Trophy Titans Keane - Spend or Swerve

POSITIVES & NEGATIVES

Positives

• Keane has superb defensive attributes, he has 97 Interceptions and 97 Stand Tackle which makes him a dominant defensive midfielders

• With 95 Short Passing and 90 vision, Keane is able to pick a pass from midfield which is great for quick build up play

• He is good physical presence in the midfield, he wins may one on one duels, this is likely due to his 99 Aggression and 90 Strength

• He has Medium/High work rates which are perfect for a stay back CDM/CM

• As he is an icon, he benefits from Icon chemistry, meaning he gets 3 chemistry points whatever team he is placed in, providing he is in the CM position

• (New Gen Only) He has a Lengthy AcceleRATE type

Negatives

• Keane does not have any alternative positons, he can only play CM which can be problematic when building squads

• He only has 3* skill moves this isn’t a major issue, however having 4* skill moves for a midfielder is desirable

• His dribbling isn’t bad, however he does only have 75 Agility which is a little low

• He lacks an aerial presence, this is due to him being only 5’11” with 82 Jumping and 80 Heading Accuracy

TEAM AND IN GAME POSITION

Team Used

In Game Formation

Position Played: CDM

Chemistry Style Used: Shadow

Recommended Position: CDM/CM

Recommended Chemistry Style: Shadow

IS HE BETTER THAN? – Icon CDMs

TOTY Icon Xabi Alonso – 392K

• Keane is superior to Alonso in most areas that you would need as a defensive midfielder, however Alonso does have better passing

• Who would I choose, and why?

  • I would choose Keane, as mentioned above his is superior in most areas needed for a CDM

TOTY Icon Claude Makelele – 540K

• Again, I would say Keane is superior to Makelele in most areas that you would need as a defensive midfielder, however Makelele is a little faster

• Who would I choose, and why?

  • I would choose Keane, as mentioned above his is superior in most areas needed for a CDM

Trophy Titan Icon Genarro Gattuso – 398K

• Keane is better in pretty much every area, Gattuso is just not as good as Keane

• Who would I choose, and why?

  • I would choose Keane, as he is simply better overall

Trophy Titan Icon Michael Essien – 304K

• Essien is very closely matched with Keane, however again it is a situation where Keane is superior in pretty much all areas

• Who would I choose, and why?

  • I would choose Keane as he is simply better in all areas

RATINGS

VERDICT

I wasn’t sure what to expect when completing this SBC as it’s not often a Roy Keane card is useable, however this is probably one of the first years that Roy Keane has been given a top tier card, after using him for a while I can say that this card is superb and has pretty much everything you could want from a holding midfielder.

Keane’s strengths are his ability to win his one on one duels, his good interceptions and his ability to find a pass from the midfield.

His main weaknesses are his lack of aerial ability and his dribbling can sometimes feel like it needs improving.

The price of the SBC is about 430K which is a very fair price, you get a great defensive midfielder with perfect work rates and icon chemistry for that price, so for me, it’s a SPEND!

SPEND OR SWERVE

FUNNY AND INTERESTING FACTS

A little bit of bonus content for you all here are some funny and interesting facts about Roy Keane…

• In 2002, Keane famously left the Republic of Ireland squad during the World Cup after a dispute with manager Mick McCarthy. The incident led to him being sent home and becoming a national hero in Ireland.

• Keane has a dry sense of humour and is known to have a quick wit. He once said of his former Manchester United teammate, Ryan Giggs, “He’s a great player, but he’s no Roy Keane.”

• In his autobiography, Keane revealed that he once had a run-in with singer Robbie Williams in a hotel bar, with Williams telling Keane that he had been a fan of his since he was a boy. Keane replied, “I hope not.”

• Keane is known for his love of books and is often seen reading before matches. He once said, “When you’re on the road, you have a lot of time on your hands. I’d rather read a good book than sit in a hotel room watching TV.”

• Keane once appeared on an Irish TV show called “Celebrity Bainisteoir” where he managed a GAA team. Despite his lack of experience with the sport, he led the team to victory.

• Keane is a big fan of the TV show “The Sopranos” and has admitted to watching the entire series multiple times.

• Keane once famously said, “If I have to tackle somebody, then I’ll tackle them, but I don’t go out of my way to do it. I’m not a maniac.” Despite this, he was known for his tough tackling and aggressive style of play on the field.