As we arrive at the quarter mark for the current Premier League season the standings are starting to take shape, although who would have ever thought we would see Tottenham rock bottom or Hull City in the Champions League places. As such it is another big weekend of fixtures coming up and about time players started to perform. Here we will have a quick look at those who might be expected to up their game.
<ul type="disc">
<li>Robbie Keane – With Fernando Torres set to miss this weekend top of the table clash against Chelsea a lot will be riding on the former Spurs striker. Having scored in midweek against Atletico Madrid Keane finally looks to be settling down at Anfield and perhaps the game at Stamford Bridge may be the place where the Irish forward can stake a claim to the second strikers position alongside Torres. Keane has yet to score for Liverpool in the Premier League and Chelsea will be a difficult place to break his duck. However Keane has a decent recent record against the Blues, having scored in two of their last five meetings. The 28-year-olds <a href="http:\/\/betting.betfair.com/football/premiership/premiership-betting-chelsea-v-liverpool-241008.html" target="_blank">goalscoring odds</a> maybe be worth a look this weekend.</li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li>Joey Barton – With Newcastle short of players jailbird Joey maybe in with a shout of getting his first start against Sunderland since completing his six match suspension. Barton failed to make friends (surprisingly) in last seasons Tyne-Wear derby when he was guilty of a horrific challenge on Dickson Etuhu but managed to escape any punishment. The former Man City midfielder has this week said he would like to become a role model and knows he has done wrong with this Saturday’s match giving him the perfect opportunity to show he has mended his ways.</li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li>Jo – Since arriving for a then club record fee of £18m the Brazilian striker has failed to set Eastlands alight with some of the samba magic we might have been expecting. Having missed a number of games through injury at the start of the season Jo has begun to get a decent run in the City side but despite a goal against Portsmouth more has been expected of the 22-year-old. With the visit of Stoke this weekend Jo might be expected to shine against a mediocre defence and try to step out of the shadow cast by a certain other record breaking Brazilian. However Jo is low on confidence and I don’t expect him to boost Manchester City’s <a href="http:\/\/betting.betfair.com/football/premiership/" target="_blank">Premier League odds</a> any time soon.</li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li>Tottenham – Having said I would only single out players this whole page could have been filled with under performing Spurs players. Another week, another bout of misery for Tottenham fans as they were first humbled by Stoke before suffering defeat to Udinese. &nbsp;Heurelho Gomes hasn’t been the goalkeeper many were expecting and his display in the Uefa Cup won’t have inspired any confidence. The likes of Johnathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson have hardly held things together at the back to be fair whilst Luka Modric and David Bentley are still finding their feet at White Hart Lane. Finally we come to major problem, the strikers, Darren Bent seems low on confidence whilst Roman Pavlyuchenko is still adjusting to the Premier League. With a shocking record of five Premier league goals scored in nine games it is hard to see how Tottenham are going to turn it around. This Sunday presents a glorious opportunity to boost confidence at the club before the north London derby with Arsenal when they face Bolton at home. The Trotters themselves are struggling for goals and were fairly poor last time out against Blackburn. Juande Ramos must get his tactics right this weekend because Spurs fans patience is wearing thin and they will expect a result on Sunday.</li>
</ul>

Big weekend for… - World Soccer Talk

Big weekend for…

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
One game doth not a champion make. In Liverpool’s case, their victory against Manchester United at Anfield was a moral victory, a win that was in the long time making, but I don’t believe it signifies that the Reds are now title material. Wake me up when they beat Man United at Old Trafford. Then it’ll be a different story.
I may sound pretty harsh on Liverpool, but I’ve been there before so many times where the club flatters to deceive. Sure, Liverpool sits in joint first place behind Chelsea only on goal difference, but Rafa Benitez’s side has had plenty of lady luck on its side. Other than Liverpool’s win against Manchester United and their thoroughly well deserved victories against Manchester City and Everton, the club were lucky to beat Sunderland and Middlesbrough. And they were unimpressive in their draws against Stoke City and Aston Villa.

If the red half of Merseyside can continue to churn out victories like it did against Manchester City, then there’s a lot of hope for Liverpool. But the reality is that amazing comebacks like that are rare. Liverpool has been renowned for being inconsistent especially in the Premier League.
The next few games will prove whether Liverpool will be a Premier League title contender this season or not. They face a tricky home game against in form Wigan Athletic this Saturday. Then Liverpool travels to Stamford Bridge for an away game against Chelsea on October 26 in a game that they’re bound to lose. The Reds then end October with a home game versus Portsmouth on the 29th. Liverpool should win that game comfortably, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they slip up in that one.
There are still question marks about Liverpool’s forwards up front. While Fernando Torres is beginning to find his form, Robbie Keane has paled in comparison. David N’Gog shows glimpses of talent, and Dirk Kuyt is his usual self — working hard but not putting away the chances he should. Ryan Babel is playing much better than last season but isn’t getting the playing time he needs or deserves.
In midfield, Liverpool continues to be strong in the center but it’s too early to say that the wingers are proven. Benitez’s choice in the center of the park between Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso gives him so many proven options. Yossi Benayoun, as an attacking midfielder, is not the player he was at West Ham United.
On the wings, Liverpool’s Albert Riera has shone on the left. On the right wing, Dirk Kuyt is not the answer no matter how hard he tries. Jermaine Pennant isn’t the answer either. When Ryan Babel is added to the side, Benitez usually plays him on the left despite him being a right-footed player.
Martin Skrtel’s injury is a blessing in disguise for Liverpool, which will allow the return of the resilient Daniel Agger to Liverpool’s defence. As long as Agger regains his form and Sami Hyypia stays out of the side, Liverpool still has hope in the centre half positions.
Bottom line, Liverpool has more talent this season than any other one under Benitez. But Liverpool will suffer from a lack of consistency week-in, week-out. The club will continue to play well in the Champions League but won’t be able to maintain the same level of perfection in the Premier League. Pretty soon you’ll see Liverpool return to its own ways in the league where the club frustrates it fans by not winning the games it should. My prediction is that the Reds will be in their usual fourth or fifth place in the league by the end of October. Just wait and see.

Why Liverpool Won&#039;t Win The Premier League Title This Season - World Soccer Talk

Why Liverpool Won't Win The Premier League Title This Season

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
Poor Robbie Keane has joined the growing list of Liverpool players to be burgled over the not too distant past. He, along with at least six other players (now past and present) have had their homes burglarized in the Liverpool area. This makes me ask, after the first three, why wouldn’t the police force of Liverpool have taken a more proactive approach of finding the thief/thieves?
According to the police TV dramas I know, some sort of stake-out should be set up across the street of the possible next victim.&nbsp; Given that many of these players are multi-millionaires and probably live in a large home with expansive property, getting close might prove difficult. How can these homes not be set up with alarms or a security team of their own? Again, after a few guys are hit, wouldn’t the rest recognize a pattern and go to greater lengths to prevent such an event? Still, I wonder what the police make of all this…
Looking at Keane’s burglary closer, it seems to have taken place in a HOTEL PENTHOUSE SUITE all of places! Even a two-star hotel has some type of security, so you would think a hotel with a penthouse has all sorts of guys walking around with wires coming out of their ear.
Last December, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s home was burglarized. Keane’s place is the first this season. According to a report on The Guardian website, “The club put in place extra security for its stars and Keane is the first to be targeted since Gerrard’s home was raided.” Wow, what a novel and original thought! I have to wonder why that thought only occurred to them after FIVE OTHER GUYS got tagged. The only thing the coppers said about the raid on Keane’s house was that they “don’t believe it is linked with the others. It is almost like a spur of the moment thing and doesn’t look like a pre-planned operation.” But I didn’t see any further comment on what they plan to do to prevent more occurrences.
After seeing the post on EPL Talk regarding the surrounding neighborhood by Anfield stadium, I understand that cracking a case regarding a few items being stolen from a rich footballer might not be high on their “to-do” list, and these players can probably take care of themselves (with regards to security). Though this post can mostly be taken tongue-in-cheek, I do hope no one gets hurt during one of these “raids” because the police weren’t available to tend to this apparent spree.

What Do Liverpool Cops Do All Day? - World Soccer Talk

What Do Liverpool Cops Do All Day?

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>It’s certainly been a busy summer at White Hart Lane this year as Juande Ramos begins to weed out the players he feels are holding Spurs back over the last few weeks and looks to bring in the kind of players he feels can bring more silverware Tottenham’s way. With the exception of Robbie Keane, Ramos has certainly been busy shipping out some of the dead wood and replacing them wholesale. There can be no doubt that come August 16th at Middlesborough, the Tottenham team that walks out at the Riverside will certainly be a team that Ramos has stamped his influence on in every area of the pitch.
Since he joined Spurs in October last year, Ramos has fetched in 9 new players and shipped out 13, trying to concentrate on quality rather than quantity which often seemed to be the key transfer policy at Tottenham since Santini’s ill fated tenure back in 2004. At some points during the last 4 years,&nbsp;it seemed that Spurs were applying to break some kind of recruitment drive record,&nbsp; since chairman Daniel Levy decided to try and pull the Premiership’s perennial under achievers back toward the top end of the table.&nbsp; Tottenham have&nbsp;brought in an amazing 48 players in the last four years and let another 37 leave, incredible figures and one that beggars the question, how on earth did they finish 5th in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, never mind win the Carling Cup last season.&nbsp;
Ramos took over a talented team in free-fall, identified the issues and has so far addressed most of them. A leaky defence has been tightened up with the acquisitions of Alan Hutton, Jonathan Woodgate and Heurelho&nbsp;Gomes replacing Robinson, Chimbonda, Rocha, Dawson&nbsp;and Gardner&nbsp;with&nbsp;Gareth Bale’s return to fitness like another new signing. The midfield has a new look too with the delightful Luka Modric and Giovanni Dos Santos’ flair coupled with David Bentley’s wicked right foot&nbsp;to add quality to a sometimes lightweight area but it is up front that Ramos will have it all to do. The loss of Robbie Keane was unfortunate, but there was no standing in the way of Keane once Liverpool had made contact with the player. <div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" border="0" align="right" width="200" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20080807_WST_2828_darren_bent.webp&amp;width=200&amp;height=256" height="256"></figure></div>The £20 million paycheck will certainly help but Ramos knows he needs a proven top quality striker to support Darren Bent and the continued speculation over Dimitar Berbatov’s future cannot help matters. He knows he definitely needs one striker but he’ll probably need two which doesn’t help matters at all. Bent’s form in preseason has been incredible, hitting 9 goals in the last 10 days and he needs to hit the ground running for Spurs. Last season saw the striker struggle, but Bent seems to have been reborn since Keane’s departure. 2 hours after Keane’s transfer had been announced, Bent was hitting his 4th goal against Norwich City in a 5-1 win, a more timely announcement could not have been better planned by the like-able lad.
The baggage of displacing Keane and the hefty price tag that accompanied him from Charlton seemed to weigh the young lad down last season but he can certainly match Keane’s 23 goals of last season. In his two seasons Bent hit 31 goals in 68 games, almost 1 every 2 games. Add to that the fact that his second season at Charlton saw him often played up front as a lone striker&nbsp;as&nbsp;Charlton struggled all year at the foot of the table and his figures become even better. Ramos knows the lad can be his ace in the pack but he needs some help to get the goals.
In my opinion, Ramos has yet to make a mistake in his acquisitions and he knows that the striker issue is key to Tottenham’s campaign in both Europe and the Premiership. He knows Dos Santos can play up front as well as the left hand side of midfield and Dos Santos himself feels his best position is as a front man, but Ramos will realise if Berbatov gets his transfer, they are very light upfront and need more quality to match his other transfers. He also knows that this team stands on the threshold of maintaining a consistent attempt to break into the sacred land of the Premiership’s top 4 and also push for the UEFA Cup and&nbsp;his next couple of signings will be key.
Spurs need another experienced centre half to support the quality but injury prone duo of King and Woodgate, a defensive midfielder to support Huddlestone and Zokora&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;a top notch striker such as Huntelaar, Arshavin or Pavlyuchenko, yet Ramos will not need anyone tell him what&nbsp;and who is&nbsp;required and I look forward to see just who joins the White Hart Lane revolution next. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a very exciting season for Spurs fans and fans of attacking football in general.

Ramos&#039; Revolution Can Pay Dividends - World Soccer Talk

Ramos' Revolution Can Pay Dividends

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
It looks like the floodgates in the transfer window have opened. So far this summer, it seems that the majority of major transfer deals have started and ended at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane.
The spark was <a href="http:\/\/www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article4422164.ece" target="_blank">Robbie Keane’s move from Tottenham to Liverpool for 20.3 million pounds</a>. That allowed Spurs to finalize the deal with Blackburn for the <a href="http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/31/tottenhamhotspur.blackburn" target="_blank">15 million pound winger David Bentle</a>y.
Now, with cash in hand, <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1039975/The-Russians-coming--Bentley-Spurs-prepare-break-bank-49m-spree.html" target="_blank">Tottenham looks likely to purchase Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko</a>. If the two Russian stars arrive at Tottenham, that’ll likely mean that <a href="http:\/\/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1060567_united_set_for_berba_swoop?rss=yes?rss=yes" target="_blank">Dimitar Berbatov will be exiting White Hart Lane and moving to Manchester United</a>.
In many ways, Tottenham has become this summer’s Chelsea by playing an active role in the transfer market similar to how the Blues have conducted business in previous years. Tottenham is banking on the success of the new players and manager Juande Ramos this season. If Spurs isn’t able to mount a serious challenge this year, there’ll be hell to pay.
If Spurs are able to land Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko, the club probably won’t make any other major transfer signings but will instead concentrate on getting the side ready for the beginning of the new Premier League season scheduled for August 16.
After quite a silly season in the transfer market, deals are beginning to get signed and the excitement is building for the new season, one which promises to be the most competitive in many, many years.

England&#039;s Summer Transfer Market Begins And Ends At Tottenham - World Soccer Talk

England's Summer Transfer Market Begins And Ends At Tottenham

<a href="http:\/\/answers.polldaddy.com/poll/821690/">Who should Spurs buy with the money from the Robbie Keane transfer?</a> (<a href="http:\/\/www.polldaddy.com"> surveys</a>)

Poll: Who Should Tottenham Buy Next? - World Soccer Talk

Poll: Who Should Tottenham Buy Next?

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>Robbie Keane, one of the most prolific goalscorers in the history of the Premier League, has joined Liverpool from Spurs for £19 million, which could increase to £20.3 million depending on appearances.
The move is an excellent coup for Liverpool who are desperate for a proven striker to partner Fernando Torres up front. The skilfull Irishman is the perfect spark that the Reds need to put away those golden chances that players such as Kuyt and Voronin typically miss.
While £19 million is a lot of money for a 28-year old striker, Liverpool fans can guarantee that Robbie Keane will explode for the Reds in two ways: (1) on the pitch, in the form of goals, and (2) with his infamous temper tantrums aimed at his managers.
The challenge for Liverpool will be to keep Keane content at the Merseyside club. This is the type of player who is so passionate about playing that he often gets into a rage when substituted. With Liverpool often playing a 4-5-1 and Torres as the preferred striker, it makes you wonder how soon it’ll be before we see Keane’s fiery temper and whether the striker can shake off the reality of not continually being one of the eleven Liverpool starters.
Tottenham has already distanced itself from the transfer deal in order to quel the expected fury of Spurs fans. In a <a href="http:\/\/www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/keanetoliverpool.html" target="_blank">letter on its website</a>, Tottenham chairman David Levy said, “I don’t regard it as a transfer deal – that is something which happens between two clubs when they both agree to trade – this is very much an enforced sale, for which we have agreed a sum of £19m as compensation plus a potential further £1.3m in additional compensation.”
In addition to paying Tottenham £19 million for Keane, Liverpool FC has acknowledged that the way its website reported comments of its manager, which were widely covered by the media, was inappropriate and in light of that acknowledgement has apologised and agreed to make a donation to the Club’s main charity, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Now that Keane has officially joined Liverpool, Tottenham fans will be expecting the north London club to acquire a world-class striker to replace the Irishman. Spurs fans will also be nervous about the future of Dimitar Berbatov and whether the Bulgarian will be staying at White Hart Lane or not.
Just as the transfer of Paul Robinson from Tottenham to Blackburn was in the best interest of Robinson, the move for Keane to Liverpool is a smart move for the Irish striker. He has the potential to quickly become a Kop favorite as well as playing in the Champions League this season — something he was unable to do at Spurs.

Robbie Keane Is A Ticking Time Bomb Waiting To Explode At Liverpool - World Soccer Talk

Robbie Keane Is A Ticking Time Bomb Waiting To Explode At Liverpool

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
Sometimes it’s hard to fathom, but the Big Four as we know them won’t be able to sustain their power forever. At some point in time, one or more of those four will be dislodged and replaced by a new heavyweight. The question is, what team is capable of breaking the monopoly and which of the four clubs will be the first to drop from their mighty perch?
Call me insane, but I honestly believe that this upcoming season will see a shift in the power of English football. The club that will shake up the league reside in London N17 and is named Tottenham Hotspur.
Supporters of Spurs have been used to having their hopes built up only for them to come crashing down, but this season will be different. This will be the first full season that Juande Ramos, one of the best managers in the game, will be in charge. Last season’s experience was a good introduction for Ramos to learn more about his players, the Premier League and how things are different in England. With that knowledge under his belt, Ramos is now ready to deploy his tactical expertise in the matches against the Big Four and the other teams in the Premiership.
The four main reasons why the 16 Premier League clubs outside the Big Four have been unable to dethrone Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are:
<ol>
<li>The 16 Premier League clubs have less money to spend on proven players,</li>
<li>The Big Four have better players to choose from, both on and off the bench, and</li>
<li>The clubs outside the top four have a lack of self belief and, as a result, psychologically think they’re unable to beat the Big Four,</li>
<li>The 16 clubs don’t have the consistency and staying power throughout the entire season to mount a serious challenge.</li>
</ol>
With Tottenham, I believe that under Ramos they have the answer and are able to meet the four main requirements to break into the top four.
Consider these facts:
<ul>
<li>The club has spent more money this summer than any other Premier League side</li>
<li>Spurs has signed the most new talent such as Luka Modric and Giovanni Dos Santos</li>
<li>Tottenham now has a team who is strong in every position</li>
<li>Psychologically, Juande Ramos is turning this Spurs side into winners, and</li>
<li>Ramos is continuing to work on the fitness of the team to ensure they can play the whole season at 100%.</li>
</ul>
This is not Martin Jol’s Tottenham Hotspur. The team has been spending the summer at an exclusive golf resort in Spain where Ramos has been putting the team through its paces. I have a strong feeling about Spurs this season. I may be proven wrong, but I really believe they’ll be able to crack the top four.
Who will be the team most likely to drop out of the top four to make room for Tottenham? It has to be Liverpool. I’ve been unimpressed by Rafa Benitez’s summer signings so far. It seems like he hasn’t been given the money to get a star signing and he instead is buying another crop of players who will quickly go through the Liverpool system and be sold in the next couple of years.
The key for Tottenham is to hold on to Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov. That struggle may seem fruitless but it seems that Tottenham are fighting to hold on to them. If they are sold, then Ramos will need to make some astute signings to find players with that caliber. Both Keane and Berbatov are dynamite up front and are one of the best striking partnerships in the world when they’re on song.
It’s time for Spurs to make White Hart Lane a fortress. With the ground possessing some of the most passionate football fans in the country, it’s already an intimidating atmosphere for opposition teams. But what the club needs to do this season is to take it to the next level and to make it like Stamford Bridge where Chelsea are undefeated in the league for years. Clubs need to fear playing at White Hart Lane.
What do you think? Share your feedback below by clicking the comments link.

Tottenham Hotspur Is Ready To Crack The Big Four - World Soccer Talk

Tottenham Hotspur Is Ready To Crack The Big Four

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
Robbie Keane bitches
He whines he wanks he whinges
Bottles when it counts
Arsenal squeaked out a 2-1 win over Tottenham in the North London Derby. They were not very convincing, but, unlike last season, it was an unconvincing win.
The match began rather creepily with a friendly handshake between Ramos and Wenger. Gunners fans will miss the murderous glares and terse interactions between Arsene and Fat Tony.
Adebayor scored a brilliant goal from Fabregas’ back-heel. Bendtner had a brilliant one as well. The Gunners are developing what Tottenham thought they were paying big money for, a dynamic and versatile strike-force. The scariest part is that they are only going to get better, with the elder-statesman, Robin Van Persie, a mere twenty-four years old.
The penalty on Toure was a bit harsh. He did appear to have hit the ball before Berbatov’s leg. Berbatov was teetering around like a drunken college girl after a few too many glasses of jungle juice, waiting to go down. Imagine how good Berbatov would be if he could actually move.
“Keane does not miss.”
Manchester United also achieved a rather tenuous victory 2-1 over Everton. Ronaldo’s magnificent finish for the first goal prominently displayed why he may be the preeminent talent in international football. His second goal displayed why he gets overrated, his goal tallies are paded by penalties.
Everton certainly did enough to get a result in the match, and were only foiled by a stupid penalty. For the Toffees to break into the top four, however, they need to turn their gritty performances against the top sides into results. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Liverpool crushed Pompey 4-1. This was a rather unexpected result, as Liverpool have been sup-par at Anfield this season and Portsmouth have been stellar away from Fratton Park. Though the pool are the better’s bane, as you never know which side will show up. Benitez chose a positive starting XI and they lit up the scoreboard for four goals. They would have had a few more if Dirk Kuyt could actually play football. Distin’s own goal would have been a Torres goal if Kuyt hadn’t played the ball two yards behind him.
Portsmouth’s performance spoke for itself. The defense was terrible. Sol Campbell’s mind was obviously too concerned with human rights violations to concentrate. A full beard is a quite fetching look, unfortunately for David James, his comes in patchy. Arry Redknapp’s jowels have their own jowels.
Chelsea beat Blackburn 1-0, continuing the Avram Revolution of flowing, attacking football.
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Odds and Sods - World Soccer Talk

Christmas Eve Odds and Sods

Latest news from Robbie Keane. Find out about all the news related to Robbie Keane on worldsoccertalk.com

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Robbie Keane - Page 2"

General

Big weekend for…

General

Why Liverpool Won't Win The Premier League Title This Season

Liverpool

What Do Liverpool Cops Do All Day?

General

Ramos' Revolution Can Pay Dividends

General

England's Summer Transfer Market Begins And Ends At Tottenham

General

Poll: Who Should Tottenham Buy Next?

General

Robbie Keane Is A Ticking Time Bomb Waiting To Explode At Liverpool

General

Tottenham Hotspur Is Ready To Crack The Big Four

General

Christmas Eve Odds and Sods