Keith Andrews signs for West Brom
Republic of Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews has joined West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer.
Andrews, 31, had put in an official transfer request at Blackburn Rovers, admitting he was unhappy at Ewood Park. He spent the first half of this season on loan at Ipswich Town, where his crucial goals from midfield quickly made him a fan favourite. West Brom fought off interest from Ipswich and a number of other clubs for the 26 cap midfielder.
“Keith is a player I know well and have admired for several years,” WBA manager Roy Hodgson told the club’s official website. “He’s a flexible midfielder who can play in a number of roles across midfield. He will bring experience to the squad and also has a good goalscoring record. We’re delighted to have him on board as we look to achieve or our primary target, which is to secure a third successive season of Barclays Premier League football.”
The Dubliner will link up with fellow Irish internationals Shane Long and Simon Cox at the Hawthorns, and will wear the number 8 shirt.
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Great to see him back in the Prem League. We need players playing at the top level coming up to the Euros. He’s one of the top scoring midfielders in the the country this year with 9 goals and his move to Brom gets him back into my personal Ireland line up. I still want to see a 4-2-3-1 system.
GIVEN
COLEMAN DUNNE CLARK WILSON
MCCARTHY ANDREWS
MCGEADY MCCLEAN
KEANE
LONG
Keane has been doing awesome playing in this system behind Bent in the hole at Villa and McLeish has obviously been reading my posts on this site and has taken heed.
100% agree with that team..duffer would be pushing for a start and tbh id have john o’shea in there on experience donbt think kevein doyle warants a start the way hes going
Great move for Andrews.. I wasn’t all that sure we’d ever see him back in the Premier League, to be honest. There were a lot of snide comments from Blackburn fans about him ‘finding his level’ at Ipswich, hopefully he can prove them wrong.
Regarding your proposed team IrishRI, I’m surprised that you’d drop Duff and O’Shea in favour of two lads who have either barely begun their top flight career (McClean) or who are deemed not yet ready by their club manager for the position you’ve put them in (Coleman). I do like the idea of Ireland playing that formation though, and would like to see McCarthy given a proper look as one of the central pairing.
I actually forgot about O’Shea he’s injured so much. You can turf him in there at centre back instead of Clark. Like for like but more experience. Sorry but a 22 year old McClean is a far more exciting propect than a 33 year old Duff. Not sure how many of you have actually watched whole Sunderland games (not just highlights) recently. He’s faster, has more energy, is a better crosser and can beat fullbacks like Duff used to do 10 years ago. He’s also bigger, great in the air and tracks back to start attacks from defense. He also plays those sweet whipped first time balls in on the ground between the center backs and the goalie (on the edge of the 6 yard box). Things Long would thrive off. It’s no coincidence that Sunderland have turned their season around since he started playing.
Coleman, you need young full backs with pace for the international game. Guys who can get up and down the wings all day. That team has a good mix of youth, experience, pace and strength.
I would really love to see Mclean have some playing time in the upcoming friendlies but thats probably wishful thinking. Irish I agree with what you say about Keane playing in the hole. Im sure we all realized that playing behind a bigger striker was his preferred position but at Villa hes playing more like an attacking midfielder and doing so quite impressively. In midfield lets not forget Gibson who has played well in a defensive role even before the strike yesterday. As for Andrews, this move can only be a step up provided he gets some playing time which, I believe he will.
GIVEN
COLEMAN DUNNE CLARK WILSON
MCCARTHY ANDREWS
MCGEADY MCCLEAN
KEANE
LONG
Now that looks a team..
Given (Westwood)
Kelly (O’Shea), O’Shea (St Ledger), Dunne (O’Dea), Ward (Wilson)
McClean (Duff), Andrews (Whelan), Fahey (Hoolahan), McGeady (Coleman)
Keane (Doyle), Long (Walters)
That would be my Ireland team. Fahey and Andrews ahead of McCarthy and Hoolahan, only because Trapattoni has steadfastly refused to give them a chance. Tempted to go with the Whelan/Andrews status quo but playing the two of them is pretty suicidal. I’m sorry but the two of them are still not good enough.
@ IrishRI Have you watched Keane play in the hole for Ireland? Totally ineffective.
Never in a 4-2-3-1 system and never behind Long. At the end on day we can propose all the systems and teams that we want, Trap will still be playing the same old 4-4-2 at the Euros with all the usual suspects in the starting 11. He won’t call up any new players until after the tournament even though it would be sinful not to give McClean a call up for the Czech game.
Duff has to be selected ahead of McClean, each and every time. He needs more than half a dozen Premier League games to be considered an international starter.
GIVEN
COLEMAN DUNNE O’SHEA WARD
MCGEADY ANDREWS HOOLAHAN DUFF
DOYLE KEANE
Doyle, Duff and o’Shea are there for their experience, I know they haven’t played well this season but we know what they can do on the day.
Keane, McGeady, Dunne and Given are the spine of the whole team.
McCarthy, McLean, Long on the bench and get some game time as they’re the players we need to perform in the WC qualifiers.
A lot of narrow thinking out there. Everyone going with their 4-4-2s and basically using the same team and formation we have now but just switching players here and there. That is not going to revamp our playing style or our chances of matching up competitively with the teams that will be at the Euros. It will just give us the same old same old. From our very first game Trap has played 4-4-2 and only ever switched it once for the Uruguay game. He says it’s because we don’t have the players to play any other formation which is not true. He’s not going to change now and probably won’t change for the World Cup either. Incidentally I watch Villa play a 4-2-3-1 system against QPRs 4-4-2 the other night. Villa dominated from start to finish and created upteen chances. Somehow the game finished 2-2 when QPR scored on one of their only attacks and also with a terrible own goal but that’s not the point. It reminded me of the Russia – Ireland game Villa were so dominant. They has 5 Irish players in the team too and they excelled playing 4-2-3-1. In fact if the nucleus of our international team can play it and are used to playing it for Villa then why can’t they play it for Ireland. There is no reason why not.
Good point. My formation was adaptable though.
Andrews’ an unused substitute and Long returning next week for the derby but their Ireland teammate Doyle is back to his best.
Kevin Doyle
8.5
Half time introduction was a stroke of genius from McCarthy. He completely changed the course of the game and assisted in pushing Wolves onto the win. His winning goal was typically well taken. Unlucky not to have another goal but Kenny pulled off a good diving save.
Goal.com
Didn’t see the Wolves game. Somehow the TIVO screwed up the recording. Good to see Doyle back and scoring. Excellent at holding up the ball and involving the midfielders in the attack but has no pace and doesn’t get himself into enough good scoring positions. Long is da man now. Chicharito is supposed to me the fastest player in the league. I’d say he’s be eating Long’s dust all day long if they had a race.
I just thought I would mention that despite his woes, Doyle has more goals from open play than Walters and Cox. Conor Sammon has the same amount of League goals as Cox in half as many games. Doyle has several assists as well.
Long is the main man after Keane retires.
Scored on his debut today with a trademark low hard drive from the edge of the box. I’m delighted for him, things are looking awfully grim for Mick McCarthy and Wolves though.
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