Defoe + Keane: Will it work?

[SlickMongoose]

This has come up a few times in other threads, mostly relating to summer transfers, but I haven't seen a thread on it specifically.

Harry definitely thinks it will work, else he wouldn't have bought them both. Defoe is one of his favourites, and enjoys playing for him. Keane is our best other striker and didn't come back to sit on the bench. I'm certain that as soon as Defoe is fit, they'll be played together.

But Jol tried it again and again and the vast majority of those times, it was rubbish.

So will it work? I don't see it myself. It never has in the past. They don't offer an outlet for the defence, nor can they win any headers against centre backs. Plus it gives us nothing for defending corners. Add in the fact that our other best attacking players are Modric and Lennon. It'll take massive discipline to keep the ball on the floor all the time, and I don't think we can do it.

Thoughts?

 

[DoublePivot]

My thought is that Robbie seemed to learn a bit about linking play when he was working with Berbatov. Don't get me wrong, he could do it before, but since he returned he's been fantastic at it. This makes me think that Harry is right and the two can work together as Robbie can link and Jermain can play off the last man.

I think Jol was right, back then, they couldn't play together, but Berbatov's legacy might be that his partnership with Robbie made him an all around better forward, rather than just a striker.

So I'm looking forward to seeing them play together and I do believe it will work.

 

[donny1013]

The way we play i think they can work. It's not like we are getting high crosses into the box for our towering CF's to head. We are playing football, on the deck as it should be played and i think this time round they can work. Such a shame JD got injured for so long but hopefully he is back before the end of the season

 

[Mullers]

In theory it could work Defoe seems to have added bit more to his game.
But how long would it be before people start saying "we need a big man up front. Lets get Jones, Zamora, Harewood etc"

 

[mil1lion]

Its worked lately with Bent and Keane up front. So theres no reason why it cant work with Defoe and Keane up front. It just means that we wont win headers up front. But Bent isn't too good in the air anyway, neither is Pav. And Defoe makes better runs, and has a better touch than Bent. Plus he can score from distance. So all in all, i think it will work better than our current striker partnership.

 

[idlepete]

It can work now we have a fully functioning midfield. But we'll still need target men as well, and there'll be rotation, and toys thrown out of prams when players get dropped, and all that. Which is exactly as it should be. It's a fucking awesome problem for Spurs to have and I'm glad we've got it again. I dunno what people are whinging about.

 

[fazza]

With the way Harry has the team playing now yes it will easily work as we no longer need a tall guy upfront, Keane would still drop back with Defoe as the main threat.

 

[VancouverSpurs]

I voted no because I don't think Harry will try to play them as a two man partnership. I think he might try to play a 4-3-3 or perhaps a Liverpool-esque 4-2-3-1 with Keane and Defoe working just behind a target man.

I think Bent will be shipped out no matter what this summer to fund Harry's search for his target man to hold the ball up and lay it off to others.

 

[robofan]

only have to wait another week and will soon find out :wink: :silenced:

 

[gibbs131]

Of course not.

 

[yanno]

only have to wait another week and will soon find out :wink: :silenced:

So Defoe's almost fit, eh?

If JD's looking sharp in training, I'm pretty sure that Redknapp will try pairing Defoe & Keane for the rest of the season. And then we'll see.

If it works - great!

If it doesn't work, especially away from home, with Dawson in the team lumping it forwards from CB rather than passing it through our midfield, then both Redknapp and Defoe will have a decision to make this summer.

I'd far rather we found out whether Defoe and Keane can play together in the last few weeks of this season, rather than wait till next.

 

[thetallaghttiger]

Circumstances may have changed.

I think Defoe has improved as a player, Keane is a much more responsible player than before.

THEREFORE, I'm hopeful the partnership could work. (though I'm far from 100% sure! )

One thing is certain though, they deserve the chance to play together for a few games. Hopefully this can be the last few games of this season!

 

[Matt Hammond]

we don't really have a big man up front now. bent and pav can't win a ball in the air if they are under any pressure. lennon's crosses are better into feet than in the air, and who gives a shite if dawson and co can't pump long balls. sounds to me like keane + defoe should be given a second chance.

 

[JamesTheYiddo]

No.

 

[THOWIG]

We would get ripped to shreds. We can't play a front four of Modric, Lennon, Keane and Defoe. It's ok to have little players in midfield, but unless Harry changes the entire way we play then Keane Defoe is not going to work. You all secretly know it, but all of a sudden we are 11th and a Keane Defoe strike force is going to steer us into the Champions league next season .

 

[tony_parkes]

It could work, I feel Defoe is a slightly better player this time round and benefited from playing weekin week out at Pompey. Hopefully we have a strong platform definsively and in midfield for them to play from.

Bent and Keane are doing well at the mo and Bent is not the typical target man in terms of the way he plays or in stature.

Let's give it a chance, I feel many are writing this off before it has begun.

 

[yogibear]

It won`t work, end off. Keane, Defoe, Lennon and Modders what are we going to do run through the oppositions legs

 

[THOWIG]

Have people forgotten we've already had these two players before? Defoe looks exactly the same to me from when he left and Keane is busting a gut after being found out at Liverpool. We need to improve the forwards end of.

 

[idlepete]

Have people forgotten we've already had these two players before?

Yeah, those two fifth place finishes, all those goals they scored, other teams living in fear of our 'embarrassment of riches' up front... they were dark days, man, dark days.

 

[mil1lion]

They haven't been given time to form an effective partnership yet. Give them time together, and theres no reason it cant work. Besides, its not so much a question of whether those 2 can play together, as whether we can play with those 2. And we've been rotating the squad all season long anyway. Thats unlikely to change. So it isn't likely that those 2 will start every game. I expect Harry to use the squad wisely, and play the likes of Bent and Pavyluchenko aswell. Especially against more physical sides. Defoe and Keane will work in some games, but not in others. So its not exactly a simple can they or cant they play together.

End of :grin: