sunderland struggle to break down teams and relied heavily on oppositionās lapses in concentration near the end of games to get their goals last seasonā¦ Iād say at least one third of all sunderland points last season came from goals in the last few minutesā¦the wheel seems to have gone full circle now with Arsenal and liverpool both scoring late to deny sunderland a much needed extra 3 points ā¦
There will always be a knee jerk reaction after a 5-0 defeat. Villa were beaten 2-0 at the Bridge a few weeks back but it was an annihilation all the same.
I have always had grave misgivings about Keane as a manager. In his first season as manager it was a great achivement getting promoted at champions although with the resources he was given I would have thought a Play Off appearance would have been the minimum requirement.
To be honest, he had a Championship quality side going up. He spent heavily that summer. Iām not convinced about Gordon but is maybe was a necessary statement of intent. The majority of his signings that summer were poor and imo did not improve the squad significantly. Initially Keane had stated that they wished to do more than just stay up but the goalposts quickly changed. The inspired signing of Andy Reid in January was the sole reason that Sunderland stayed up. In the last few months he was key to Sunderland winning a few games that kept Sunderland in the division. With the resources Keane was given comparable to the sides around him, relegation would have been a huge blow to his reputation. to be fair they survived.
This season, a couple of defeats has Keane under the spotlight. Malbranque was an excellent signing, Cisse on loan was a decent gamble. McCartney is decent enough too. The rest are a complete waste of money. Diouf is that hated of species - a striker that cant score goals. Ferdinand has been poor so far. He may improve but isnt much of an improvement on Nosworthy anyway.
Bizarely, after the Montenegro international game Andy Reid came back to Sunderland to find himself dropped. I watched Sunderland against Liverpool and Forest earlier in the season. Reid was easily their best player. Instead luminaries like Tainio, Whitehead and Richardson seem to have kept Reid out. I watched Sunderland beat Newcastle 2-1 in an awful game a couple of weeks back. Both teams were rank. Richardson scored a cracking free kick near the end to snare 3 points. Cisse looked dangerous up front but is a selfish bastard. Malbranque was the only player on the park that looked remotely creative. Ameobi bullied Ferdinand throughout.
Tactically Sunderland were a bit of a mess. Keane himself was an outstanding midfielder but in that game his midfield literally refused to get on the ball. There was no evidence of any particular midfield system as the game resembled a head tennis show.
Keane is often hailed for his substitutions that generally consist of bringing on two strikers. If you ever look at the subs bench there is about 4 strikers on it. His team play long balls similar to Stoke without Reid in the side. Painful to watch and not particularly successful either. If I was a non Irish member of the board I would be concerned where shedloads of wages on the following are going. Colgan, Meyler, Kavanagh, Connolly, Oā Donovan, Stokes and Murphy. Anyone spot a consistent theme? All at best championship players and still on the payroll.
Keane himself was rightly pilliored by James Lawton for trying to brush the rioting by Sunderland fans a few weeks back under the carpet. He has turned into a rent a quote average manager playing stone age football that he always raged against when he was a player. The Premiership outside the top 6 is woeful this year. Surely the minimum target is a top 10 finish? Will it be achieved?
Great to see he wasnāt wearing a poppy over the weekend all the same
the poppy wearing big spending keane loses again :D:D
Roy Keaneās Signings
So Sunderland are in the relegation zone, albeit thereās only a 6 point spread betweeen last and 8th in the league. But his signingās really have to be questioned. I recall ridiculing the folly of his signings in the summer of 2007 and most of these can be judged as failures given a whole raft of them have already been moved on.
McShane on loan at Hull, that guy Halford (a Reading reserve) he spent 3m on has been sent to Charlton, Higginbotham sold to Stoke, Etuhu gone somewhere else, Chopra a crazy 5m signing back on loan at Cardiff, Stokes sent out to Sheffield United and thereās probably more.
Of the ones still involved in the first team squad, Craig Gordonās been average enough, Kieran Richardson hasnāt been commanding, while Kenwyne Jones led the line well but only scored 7 odd goals last season and is yet to get off the mark this campaign. Andy Reid was an important signing in January but is only in and out of the team now.
He spent another chunk of cash this season and itās too early to judge how these players will turn out for him. But heās going to come under increasing pressure if they donāt get moving up the table given theyāve spent 30m odd on Chimbonda, Ferdinand, Malbranque, Tainio, Diouf, McCartney and Cisse.
Its safe to say the transfer market isnāt his strongest point.His grip on the Man U job is loosening every week.
āI wouldnāt listen to these people in the pub, and yet theyāre on television constantly . . .I wouldnāt trust them to walk my dog.ā
- Roy Keane rules out the possibility of Richard Keyes, Jamie Redknapp or any of the Sky Sports crew taking Triggs for a wander.
āWill Arsne Wenger be remembered in 100 yearsā time for what he has done for football? Bet your life he will. Will these people on the television be remembered for what theyāve achieved? Not whatsoever.ā
- Sky Sports take shelter as Keane warms to his theme.
āI was asked by ITV to do the Celtic-Man U game, but never again, unless I fall on hard times. I think Iāve done it once for Sky but Iād rather go to the dentist.ā
- Keaneās take on the punditry world.
Did he fall on hard times when he dressed as a leprechaun & chased lineker around temple bar?
I think that was for a tv advert.
Prince among men, a man youād follow into battle.
he has had sex with his dog before - thats not the type of man to lead me
Wow, thats news to me. That kind of beastiality stuff disgusts me, its wrong for any human being to have sex with an animal, just not right in my mind. Iād rather not know anything about it to be honest, but seeing as its Roy Keane, Iām going to have to ask you to tell me a little more as to how you know this and yet Iāve never seen it in any newspaper?
i cant discuss my sources
You can PM me then, cant expect to say something like that and not be called on it.
[quote=āmyboyblueā]
āI was asked by ITV to do the Celtic-Man U game, but never again, unless I fall on hard times. I think Iāve done it once for Sky but Iād rather go to the dentist.ā
- Keaneās take on the punditry world.[/quote]
The last time he did a bit of punditry Sir Alex kicked the hole off himā¦fucking knobā¦
Fuck you and the brian lohan you rode in on Puke
not be called on it :p- Youāre a ticket mate an absolute ticket
At least all us clare people can be proud of everything brian lohan has ever doneā¦superb player and role-model who never let his club or county downā¦off the field an absolute gentlemanā¦
Could you say the say the same of roy:confused:ā¦
Stop trying to sell me your counterfeit tickets. Send me on the aul pm there, Iād love to have a read of where you heard that one. Jaysus, gullible wouldnt even go to describing you Iād say.