[Archived] Keith Andrews - Rovers Newest Signing

[BRFC1995]

Isn't it funny, if a team like Bolton, Wigan or Stoke signed Keith this summer for a million or two this summer, as im sure he would have got a move without us from MK Dons, their would be praise for the team buying him and the fans would be chuffed.

But because some Rovers fans considered this Paul Ince doing him a favour, he doesn't/we don't get half the credit he/we deserve...

I'm not saying he's a world beater, but he is definately a step up from Mokoena and the likes. I'd also go as far to say he represents far far better value for money then Grella...

not really setting the bar too high for him comparing him to grella. Niether should get a start based on their respective attributes next season and i'd be hugely suprised if they where in sams thoughts as starters come the first day of the season.

andrews can stay as i presume he can't be on more than 7-8k per week and can mke the numbers up............grella on the otherhand makes me wonder why tugs can't get a contract, there is simply nothing to his game that makes him standout i just wonder why we signed a complete non entity.

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Keith Andrews played a peach of a pass to Robbie Keane who didnt have to break stride before rounding the goalkeeper to score.

Rep Ireland 1 - Nigeria 1 HT (playing at Craven Cottage)

Nice to see Eddie Nolan get a full debut too.

[Tony Diamond Inc]

To compare Andrews with Grella, is like comparing Paul Shepstone with Steven Gerrard!

Ridiculous!

Andrews is industrious, yet impossibly out of his depth...get rid.

[broadsword]

I think the difference is that we know Keef's level. We are yet to REALLY see what Grella can do (altho that may be being unfair on Keef?)

How can you know what Grella can do if you haven't seen it yet?

I can't see Grella or keithy lasting too much longer.

[Tris]

To compare Andrews with Grella, is like comparing Paul Shepstone with Steven Gerrard!

Ridiculous!

Andrews is industrious, yet impossibly out of his depth...get rid.

Certainly wasn't out of his depth tonight, man of the match in a full international game against Nigeria, playing further forward than we're used to seeing him. The great cushioned pass for Keane's goal and a nice long range effort on goal from 30 years [edit = yards!] which went just over stand out.

We may have got a gem here - a very flexible and much maligned gem - but a real asset to our squad nonetheless.

[broadsword]

Bloody hell, a shot that travelled for 30 years!

the ball must be a bit knackered.

[Tris]

Bloody hell, a shot that travelled for 30 years!

it was that good ...

[grizfoot]

To compare Andrews with Grella, is like comparing Paul Shepstone with Steven Gerrard!

Ridiculous!

Andrews is industrious, yet impossibly out of his depth...get rid.

From what I've seen so far Andrews and Grella are of a similiar quality I'd say. Grella may be better in the tackle but I think Keith is the better passer of the football I've seen a number of world-class long-range passes from him this season. I remember one in the last game against West Brom must have been a full 40-yards and landed straight at the feet of Pedersen. He's definately shown glimpses of quality and remember Andrews has been used in a unnatural right-back position this season and apart from a couple of bad moments he's done okay, needs to improve his tackling though (often clumsy and reckless). Grella on the other hand has been steady but nothing more and doesn't nearly have the same range of passing, he does try long-range passes but they usually go out of play and he gives away possession frequently.

If you ask me which was the best of Ince's signings between thoose two, I'd say Andrews was the better. Hopefully Grella will improve next season and prove me wrong and in addition hopefully Keith will improve further. I just wish the fans would get behind Andrews and all our players for that matter, but unfornately I think some of you will always be blinkered when it comes to Andrews and will never rate him no matter what he does.

[thenodrog]

From what I've seen so far Andrews and Grella are of a similiar quality I'd say. Grella may be better in the tackle but I think Keith is the better passer of the football I've seen a number of world-class long-range passes from him this season. I remember one in the last game against West Brom must have been a full 40-yards and landed straight at the feet of Pedersen. He's definately shown glimpses of quality and remember Andrews has been used in a unnatural right-back position this season and apart from a couple of bad moments he's done okay, needs to improve his tackling though (often clumsy and reckless). Grella on the other hand has been steady but nothing more and doesn't nearly have the same range of passing, he does try long-range passes but they usually go out of play and he gives away possession frequently.

If you ask me which was the best of Ince's signings between thoose two, I'd say Andrews was the better. Hopefully Grella will improve next season and prove me wrong and in addition hopefully Keith will improve further. I just wish the fans would get behind Andrews and all our players for that matter, but unfornately I think some of you will always be blinkered when it comes to Andrews and will never rate him no matter what he does.

World class???!!!! Oh FFS!

[malk]

The treatment Andrews has got this year has been nothing short of shocking... that is except for the fact that none of the guff that comes from football fan's mouths will ever shock me.

He took a while to settle and, like the rest of the squad, was awful under Ince. Once Allardyce came in his performances have been perfectly adequate, especially as a right back. He didn't cost much and does his job well. He's our Darren Fletcher after a sense.

For a team like us, cheap versatile players are invaluable. And if Geo Trappatoni thinks he's good enough (not to mention Allardyce) then I'll at the very least give him next season as a squad player before condemning him as balls.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

World class???!!!! Oh FFS!

It was Tugayesque.

I'd say closer to 60 yards as well, from just inside his own half to Pedersen stood a few yards from the corner flag. At the time everyone amount simultaneously commented on what a pass it was.

But nevermind, eh?

[CrazyIvan]

Right, since the debate about Keith Andrews rages on in the Paul Ince thread, I thought I'd post something more interesting here. Compare KA's statistics against, for example, Gareth Barry last season.

Go on, have a go.

[tcj_jones]

And yet Barry has just gone to City for £12m while Keith Andrews looks set for a bench role next season at a side that narrowly escaped relegation last season.

While certainly useful, the stats don't always reflect reality.

[CrazyIvan]

And yet Barry has just gone to City for £12m while Keith Andrews looks set for a bench role next season at a side that narrowly escaped relegation last season.

While certainly useful, the stats don't always reflect reality.

They also point out that some people on here really don't know what they are talking about and should pay more attention to watching the games rather than polishing their own opinions.

[LeChuck]

Right, since the debate about Keith Andrews rages on in the Paul Ince thread, I thought I'd post something more interesting here. Compare KA's statistics against, for example, Gareth Barry last season.

Go on, have a go.

Assists N/A 7

Key passes & assists 15 67

Interceptions made 25 84

I'd consider those to be possibly the most important things a central midfielder has to do and Andrews doesn't compare well at all. It just backs up my theory that his passing in an attacking sense is virtually non-existent and he's a bit too far off the pace to break up opposite play effectively.

Working with these kind of stats is always very difficult though, I wouldn't want to use them when debating players really.

[tcj_jones]

Again, I agree fully with your post, LeChuck.

[CrazyIvan]

Assists N/A 7

Key passes & assists 15 67

Interceptions made 25 84

I'd consider those to be possibly the most important things a central midfielder has to do and Andrews doesn't compare well at all. It just backs up my theory that his passing in an attacking sense is virtually non-existent and he's a bit too far off the pace to break up opposite play effectively.

Working with these kind of stats is always very difficult though, I wouldn't want to use them when debating players really.

You need to look at all of the stats thought bearing in mind that Andrews played a considerable amount of time at right back where key passes and interceptions aren't likely to occur that often. The passing stats in general are fairly even plus goals scored weigh in favour of Andrews (taking into account Barry played 1000 more minutes last season).

I've always maintained that Andrews is a squad player and the statistics bear his Premier League credentials out. He IS a Premier League player, he's also a lot better than some people make out. He's not a world beater but he's not anywhere near as bad as some people on here say he is. Elsewhere, people have nothing but praise for him and what he's done this season. Give him some credit and, once and for all, forget who signed him.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Passes more than 25 yds 110

Hmmm.

Attempted passes 960

Accurate passes 715

So he's fairly accurate with his passes, and he hits quite a number over 25 yards.

Not quite Mokoena then.

[CrazyIvan]

Passes more than 25 yds 110

Hmmm.

Attempted passes 960

Accurate passes 715

So he's fairly accurate with his passes, and he hits quite a number over 25 yards.

Not quite Mokoena then.

Comparing the two of them makes for interesting , and revealing, reading. I don't think they get the goals scored figure right somehow...

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Yeah I noticed that. Goals from outside the box, 5. Goals, 4.

Hmm.

[Jonnolad]

Assists N/A 7

Key passes & assists 15 67

Interceptions made 25 84

I'd consider those to be possibly the most important things a central midfielder has to do and Andrews doesn't compare well at all. It just backs up my theory that his passing in an attacking sense is virtually non-existent and he's a bit too far off the pace to break up opposite play effectively.

Working with these kind of stats is always very difficult though, I wouldn't want to use them when debating players really.

If Assists, Interceptions made and Key passes & assists are the really important stats for a central midfielder let's compare Keith with our own Vincenzo Grella on those:

Assists: Assists N/A 1

Key passes & assists 15 7

Interceptions made 25 24

Crikey - if you think that Andrews is bad, then Grella must surely be the worst central midfielder we've ever had! The only thing he's better than Andrews at is assists, and to be perfectly honest I'd rather have 4 goals than 1 assist any day of the week.

Clearly something is wrong here if people are bleating that Andrews isn't good enough, when Grella is a far less capable and more expensive problem (and I haven't seen Grella being played out of position either).

[AggyBlue]

Clearly something is wrong here if people are bleating that Andrews isn't good enough, when Grella is a far less capable and more expensive problem (and I haven't seen Grella being played out of position either).

The old 'heads up arses ' syndrome

[grizfoot]

Thoose stats do make interesting reading and we all know Big Sam is a big fan of ProZone and surely that must show how valuable Andrews has been to us this season.

A few comparisions using thoose statistics:

Pass accruacy

Andrews - 74.48%

Barry - 76.88%

Grella - 72.29%

Minutes per goal

Andrews - 596 minutes

Barry - 678 minutes

Grella - N/A

Tackle success rate

Andrews - 76.67%

Barry - 80.00%

Grella - 72.73%

As you can see Andrews and Barry very equal based on thoose. Barry has made a number of more key passes and assists but that could be simply put down to the fact Andrews was played at RB for a chunk of the season. No ones saying Andrews is a better player than Barry but thoose stats prove he's not as bad as some people make out. I personally think he's shown more than Grella so far and the stats back that up.

[Amo]

You can use statistics to prove anything! 14% of all people know that!

[AggyBlue]

You can use statistics to prove anything! 14% of all people know that!

and 92% of those are confused