dan Fitch / 30 July 2008 / Leave a Comment

Dan Fitch bids farewell to a Spurs favourite and wonders how many boyhoods one man can have.

"All I want is a team of Robbie Keanes, a team of Robbie Keanes, a team of Robbie Keanes"

So sang Spurs fans at every home game. Keane won't be hearing that song at Anfield, no matter how well he plays. The Liverpool fans already sing this song, but it's a team of Steven Gerrards that they cry for.

But what impact will Keane's arrival at Anfield have for Gerrard? The Liverpool skipper saw out the end of last season playing just off Torres, but this is the position that is now earmarked for Keane.

Before Keane was signed, I figured that Liverpool would play a 4-3-3 this season. They've spent all summer successfully ruining their relationship with Aston Villa, due to their cackhanded pursuit of Gareth Barry, presumably with the notion of teaming the England midfielder up with Gerrard and Mascherano.

A central trio of Mascherano, Gerrard and Keane, doesn't seem such a stable foundation and one wonders if Benitez would opt for a more robust trio, if they were due to go head to head with a Manchester United or Chelsea. This could see Keane shunted off onto the flanks, or onto the bench.

Any Spurs fan will know that Keane hates being on the bench, but as even Torres spent a fair proportion of his time there last season, it's a role the Irishman will have to get used to. I think he'll prove a good signing for Liverpool, but I wonder if the money could have been better spent in other positions.

Sammi Hyypia can't provide cover in the centre back position forever and Liverpool still lack wide players of real quality. I don't see their squad being strong enough to win the Premier League, though the price of [8.6] could be good for a trading position. Better value is the [14.0] available for Liverpool in the Champions League.

And where does the transfer of Keane leave Spurs, other than being considerably richer? Well, I think that although Juande Ramos rated Keane as a top player, he won't be too perturbed at losing him.

Like everyone else, Tottenham are jumping on the 4-3-3 bandwagon and in Luca Modric they have the perfect player to provide the link between midfield and the central striker (whoever that may end up being). However, it is doubtful that Modric will get near Keane's potential goal total for the season and Spurs will need to share the goals around more than they have in recent seasons. Tottenham are [3.75] in the winner without the big four market.

It will be the Tottenham fans who miss Keane the most. Here was a player guaranteed to give his all (unlike a certain fag-in-mouth Bulgarian of superior talent, but inferior heart). Such industry, allied to his ability, is the perfect formula for a fans' favourite.

This is not to say Keane was unreservedly popular. I've met many a fellow Tottenham fan who thinks Keane is overrated, though they did all have one thing in common. Namely being armchair fans, who had only ever seen Keane play through the limited window of a Sony Bravia.

Speaking of armchair fans, just who was the fledgling Robbie Keane watching on TV from his home in Ireland? Keane has spent most of this week trying to convince everyone that he was a boyhood Liverpool fan. Unfortunately, Tottenham fans with long memories (which given the amount of time it's been since we've won a major trophy, is all of us) could distinctly remember Keane claiming to be a boyhood fan of Celtic.

Just how many boyhoods did Robbie Keane have? Footballers always trot out these soundbites and they don't fool anyone. Which is just as well really, as Tottenham are likely to use the money from Keane to buy boyhood Spurs fan David Bentley, who spent said boyhood playing for Arsenal. Those on the terraces have a different idea as to what it means to support a club. Unlike players, we're stuck with our team.