2019/20 Michael Keane

[Carlito]

Maybe you missed City winning the Title with keystone cop defenders last season.

Leicester almost got 4th with Johhny Evans and won the Title with Wes Morgan.

I think you and I just have polar opposite views on football, especially if you see Laporte and Kompany as a comedy pairing.

I'm also not sure how Leicester not getting fourth with a defender who you don't rate is proof that Everton could do it with a defender who I don't rate.

It'd be nice to see if Keane could do a Wes Morgan, but I'm not convinced that we'd ever be lucky enough to put a run together in a season where all of City, Liverpool, Chelsea and United were well off the pace.

 

[Goat]

Precisely. His ‘terribleness‘ has been horribly exaggerated and a lot of top teams do have a Keane or two mixed in with the De Bruynes.

I would like another top option, but people forget we have a good one already in Holgate and a very promising left footer in Branthwaite. We aren’t barren there at all and I don’t think it’s a priority for Carlo.

I honestly get peoples fears, I'm not implying he's flawless.

I can still picture how easily Lukaku turned him all those years ago and he wasn't the first and he wont be the last, but he's a very good defender at times.

 

[sageyefc]

Maybe you missed City winning the Title with keystone cop defenders last season.

Leicester almost got 4th with Johhny Evans and won the Title with Wes Morgan.

Both of them better than clubfoot though

 

[Goat]

I think you and I just have polar opposite views on football, especially if you see Laporte and Kompany as a comedy pairing.

I'm also not sure how Leicester not getting fourth with a defender who you don't rate is proof that Everton could do it with a defender who I don't rate.

It'd be nice to see if Keane could do a Wes Morgan, but I'm not convinced that we'd ever be lucky enough to put a run together in a season where all of City, Liverpool, Chelsea and United were well off the pace.

Kompany hardly played, it was mostly Laporte, who is superb and Stones or Otemendi.

I don't even rate Keane as such, I just think the overall standard of CBs and GKs is so poor in this era that I'm willing to overlook most of Keanes failings, cos when he's good, he's very good.

 

[PeregrineT]

While I think Keane has been much better for most of this season, and is playing very well right now, I think thats our opportunity to cash in and sell him. If we sign another CB, we have too many vying for that #2 spot. Keane just doesnt look like he will ever be the type of defender to fit an Ancelotti style team, you need a defender who can play higher up the pitch.

Cash in when he is at peak value, realizing he just doesnt fit the style, and bring in someone quicker.

 

[Eggs]

The only desire I'm currently seeing for a high line is from the fans.

....it’s a fair point, but growing up it was standard for a shout of ‘get out’ from CBs when the ball went upfield.

You watch more football and have a greater awareness than me, but the better teams in this league seem to push the opposition up and defend with a high-line. The fact Brands brought in Zouma suggests to me he wants pace in central defence but then he acquired Mina.

You could be right, perhaps him & Ancelotti prefer a Burnley type approach of defending deep.

 

[Goat]

....it’s a fair point, but growing up it was standard for a shout of ‘get out’ from CBs when the ball went upfield.

You watch more football and have a greater awareness than me, but the better teams in this league seem to push the opposition up and defend with a high-line. The fact Brands brought in Zouma suggests to me he wants pace in central defence but then he acquired Mina.

You could be right, perhaps him & Ancelotti prefer a Burnley type approach of defending deep.

I can not say I know how Carlo sets up his defence at all.

And you are spot on, as a defender you clear your lines and then you push into the space, so if Carlo does want a high line, that's defo not Michael Keane.

 

[Carlito]

Kompany hardly played, it was mostly Laporte, who is superb and Stones or Otemendi.

I don't even rate Keane as such, I just think the overall standard of CBs and GKs is so poor in this era that I'm willing to overlook most of Keanes failings, cos when he's good, he's very good.

I couldn't say how many games it amounted to (out of a total of 17), but Kompany played every week during the run-in, when Guardiola knew that there was no margin for error.

I do agree that there's a dearth of quality defenders and goalkeepers, but I'd argue that Keane's 'very good' performances are limited to games where the opposition have run out of ideas to the point where they're hitting aimless balls into a packed penalty box.

To me, there'll never be a better time to get shut of him.

 

[roy vernon]

He has been good since the restart, and, would continue to be good while we defend so deep, however, he has the turning circle of a supertanker and is slow over the first 5 yards. He will always be found out by a reasonably pacy forward whenever we push up as a unit.

 

[Zezti]

I couldn't say how many games it amounted to (out of a total of 17), but Kompany played every week during the run-in, when Guardiola knew that there was no margin for error.

I do agree that there's a dearth of quality defenders and goalkeepers, but I'd argue that Keane's 'very good' performances are limited to games where the opposition have run out of ideas to the point where they're hitting aimless balls into a packed penalty box.

To me, there'll never be a better time to get shut of him.

He's currently our most experienced CB, and CBs need experience or someone next to them with it.
We can't be going into a season with only Mina, Holgate and Branthwaite.

If he's to be sold he must be replaced with another experienced CB, and Gabriel is 22 so that would mean buying 2 defenders in a window we really need to be focussing on midfield and the right-side.

 

[Lanolin]

He's currently our most experienced CB, and CBs need experience or someone next to them with it.
We can't be going into a season with only Mina, Holgate and Branthwaite.

If he's to be sold he must be replaced with another experienced CB, and Gabriel is 22 so that would mean buying 2 defenders in a window we really need to be focussing on midfield and the right-side.

Holgate's more of an organiser than Keane though, and he's not a kid anymore. He'll be 24 very early next season and has played well over 100 games, he's obviously not a veteran but I don't think he needs a minder.

 

[Zatara]

Baffles me that you want to sell a proven Premier League player and replace him with some crapper like Mina.

Not only that but you want to give him away for less than his value.

I thank Jesus hourly that nobody important will ever take notice of what you type.

....I’d imagine both Keane and Mina are sellable assets, especially given Mina’s injury record. I think we could bring in better but the problem is selling either/both.

For all we know, with his contract-end on the horizon Keane might want to let his deal run down and leave on a lucrative Bosman. I’m always wary of players whose form picks up when contracts are up for renewal.

You and Zat both allow your agenda to cloud things with Keane.

You don't like him and nothing he will do will change that.

I can see why, when he's bad, he's very, very bad, but this isn't his first upturn in form, he's done it before.

Im totally all for selling Mina, I think like Keane he's capable of looking very good and very bad, but unlike Keane he's very injury prone and cant be relied upon.

I think Carlo likes him and it can only help when he's getting coached by 1 of the worlds best managers.

But he will probably either be sold or sign a new contract this year.

....I honestly think Keane (and Mina to a lesser extent) restricts the way the team has to play. He was terrific last night, some of the headers he won in the box were absolutely top drawer but he’s a forwards dream to play against.

He’s immobile and so easy to go past in a one-on-one. He’s also very easy to turn. If you‘re a forward you play on his shoulder. Once you’re beyond him he has no power of recovery. He lacks determination and seems to fear players giving him a difficult game. It means he needs protection in front and alongside and also means the back four has to sit deep.

i‘m not sure I have an agenda against him, he seems a very decent lad but I do think we’d be a much better team with a dominating CB who loves to defend and has real pace and power. The emergence of Branthwaite is an interesting factor on the transfer strategy with our CBs.

....it’s a fair point, but growing up it was standard for a shout of ‘get out’ from CBs when the ball went upfield.

You watch more football and have a greater awareness than me, but the better teams in this league seem to push the opposition up and defend with a high-line. The fact Brands brought in Zouma suggests to me he wants pace in central defence but then he acquired Mina.

You could be right, perhaps him & Ancelotti prefer a Burnley type approach of defending deep.

I can not say I know how Carlo sets up his defence at all.

And you are spot on, as a defender you clear your lines and then you push into the space, so if Carlo does want a high line, that's defo not Michael Keane.

Its exactly as @Eggs explained. There isnt any 'agenda' or mysterious intrigue involved here.

The simple fact is that Keane is solid when playing for Burnley or Everton in a deep defence.

If were going to play deep for the next 5 years then give him a new contract.

If on the other hand we want to play on the front foot then hes not good enough.

Mina id also sell (as eggs said) as hes injury prone and also isnt the type we would need now Holgate and Branthwaite fill 2 of 4 CB positions.

We bought him for £25mil rising to £30mil i think.

Book value about £10mil. In the current market there are players like Gabriel and others available at £20-25mil.

I think it would be foolish to keep someone with such obvious drawbacks when a superior replacement can be signed for the same price.

 

[Zatara]

Holgate's more of an organiser than Keane though, and he's not a kid anymore. He'll be 24 very early next season and has played well over 100 games, he's obviously not a veteran but I don't think he needs a minder.

I think the only 'minder' Holgate would look up to would be a Thiago Silva or someone of that profile.

The last people i hope he would listen to would be mina or keane when he is already better than both.

 

[Goat]

Its exactly as @Eggs explained. There isnt any 'agenda' or mysterious intrigue involved here.

The simple fact is that Keane is solid when playing for Burnley or Everton in a deep defence.

If were going to play deep for the next 5 years then give him a new contract.

If on the other hand we want to play on the front foot then hes not good enough.

Mina id also sell (as eggs said) as hes injury prone and also isnt the type we would need now Holgate and Branthwaite fill 2 of 4 CB positions.

We bought him for £25mil rising to £30mil i think.

Book value about £10mil. In the current market there are players like Gabriel and others available at £20-25mil.

I think it would be foolish to keep someone with such obvious drawbacks when a superior replacement can be signed for the same price.

Thats based on the assumption that Gabriel is better.

Im not convinced he is.

If Carlo comes out tomorrow and says we want to play a high line then fine, sell him.

When I get chance later I will delve into Carlos tactics and find out how he likes his CBs.

 

[Zatara]

Thats based on the assumption that Gabriel is better.

Im not convinced he is.

If Carlo comes out tomorrow and says we want to play a high line then fine, sell him.

When I get chance later I will delve into Carlos tactics and find out how he likes his CBs.

Nesta, Cannavaro, Terry, Silva, Keane, Mina.


Spot the 2 odd ones out.