2020/21 Michael Keane

[Bluestar]

He's exactly the sort of player that Everton never seem to be able to move on from, and then we wonder why the team never gets anywhere or achieves anything.

Better to just resign yourself to the fact that he'll be starting for years to come.

I think it’s just a matter of priorities. There are other bigger problems with the squad.

Also, given the fact that he has just been given a new contract, I’m pretty certain he isn’t going anywhere.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

Oh, so its everyone else's fault that he looked like he's never seen a football before in his life when we've played a higher defensive line or the fact that simple balls over the top seem to make him fall to bits everytime or the fact that the lad can't sense danger if it jumped onto his face and started making sweet love to his nostril?

He's obviously the reincarnation of Beckenbauer I just never noticed before because everyone else has been letting him down, silly me.

If we play a higher defensive line next season with keane he'll end up looking like marv going through macauley culkins house in home alone. Just like he's done every time we've played him in a higher defensive line. The lads good in the low block thats why he looked boss at Burnley.

As far as the data analysts at everton go, well they thought it was a good idea to spend £28m on iwobi. So ill take my opinion over their's any day of the week.

Calm down, you sound like a hysterical girl that put her tampon in the wrong way. I get the point without the hyperbole.

I’ve already said he and Mina are slow and vulnerable to balls down the channels or over the top in a high line. I don’t think anyone is pretending otherwise so I don’t know why you’re going on like they are.

Do you think midfield has any role in protecting the back four, closing down players, not giving them as much time as they like to pick out passes or stop them running directly at the back four?

Assuming you do, do you think our midfield comprising the likes of Slugurdson, Schnederlin, Gomes, Iwobi, Bernard, Walcott does/has done a good job at that?

If you’re as good an analyst as you say, then the only answer to that question is, no.

A top four midfield recovers possession quickly, pressures the ball and gets back into a defensive shape in front of the back four quickly. It’s not that Keane doesn’t have weaknesses. With a top four midfield, functioning properly, something we’ve never had when playing a higher line, you can protect against that vulnerability, albeit never take it away. For me it’s the midfield that needs a serious upgrade and right back.

It might well be in time that Keane is replaced, as others have pointed out though, centre back is the least of our problems for this summer.

Ha, i’ll give you the Iwobi point - good one!

 

[Bluewolf]

Calm down, you sound like a hysterical girl that put her tampon in the wrong way. I get the point without the hyperbole.

I’ve already said he and Mina are slow and vulnerable to balls down the channels or over the top in a high line. I don’t think anyone is pretending otherwise so I don’t know why you’re going on like they are.

Do you think midfield has any role in protecting the back four, closing down players, not giving them as much time as they like to pick out passes or stop them running directly at the back four?

Assuming you do, do you think our midfield comprising the likes of Slugurdson, Schnederlin, Gomes, Iwobi, Bernard, Walcott does/has done a good job at that?

If you’re as good an analyst as you say, then the only answer to that question is, no.

A top four midfield recovers possession quickly, pressures the ball and gets back into a defensive shape in front of the back four quickly. It’s not that Keane doesn’t have weaknesses. With a top four midfield, functioning properly, something we’ve never had when playing a higher line, you can protect against that vulnerability, albeit never take it away. For me it’s the midfield that needs a serious upgrade and right back.

It might well be in time that Keane is replaced, as others have pointed out though, centre back is the least of our problems for this summer.

Ha, i’ll give you the Iwobi point - good one!

I mean a) thats a bit sexist isnt it mate and b) I posted it in more a exasperated sarcastic way. Not really sure where you get any hysterical inclination from my grammar. Just goes to show you that tone isn't very reliable in a written format.

I understand what you mean but with better players we will ultimately be more attacking and as we're more attacking we will inevitably become more susceptible to counter attacking threats. Committing more players forward = less players to defend. Which will put more emphasis on our cbs to be able to defend higher up the pitch and the midfield you talk about will be used to fill in the gaps left by players committing to the attack like the full backs.

These players will be able to help the back line but they won't be able to help keane where he needs it. Like his decision making, his 1v1 battels and his pace.

I agree that cb isn't our most important position to fill on paper. Scratch the surface though and decisions will need to he made this summer. Mina is our best defender but hes injury prone and only has two years left in the summer. We either keep him or sell him. Keane while a good squad option isn't good enough for the starting 11 if we want to push for the top 6/champions league positions. I dont rate holgate and Godfrey looks like he has all the attributes to be a top cb is still very raw.

Personally I think the best option is to sell mina plus holgate and bring in another first choice cb in the Godfrey mould and keep Branthwaite as 4th choice.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

I mean a) thats a bit sexist isnt it mate and b) I posted it in more a exasperated sarcastic way. Not really sure where you get any hysterical inclination from my grammar. Just goes to show you that tone isn't very reliable in a written format.

I understand what you mean but with better players we will ultimately be more attacking and as we're more attacking we will inevitably become more susceptible to counter attacking threats. Committing more players forward = less players to defend. Which will put more emphasis on our cbs to be able to defend higher up the pitch and the midfield you talk about will be used to fill in the gaps left by players committing to the attack like the full backs.

These players will be able to help the back line but they won't be able to help keane where he needs it. Like his decision making, his 1v1 battels and his pace.

I agree that cb isn't our most important position to fill on paper. Scratch the surface though and decisions will need to he made this summer. Mina is our best defender but hes injury prone and only has two years left in the summer. We either keep him or sell him. Keane while a good squad option isn't good enough for the starting 11 if we want to push for the top 6/champions league positions. I dont rate holgate and Godfrey looks like he has all the attributes to be a top cb is still very raw.

Personally I think the best option is to sell mina plus holgate and bring in another first choice cb in the Godfrey mould and keep Branthwaite as 4th choice.

Ha, yeah it probably is now you mention it - don’t tell my wife.

That’s a lot more balanced and reasoned, well argued. I’m picking up what you’re putting down.

 

[Lloydystark]

He's been our best player this season.

Don't chat bubbles about lack of ambition.

some people just dislike him because hes not as quick as thierry henry

 

[davids]

some people just dislike him because hes not as quick as thierry henry

Dislike is a bit strong, surely we all want better players. On his day playing in a system that hides his inadequacies he's decent. But surely if a team like Norwich came in with a good offer the money would come in handy to improve midfield and the wide right positions.

 

[Toffeelover]

Dislike is a bit strong, surely we all want better players. On his day playing in a system that hides his inadequacies he's decent. But surely if a team like Norwich came in with a good offer the money would come in handy to improve midfield and the wide right positions.

The money would help but as has been said a new CB is not a priority, we have Godfrey, Mina, Holgate and in the wings is Branthwaite.

 

[Nyhus]

I was against signing him when we did, but he has slowly convinced me hems got quality. Hes got some obvious negatives to his game, but also some very obvious pros. Not saying hes the guy to bring us the prem title, but hes a very good squad option to have. Big Mick Keggers and Mina is imo our best CB pairing and Id like us to keep both. Godfrey might become one of our bests, but atm hes a bit too raw i think.

 

[blueblue]

Keane has had a great season for us.
A player that is greatly underestimated on here imo..
He certainly would have been a contender for player of the year.

All defenders have limitations, Keane seems to be the type of player CA favours and he is our manager so will continue to pick Keane.

A different manager may have a different type of player in mind but at the moment I think we are heading for a Keane/Godfrey first choice pair.

 

[4737carlin]

Dislike is a bit strong, surely we all want better players. On his day playing in a system that hides his inadequacies he's decent. But surely if a team like Norwich came in with a good offer the money would come in handy to improve midfield and the wide right positions.

Every single player we gave has inadequacies in certain systems, in systems Carlo chooses to play.
As for the Norwich shout haha as if a player who has recently signed a new deal is taking a step down, he will be here next season and hopfully starting as many games as he can.

 

[Saint Domingo]

He's exactly the sort of player that Everton never seem to be able to move on from, and then we wonder why the team never gets anywhere or achieves anything.

Better to just resign yourself to the fact that he'll be starting for years to come.

Completely agree. I’m hoping he becomes a squad player and then voluntarily moves on in order to get first team football somewhere else.

If he stays in the first team though, we are not playing a high line or successfully playing out from the back at any point. The fact he’s so highly rated for just displaying what I would see as barely average defensive duties (e.g cleaning balls, heading crosses away, blocking stuff) shows how far our standards have fallen.

We’ve gone from the likes of Jags beings left to shackle Torres one on one with no problems, Stones stepping into midfield with ease, to playing a back 5 because our defenders apart from Godfrey don’t have the mobility to defend outside their 6 yard box.

He’s absolutely bang average yet you’d think he was Ramos and Puyol combined the way some fans go on about him. Apparently calling him average is the massive over exaggeration though.

 

[davids]

The money would help but as has been said a new CB is not a priority, we have Godfrey, Mina, Holgate and in the wings is Branthwaite.

That's why I suggested that if a decent bid came in for Keane that it could address the midfield wide attack shortcomings.

 

[davids]

Every single player we gave has inadequacies in certain systems, in systems Carlo chooses to play.
As for the Norwich shout haha as if a player who has recently signed a new deal is taking a step down, he will be here next season and hopfully starting as many games as he can.

Norwich wasn't a "shout" it could be any of the promoted or mid table sides. If you think as a starter he has the all round quality to push us on to the top four/six I'd disagree. I honestly think Branthwaite will come through,but if Keane stays and plays cup games and backs up the starting centre backs...

 

[Zatara]

Completely agree. I’m hoping he becomes a squad player and then voluntarily moves on in order to get first team football somewhere else.

If he stays in the first team though, we are not playing a high line or successfully playing out from the back at any point. The fact he’s so highly rated for just displaying what I would see as barely average defensive duties (e.g cleaning balls, heading crosses away, blocking stuff) shows how far our standards have fallen.

We’ve gone from the likes of Jags beings left to shackle Torres one on one with no problems, Stones stepping into midfield with ease, to playing a back 5 because our defenders apart from Godfrey don’t have the mobility to defend outside their 6 yard box.

He’s absolutely bang average yet you’d think he was Ramos and Puyol combined the way some fans go on about him.

Its totally mind blowing how people are so one eyed about him.

Whose paying £25-30mil for him tomorrow? No one.

Mina could be a decent fee but again his injuries knock him down to Keane value of £20mil.

You look at these two players and the fact is that they totally limit how you set up the team -- not only the defence but the entire system (and i like Mina).

Im amazed people dont seem to understand that by playing Keane you limit the tactics of the manager....limit the development of Godfrey and also maximise the chances of failure to build attacks and to win games and climb the table.

People think signing forwards will improve the team...and they will. But nowhere near as they could if we had a top class player next to Godfrey.

Imagine any of the consistent top 4 sides in the league over the last 20 years playing Keane. Their entire gameplan would be pushed back 20 yards.

Madness.

 

[Goat]

Its totally mind blowing how people are so one eyed about him.

Whose paying £25-30mil for him tomorrow? No one.

Mina could be a decent fee but again his injuries knock him down to Keane value of £20mil.

You look at these two players and the fact is that they totally limit how you set up the team -- not only the defence but the entire system (and i like Mina).

Im amazed people dont seem to understand that by playing Keane you limit the tactics of the manager....limit the development of Godfrey and also maximise the chances of failure to build attacks and to win games and climb the table.

People think signing forwards will improve the team...and they will. But nowhere near as they could if we had a top class player next to Godfrey.

Imagine any of the consistent top 4 sides in the league over the last 20 years playing Keane. Their entire gameplan would be pushed back 20 yards.

Madness.

lol lol lol

Another who thinks Michael Keane blunts our attacking output.

How do you people know how to close your eyes at night to go to sleep?