Anybody else think next seaosn it would be ideal for Keano to move to CB? Look at all the upsides 1. We have a worldclass centreback (he's been fandubulous when he's played there). 2. The best leader in the world gets more playing time (it's a less tiring position). 3. We won't have to be so hasty in the search for our new captain. 4. Keane's playing career gets expanded by 2-3 years. 5. DjDj/Kleb/Miller can all have a fair battle for the DM spot without having to worry about leadership. 6. There would be more competition/depth in the backline (Silvestre & O'Shea vs. Fortune & Gary).
As much as I love Keane's leadership ability, I am afraid he's too old to switch to CB at his age, especially after watching his display against Fulham yesterday. I remembered seeing him almost got "caught out" of position a couple times by Boa Morte's run towards through balls because he didn't turn around fast enough. I actually thought Fergie made the right decision to sub him because Kean had a tendency of going too far forward. And with his slow turn, he'll definitely have trouble containing pacy strikers. I think we can acoomodate Keane in defense only if we play him as a "liberal" sweeper in a 5-men defense(think Matheaus, Sammer of Germany).
Keano belongs in the middle of the field. He is at his best when he is free to cover every blade of grass...when he is in the back he is simply less of a player. I understand the reason for wanting to move him back, but when Rio and Silvestre are healthy and together, there are few that are better. Putting Roy back there would just screw up the chemistry that the backline was having at the beginning of this year. He would have less playing time and captain's are not part time players.
Agree with both points above. Also defensively Keano is not good enough in the air, apparently half the goals scored against us have been headers (which says that the others bar Rio have a thing or two to learn as well). When attacking the ball, Keano has a great leap making up for his lack of height. However when defending a ball in the air, having a good leap is not good enough as you just get bowled over by the centre-forward who has the forward momentum.
keane runs the game when he is in midfield and he is a kick ass midfielder but he cant run the game from the back and he is not to good as a defender (tho i know he is a defensive midfielder) the penalty against fulham was all his fault, he shouldnt of let boa morte get the ball off him and then past him at the line! also he is short so he is not to good defending in the air! tho he is a helluva lot better derender than brown at the mo just my two cents
It takes time to adjust to a new position - so much of the game is reacting instinctively to situations specific to a particular position - and Keane cannot be expected to play like a world class defender straight away. I'm always unhappy when Alex turns to him in important games and not only because we miss him in midfield. Whether he can eventually become a class defender we won't know until/if he makes the change permanent. He certainly has some of the defensive abilities - tackling, aggressiveness for sure - though he doesn't have the height and heading ability that the best CBs have. But then nor do any of the other of Utd's CBs outside of Rio
I will admit that his spring is not the same as it was before.. but other than arrogance and the desire to take the other team's best header of the ball as a marking assignment for corners and set pieces - Keane is excellent in the air... he is easily a better header than Rio - Rio however is a bit taller, and much quicker and with his excellent judgement and size, he gets to the right spot so attackers cannot win the header, however, I have seen Keano leave his man on a corner and get over and clear a ball out with a header when he was 5m or more away from the ball when its struck... that takes, desire- anticipation and leaping ability... all of which he has... the problem is that he needs time to adjust as everyone says... there are things that strikers do over the course of a game to set up defenders and if u are not very shrewd and experienced you will get beat... for instance tall strikers who have good heading skills and can do flickons accurately often cheat and advance on the ball very quickly - going further away from the goal than necesarry and jumping their highest, just to get a touch and redirect the ball... ive seen some guys do that all game long, and then once, they push off from the defender and start to sprint as if they are going to do it again... and ofcourse the defender is tired of seeing the same thing happen and he accelerates to early (because this time the striker did it a fraction too early) and the striker then doubles back, leaving the defender in no mans land... Keano on the other hand for the most part wins headers against players his height or just a little taller, when they are often not his marking assignment... but good aerial strikers will over the course of the game find ways to expose him until he gets used to the tricks, but with his lack of height and the missing spring that he once had, it might not be the best idea to put him back there...
UEFA have launched an appeal against their own disciplinary body's decision to suspend Roy Keane for only one match for Keane's stepover (not stamp) on Porto's keeper. Despite statements from Porto's own player that the keeper did embelish the contact to make it look worse than it was. They want to change the charge from "misconduct" to "assault" which would mean an automatic 3 match ban. I'm pretty sure this is an unprecedented move. Well, at least we're pretty much used to being made an example of....