[Archived] Keith Andrews - Rovers Newest Signing

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

For someone who professes to be bored and annoyed by this topic, you do seem to post pretty regularly TCJ.

I think the way it works is this:

Andrews has bad game, is slated (sometimes fairly, sometimes not)

Andrews has a good game, is praised by a few members, but is mostly slated regardless by a minority who have decided he cannot physically have a good game.

Therein lies the difference. No matter how great he plays (and he was pretty good for Ireland yesterday), he'll never be given equal amounts of praise and disapproval unlike most other players.

Oh and the earlier comment about there being a split of "people are biased/support Andrews" and those who "aren't blinkered and can criticise and have decided KA is sheet" made me laugh. They are both types of bias.

[tcj_jones]

For someone who professes to be bored and annoyed by this topic, you do seem to post pretty regularly TCJ.

It's more Jonnolad that I'm bored and annoyed with.

[broadsword]

Don't respond to him then, if no-one picked holes in his epeated argument, he'd soon get bored of talking to himself.

Next time you see a post from him that winds you up. count to ten before responding

[ffan]

I was at the game yesterday and Andrews was fantastic.

I kept an eye on him when he wasn't near the ball and his positioning and workrate were excellent.

Top class performance.

[BuckyRover]

I saw that he was voted Irelands MOTM, against a nation that has been in two of the last three world cup finals.

Priceless.

[Fife Rover]

What makes you think that only the people who don't rate him are being unfair Fife? Surely you don't go for this "don't say anything that isn't really good" nonsense?

Improvement in KA Fife? The last game was Portsmouth at home where he came on as a second half sub. The previous two games were Man Utd and Chelsea - 2-0 and 5-0. Seriously, did you see good performances there?

Fife I'm a bit surprised by you especially. You've been around rovers a hell of a lot longer than me and you must have seen some absolute class midfielders in your time. You must know quality when you see it.

I most certainly have Den, but being as fair as I can be I have to point out that to compare todays' players with those of the 40's to 60's is just not viable because the game then was in every way far different to the game as it develped from the middle 60's onwards. The game then was one of attack rather than defence and the formation was exclusively 2-3-5 right up until in the early 60's when Leeds Utd under Don Revie started to play far more defensively and only going for goals when there was an opportunity to break forward. This was the start of the long slide into boredom that killed off many thousands of fans who simply lost interest in having the primary aim as "dont lose" and any draw or scraping a 1-0 win was regarded as an achievement.

Players like Mathews, Finney, Mannion, and many others were supreme entertainers. There honestly is no player playing today that I find as anywhere near as skillful or entertaining. Rovers own Clayton, Douglas, Quigley, Langton, Bell, Crossan, Vernon, McCleod, Dobing etc were great to watch and I have only mentioned a selection of wingers, inside forwards, and wing halves who were primarily attacking players but they had to (and did) blend into a superbly entertaining whole when combined with their other team mates. Also there was in every team a CF who's job was to primarily to score goals but they also were good at holding the ball up and running at defenders, usually good with either foot and head as well.

Now if you add into the mix the fact that in the 20 or so years after WW2 there was also virtually complete fairness and competition in all divisions of the Football League and when you looked at the clubs that populated the top two divisions over all those years with the up's and down's each season you can see that there was no such thing as "Big Club; Little Club"; every club could and did have their day in the sun and their day in doldrums and that included ALL the big City clubs as well as the likes of PNE, Burnley, Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton, Grimsby, etc etc.

Perhaps now you will begin to understand why I loathe the set-up today with the get rich quick attitude of the various PL's, the FA, FIFA etc and to say nothing of the snivelling creeping media as well.

There now I feel much better for that!!! Thanks for asking the question Den, althogh I wouldn't mind betting that you are now wishing you hadn't!

[47er]

I get sick of people saying "he's not the best central mid-fielder in the Premiership but he's not the worst either". Could one of these posters please tell me exactly who is the worst then? Seriously, I mean it, I'm really interested in who regularly plays a worse example than Andrews.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

The last team we played had a worse player - Mokoena.

And please don't suggest he's worse than the Axe. Absence hasn't made my heart any fonder, Moko was terrible.

[Steve Moss]

20 EPL teams = 40 EPL starting center midfielders including Keith (assuming a line of 4).

Assuming you ranked then 1-40, and Keith came in last, Keith would still be an EPL starting center midfielder.

Don't get me wrong. I think the club can improve on Keith. But that does not mean he is terrible. He gets far too much stick. He is a good squad player who has been thrust into the starting position due to the injuries of others. If you want him off the field, the answer is not to sell him but to get other, better choices fit. Use him as he should be used, as an emergency sub. He stays fit and he tries hard. He is a valuable for that reason alone, as our other midfielders apparently cannot achieve even those minimal objectives on a regular basis.

[Tom]

The last team we played had a worse player - Mokoena.

And please don't suggest he's worse than the Axe. Absence hasn't made my heart any fonder, Moko was terrible.

Say what you want about the axe but things may have been a lot worse without him the season he signed

[JAL]

In other words you can't answer that question - good start! The only conclusion is you know more than Allardyce does when it comes to football though.

Do you think so? What do you think the board will ask; "Sam, why did you keep a player that you've played in every match so far?"

Relegated from the Championship eh? A team with the likes of Given, Dunne, O'Shea and Keane, not to mention a whole host of other premier league regulars would be relegated from the championship? A team that held the current world champions, home and away, would be relegated from the championship?

So let's get this straight - every football writer, in every paper, every week don't know anything about football. It makes you wonder why people read them eh!

So in conclusion:

1) You know more about football than Sam Allardyce.

2) The board will be asking Sam why he's kept a player that he's played in every game so far.

3) A team consisting mostly of multi-million pound premier league players, who have held their own, home and away, against the current world champions, would be relegated from the championship.

4) Every football writer, in every paper, don't know anything about football.

Plastichead, I've got to ask - are you really this stupid or is it just an act

Incidentally, tcj_jones is this what you mean when you say I'm made to look silly?

Jonnolad, Andrews like you say is simply all talk with NO positive action.

Andrews embarrassed himself away to ManU and Chelsea, these were his moments or opportunities to shine and turn things around convince doubters like myself, sadly he couldnt do it.

[tashor]

Ok - I've had enough of the tripe posted on this thread by the local retards......

Now, what do I think of Keef ??

Drum, drum, tiddle de pom de poe...keef....( Diminuendo )

Drum, drum, tiddle de pom de poe...keef....( Diminuendo )

As it happens I posted a little ditty 'bout R man......

He makes me laugh, he makes me cry

With a twinkle of his eye

He runs like a girl he’s on Sky

He runs like a girl and I wish that he was mine

He runs like a girl, oh me, oh my

I see, I sigh, now I know

We can't let Andrews go

He prances here and he prances there

People stop and people stare

'Cause he runs like a girl he’s on Sky

He runs like a girl and I wish that he was mine

He runs like a girl, oh me, oh my

I see, I sigh, now I know

We can't let Andrews go

Oh, he runs like a girl he’s on Sky

He runs like a girl and I wish that he was mine

He runs like a girl, oh me, oh my

I see, I sigh, now I know

We can't let Andrews go

Oh, yes he runs like a girl he’s on Sky

He runs like a girl and I wish that he was mine

Oh yes, I wish that he was mine

He runs like a girl, oh me, oh my

I see, I sigh, now I know

We can't let Andrews go

Ooh

Clearly he is not the greatest player to don a Rovers shirt.....

Skills 4 out of ten......

Physical ability 5 out of ten.....

Effort 8 out of ten.........

But after a career of mediocrity he has been given his chance in the glorious Blue 'n' White and has grabbed it with a passion that even his nearest and dearest must regard with surprise.......

Anyone who regards his efforts for us with disappointment is, frankly, dimwitted.....

He has clearly surpassed all expectation..........

And is, in fact, picked by an experienced Premier League AND International manager ( yes, I know both sides have limited options.......BUT STILL!!...........)

I am not going to debase myself ( and get this post obliterated by R glorious deleters ) so I will not use an unpleasant word beginninig with C and rhyming with runt to describe the pathetic posters hereabouts who are Rovers fans in disconsolation only..........

But I do feel forced to point out that at this point any so called fan that does not yell and shout and scream to give R keef all the backing he has so earned by his wholehearted efforts and genuine persona is an utter [removed] ( anagram ) .........

[Miker]

Ok - I've had enough of the tripe posted on this thread by the local retards......

Now, what do I think of Keef ??

Drum, drum, tiddle de pom de poe...keef....( Diminuendo )

Drum, drum, tiddle de pom de poe...keef....( Diminuendo )

As it happens I posted a little ditty 'bout R man......

Clearly he is not the greatest player to don a Rovers shirt.....

Skills 4 out of ten......

Physical ability 5 out of ten.....

Effort 8 out of ten.........

But after a career of mediocrity he has been given his chance in the glorious Blue 'n' White and has grabbed it with a passion that even his nearest and dearest must regard with surprise.......

Anyone who regards his efforts for us with disappointment is, frankly, dimwitted.....

He has clearly surpassed all expectation..........

And is, in fact, picked by an experienced Premier League AND International manager ( yes, I know both sides have limited options.......BUT STILL!!...........)

I am not going to debase myself ( and get this post obliterated by R glorious deleters ) so I will not use an unpleasant word beginninig with C and rhyming with runt to describe the pathetic posters hereabouts who are Rovers fans in disconsolation only..........

But I do feel forced to point out that at this point any so called fan that does not yell and shout and scream to give R keef all the backing he has so earned by his wholehearted efforts and genuine persona is an utter [removed] ( anagram ) .........

Nice post tashor, I said something similar a while back. He maybe deserves his critics, but he doesn't deserve to be vilified as much as he has been by a large number of fans.

[47er]

The last team we played had a worse player - Mokoena.

And please don't suggest he's worse than the Axe. Absence hasn't made my heart any fonder, Moko was terrible.

OK I'll buy that for the sake of argument. One Premier League club has a worse central midfielder than we do. Agreed?

[Majiball]

OK I'll buy that for the sake of argument. One Premier League club has a worse central midfielder than we do. Agreed?

So last year we had the two worst central midfielders in our league on the books?

[tcj_jones]

Ok - I've had enough of the tripe posted on this thread by the local retards......

Now, what do I think of Keef ??

Drum, drum, tiddle de pom de poe...keef....( Diminuendo )

Drum, drum, tiddle de pom de poe...keef....( Diminuendo )

As it happens I posted a little ditty 'bout R man......

Clearly he is not the greatest player to don a Rovers shirt.....

Skills 4 out of ten......

Physical ability 5 out of ten.....

Effort 8 out of ten.........

But after a career of mediocrity he has been given his chance in the glorious Blue 'n' White and has grabbed it with a passion that even his nearest and dearest must regard with surprise.......

Anyone who regards his efforts for us with disappointment is, frankly, dimwitted.....

He has clearly surpassed all expectation..........

And is, in fact, picked by an experienced Premier League AND International manager ( yes, I know both sides have limited options.......BUT STILL!!...........)

I am not going to debase myself ( and get this post obliterated by R glorious deleters ) so I will not use an unpleasant word beginninig with C and rhyming with runt to describe the pathetic posters hereabouts who are Rovers fans in disconsolation only..........

But I do feel forced to point out that at this point any so called fan that does not yell and shout and scream to give R keef all the backing he has so earned by his wholehearted efforts and genuine persona is an utter [removed] ( anagram ) .........

What exactly is your point? I lost track after the first five sentences of nonsensical [removed].

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

OK I'll buy that for the sake of argument. One Premier League club has a worse central midfielder than we do. Agreed?

I only chose Mokoena as he was one of the last 2 central midfielders we played against. Didn't need to look any further than that, the point was proven incorrect without any sort of in depth analysis needed. Frankly, can't be arsed looking at teamsheets and typing out names.

[Tris]

For someone who professes to be bored and annoyed by this topic, you do seem to post pretty regularly TCJ.

It's more Jonnolad that I'm bored and annoyed with.

Ok - I've had enough of the tripe posted on this thread by the local retards......

Now, what do I think of Keef ??

What exactly is your point? I lost track after the first five sentences of nonsensical bullshit.

If it's Jonnolad you're annoyed with on this thread tcj, it seems rather strange to tear into tashor on only his second post on the subject.

A world class manager (Trap) got a world class performance out of Andrews last night, against a supposedly world class team with their world class midfield. Despite the fact that Andrews himself is far from world class, and was surrounded by colleagues who are also well below average.

No Rovers fan can take that away, even though the ultimate prize was robbed from the entire Ireland team.

Most Irish players will return to their clubs proud and motivated, even if gutted. They will take deserved praise and consolation from their fans.

Keith Andrews (apparently MoM in some quarters yesterday) will come back to ridicule and hate at Blackburn Rovers because of entrenched views like your own.

Perhaps Allardyce is partly to blame, for picking him and then restricting him (as he restricts all his players). In which case, question the manager rather than the player.

There are kids all over Ireland - in fact all over the world - kids with a bit of ability, but perhaps not the shining light in their particular year group -- daring to dream that they can reach the same world stage which Keith Andrews reached last night. He deserved and Ireland deserved to go one better to the ultimate month of football, the World Cup Finals.

That in itself is a massive inspiration, and we should be proud of our player. I struggle to understand why our own fans are using this situation to further undermine Keith Andrews.

[S15]

You're now managing to place blame on Allardyce for Andrews not been good for us based on one performance against the worst French team of the last 15 years?

Are you for real?

[Miker]

If it's Jonnolad you're annoyed with on this thread tcj, it seems rather strange to tear into tashor on only his second post on the subject.

A world class manager (Trap) got a world class performance out of Andrews last night, against a supposedly world class team with their world class midfield. Despite the fact that Andrews himself is far from world class, and was surrounded by colleagues who are also well below average.

No Rovers fan can take that away, even though the ultimate prize was robbed from the entire Ireland team.

Most Irish players will return to their clubs proud and motivated, even if gutted. They will take deserved praise and consolation from their fans.

Keith Andrews (apparently MoM in some quarters yesterday) will come back to ridicule and hate at Blackburn Rovers because of entrenched views like your own.

Perhaps Allardyce is partly to blame, for picking him and then restricting him (as he restricts all his players). In which case, question the manager rather than the player.

There are kids all over Ireland - in fact all over the world - kids with a bit of ability, but perhaps not the shining light in their particular year group -- daring to dream that they can reach the same world stage which Keith Andrews reached last night. He deserved and Ireland deserved to go one better to the ultimate month of football, the World Cup Finals.

That in itself is a massive inspiration, and we should be proud of our player. I struggle to understand why our own fans are using this situation to further undermine Keith Andrews.

The difference between a club and an international team is that an international team isn't threatened by relegation. So every team goes out to play for the win and is setup tactically to achieve that as well. On the other hand, for a club like ours, in some games, such as games against the big four and even away games in general, we can't always just set up in an attacking way where we can easily be exposed. So while I do agree with you in some ways, I don't think you can just point at Sam and say he should be getting stellar performances from Andrews week in, week out. The truth is he's actually done decently in the games where we've gone on to win, so I would say Sam is capable enough of getting a good performance from him.

I do agree that on occasion, mainly against the big four, Sam restricts Andrews role and it's resulted in below par performances.

[jw_]

On the other hand, for a club like ours, in some games, such as games against the big four and even away games in general, we can't always just set up in an attacking way where we can easily be exposed.

Why not, if we play defensively (putting it mildly) we still most times get beat,attacking has a way of bringing good results, not to mention pride in the team, it's good for morale.

[Roaming Rover]

The aspect of RoI not getting to the world cup I'm most disappointed with, is all those who hate Keith (and I mean hate, not just don’t think he's good enough) having to watch him play in a World Cup Final. That would have been priceless

Also, the comments he was embarrassed in the Man U and Chelsea games Did you not watch those games???? The whole team was embarrassed in the Chelsea games and with the exception of the defence the Utd game as well, so why make out it was just one player?!?!?!

The guy gives his all, tries hard for the team, sometimes plays pretty well, sometimes could do better. But to be honest that sums up our squad for me. If they were consistent performers at this level they would, in all honesty not be playing for Blackburn Rovers.

Yes we need more quality in midfield, but we are not going to get that over night and we are not going to have 4 or 5 players of Dunnys ability in the squad, one as they would not be happy on the bench and two, we couldn’t afford it. So I’,m afraid people we will have to put up with Mr Andrews for a little bit longer. Isn’t life just s**t

[JAL]

Watching Andrews playing for Rovers is that I just dont see him setting up attacks or being capable of stopping the oppositions attacks, with this I've got to ask what can or does he do that is worth while for the team.

Hes always there or close by but then again summing up Keith Andrews he so close but yet so far away.

[47er]

I only chose Mokoena as he was one of the last 2 central midfielders we played against. Didn't need to look any further than that, the point was proven incorrect without any sort of in depth analysis needed. Frankly, can't be arsed looking at teamsheets and typing out names.

It wouldn't take you long!

[alexanders]

I think it is actually quite interesting that Andrews have performed very well for ROI and not only the match against France. I have seen a couple of ROI WC qual games and he's been good. I also thought Andrews was one of the better players at Rovers during Ince's spell, but have been dissapointed with him after Sam came in and especially this season.

Now I wonder if that has something to do with the tasks Keith's get during Rovers games. IMO his best at breaking up play and running from midfield position to create chances - a poor man's Lampard maybe. This is also how he scored his goals last season - when he came from his midfield position to blast a couple of shots in the net. We all remember the goal against West Brom in the dying seconds of the game.

I wonder if actually Keith Andrews has something good about him IF used correctly.

I would love it if some people who have seen more of him at especially ROI games would enlighten me about what type of role/style he/Ireland are playing.

Cheers in advance.

About the worst central midfielders in the EPL. The following are IMO worse than Andrews:

- Mokoena

- Tainio

- Barmby

- Boateng

- Castillo