Michael Keane

[Shukes]

Changing my opinion on him slowly but surely. He is starting to become a more solid player, working harder at getting back, which was my real gripe with him.  Have to give him credit when due.

[Aidan]

Just here to acknowledge the pass he made to dom for the opening goal. Class! 

[Wiggytop]

8 hours ago, Aidan said:

Just here to acknowledge the pass he made to dom for the opening goal. Class! 

Both the turn, surge forward and then the pass, it was one of his “scoop” kicks, if you haven’t seen it, have a look closer he often hits a high looping pass, some times he needs to whack it though. Last night was the best example of a scoop IMO

[Hafnia]

Well done Micky Keane.  Call up maybe? 

[Romey 1878]

59 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

Well done Micky Keane.  Call up maybe? 

He was in the last squad, so that wouldn't exactly be a surprise.

[Hafnia]

35 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

He was in the last squad, so that wouldn't exactly be a surprise.

yeah... he doesnt deserve dropping........

[Romey 1878]

2 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

yeah... he doesnt deserve dropping........

Probably have to partner the hopeless Maguire though.

[Romey 1878]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/12094422/michael-keane-everton-defender-says-he-had-to-work-harder-than-ever-for-england-recall

[SpartyBlue]

Just thought it was worth noting that there are about 15 players that have recent comments before you get to Michael Keane. I consider this a very good thing from a no nonsense type center back. He’s turned himself into a really solid, classy player. I can’t recall the last time I thought he had a bad game. 

[c1982]

55 minutes ago, SpartyBlue said:

I can’t recall the last time I thought he had a bad game. 

Looked shaky tonight... but he’s been class over the past 12months.

[SpartyBlue]

2 minutes ago, c1982 said:

Looked shaky tonight... but he’s been class over the past 12months.

I didn’t think so but perhaps my focus was diverted by how annoying I find Cavani.

[MC11]

Thought he was great!

[Bailey]

1 hour ago, SpartyBlue said:

Just thought it was worth noting that there are about 15 players that have recent comments before you get to Michael Keane. I consider this a very good thing from a no nonsense type center back. He’s turned himself into a really solid, classy player. I can’t recall the last time I thought he had a bad game. 

You spoke too soon!

[Bill]

1 hour ago, MC11 said:

Thought he was great!

He was very poor tonight, first ten minutes he handed them the ball twice on the edge of our penalty box, could quite easily have been two nil down.

[Matt]

14 minutes ago, Bill said:

He was very poor tonight, first ten minutes he handed them the ball twice on the edge of our penalty box, could quite easily have been two nil down.

Bar those two cock-ups during the time when everyone was screwing up, he was very solid and played well 

[Shukes]

I think he has been one of our stand out performers so far this season. He can afford to have the occasional bad game.

[Wiggytop]

16 minutes ago, Shukes said:

I think he has been one of our stand out performers so far this season. He can afford to have the occasional bad game.

It wasn’t a bad game from him, just a poor start along with everyone else, we looked like a pinball machine, could keep the ball in any shape or form. After the shakily start he was very good, always seemed to be where he needed to be, making some stuff look easy.

[StevO]

36 minutes ago, Wiggytop said:

It wasn’t a bad game from him, just a poor start along with everyone else, we looked like a pinball machine, could keep the ball in any shape or form. After the shakily start he was very good, always seemed to be where he needed to be, making some stuff look easy.

Yeah I’m with this. Still had a decent game. Cavani showed a bit of quality for the first goal, the second can happen when everyone is forward and Bernard and Davies are the two furthest back. But I think Keane and Mina, on the whole, kept them pretty quiet. No concerns about the defence at the moment. Still looking pretty solid. 
Can’t create anything at the moment other than set pieces, but get a big man defending them aggressively and you nullify our threat. 
Need James back, and Digne ideally, but without Allan it can be a bit much. Hopefully Carlo can find the balance.

[Elston Gunnn]

8 minutes ago, StevO said:

Need James back, and Digne ideally, but without Allan it can be a bit much. Hopefully Carlo can find the balance.

This goes beyond Keane, but SteveO’s comment leads me to ask a question.  I was unable to watch the match.  I’ve read the comments on TT, and have seen references to tired legs, individual poor performances, and differences in squad quality.

Here’s the simple question: would the presence of a healthy Allan, Digne, and James likely have made for a much better performance?  Seems the obvious answer is “Yes.”  Even with these 3, our overall squad quality is still not top 5.  But with major injuries, especially in the midst of so many matches, second choice players and tired legs means ugly play, disappointment again.

[Bailey]

It depends on how you want to view it but he had a hand in the Cavani goal. I won't just level this at Keane by any stretch but somehow Davies finds himself in a left centre back position and that means Keane is the one that needs to drop into midfield to pick up Martial. 

I think there was a tactical failure with whatever reason Davies found himself back there (and also later in the game too) but also a failure of Keane to appreciate that.

In the same way that attackers need to drop and fill in when a defender has been caught upfield, a defender needs to be ready to move into midfield when someone has been caught deep. Either that or they need to communicate to each other to push someone else into the space. 

By the time Keane does push forward, its too late. The space he then leaves behind is big enough for Cavani to get in between Godfrey and Mina and get the shot away. 

As for why Davies was there, I haven't got a scooby. Nor why he doesn't push out immediately. He seems to stay in that position and then he later seems to play deep to allow the CBs to stay forward so I don't know if it was a tactical move at that point by Ancelotti or whether it was just Davies making that tactical decision based on the situation that had unfolded before the goal. Either way, it wasnt a good one.

[London Blue]

13 minutes ago, Elston Gunnn said:

This goes beyond Keane, but SteveO’s comment leads me to ask a question.  I was unable to watch the match.  I’ve read the comments on TT, and have seen references to tired legs, individual poor performances, and differences in squad quality.

Here’s the simple question: would the presence of a healthy Allan, Digne, and James likely have made for a much better performance?  Seems the obvious answer is “Yes.”  Even with these 3, our overall squad quality is still not top 5.  But with major injuries, especially in the midst of so many matches, second choice players and tired legs means ugly play, disappointment again.

If the team we put out was rested and fresh then we would have played much better.

If we had Dinge, James and Allan we probably could have won the match.

Since we lost James we have lacked guile and creativity, which has led us to hit teams on the counter. Players Doucore, and Iwobi have stepped up, but expend allot of energy in doing so. 4 games in 10 days was just too much and we just could not compete. 

With Allan  we missed his control of midfield, his decision making and 

In the Utd match there was less energy, too many tired decisions, and tired mistakes.  

[Elston Gunnn]

5 hours ago, London Blue said:

If the team we put out was rested and fresh then we would have played much better.

If we had Dinge, James and Allan we probably could have won the match.

Since we lost James we have lacked guile and creativity, which has led us to hit teams on the counter. Players Doucore, and Iwobi have stepped up, but expend allot of energy in doing so. 4 games in 10 days was just too much and we just could not compete. 

With Allan  we missed his control of midfield, his decision making and 

In the Utd match there was less energy, too many tired decisions, and tired mistakes.  

Thanks for response.  This is a helpful summary plus elaboration on many of the comments during and after the match.  The combo of key injuries, insufficient squad depth, and busy schedule did us in.  What’s next is now being debated in the SHU thread, with an early consensus on practical necessity of rotation, but with different opinions on Tosun in particular.

[dunlopp9987]

We've had plenty of standout performers this season, but I think I have to put Keane at the top of the list. Absolutely un-droppable at this point. His defending has improved tremendously since Carlo has come in, but the thing that's impressing me most is his on the ball work. He's shown all season he can pick out a long pass and he's comfortable taking the ball into midfield. 

Couldn't be happier to have him as our #1 at the back

[StevO]

4 minutes ago, dunlopp9987 said:

We've had plenty of standout performers this season, but I think I have to put Keane at the top of the list. Absolutely un-droppable at this point. His defending has improved tremendously since Carlo has come in, but the thing that's impressing me most is his on the ball work. He's shown all season he can pick out a long pass and he's comfortable taking the ball into midfield. 

Couldn't be happier to have him as our #1 at the back

Playing like a captain in the making for me. 

[Romey 1878]

It's all the more satisfying watching him play this well because he was totally written off by a big chunk of our fans, he lost his England place, he would obviously have had low confidence. And now look at him, he'd be the first name on the teamsheet.

[Hafnia]

Looks great, better defending from deep. Brilliant in the air. 

[markjazzbassist]

27 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

It's all the more satisfying watching him play this well because he was totally written off by a big chunk of our fans, he lost his England place, he would obviously have had low confidence. And now look at him, he'd be the first name on the teamsheet.

Worth 20 up points this. So many wanted him gone, turns out so many of our issues were management.  Thank god we have Carlo.

[Romey 1878]

4 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

Worth 20 up points this. So many wanted him gone, turns out so many of our issues were management.  Thank god we have Carlo.

I don't even think most of it is management. It's played it's part but the biggest thing was he got fit and wasn't playing injured to help a struggling team. Which allowed him to show his talent and that led to him rebuilding his confidence, and he's gone from there.

[Palfy]

For me his improvement as a defender is all of the above, but also crucially coincides with a much improved midfield which is allowing him to control his area. 

[StevO]

Got to give him credit for the work he did in lockdown. Speaking to an old coach of his who he trusted, looking back at footage to see where he went wrong, and working on footwork and positioning. 
Big respect for anyone who goes the extra mile to improve themselves. 
Now we reap the benefits of the work he put in.