THE VICENTE Calderon was where Robbie Keane truly became part of Rafael Benitez's Liverpool. Not that he would have appreciated it at the time. The Republic of Ireland captain left the Spanish capital not with acclaim for the goal that brought Liverpool a valuable Champions League point against Atletico Madrid, but admonished by his manager for over-elaborating a chance to score a second. Welcome to the Liverpool Way, Benitez-style.
Slowly but surely, and despite Benitez's relentless demand for perfection, the pieces have begun to fall into place for Keane at Anfield following his €26 million summer move from Tottenham Hotspur.
A boyhood allegiance to Liverpool bought the 28-year-old acceptance from the Kop before he had even worn their cherished number seven jersey, although the transfer fee did spark some debate, and precious time elapsed as he strived to connect with his new team-mates while toiling for his first Liverpool goal.
After 10 fruitless attempts the breakthrough arrived against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, with Madrid witnessing his second, but Keane's contribution to Liverpool's unbeaten start cannot be measured in goals alone. In the absence of Fernando Torres at Chelsea tomorrow, his movement and intelligence will be invaluable to the visitors' hopes of winning at Stamford Bridge for the first time in four years.
"You don't just settle into a club straight away. Sometimes it can take a bit of time to settle down," says Keane. "But I feel part of things here, I am very happy here and I just want to help us be successful."
A repeat of his last performance against Chelsea tomorrow would certainly assist with that wish. Few players in recent years have collected career highlights at the expense of Chelsea, though many of that select group can be found at Liverpool. It is another reason he has settled in well at Anfield.
The Tallaght man collected the first medal of his well-travelled professional career against Chelsea in last season's League Cup final and, less than a month later, scored the 88th-minute equaliser for Tottenham in an enthralling 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane.
That draw was one of three that undermined Avram Grant's prospects of overhauling Manchester United in the Premier League title race. A similar dent in their ambitions is the target tomorrow.
"The League Cup final was probably my best moment against Chelsea but my last game against them was the 4-4 draw. It was a game Chelsea needed to win and the result was obviously a big disappointment for them.
"The 4-4 was a phenomenal game. It was attack versus attack and a great game to be involved in. I am sure it will go down in history as one of the great games in the Premier League.
"I remember there was a long ball played forward with about two minutes to go and it came off someone's back and luckily enough, I was there. I connected with it and it went in the top corner. We could have actually nicked it right at the end too - [Dimitar] Berbatov had a chance with the last kick.
"It was just great entertainment, great excitement. It was a bit like a schoolboy game in some ways because it just seemed like both teams were attacking all the time. Probably wasn't the best for defending, but for neutrals it was a great game."
With two unbeaten records and more than just professional pride on the line, as was the case with Tottenham in March, tomorrow promises to be a much tighter affair. Benitez yesterday confirmed he expects Keane to have recovered from the groin strain that prompted his withdrawal against Atletico in time to face Chelsea, and declared Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso fit for a contest the striker insists holds no fear for Liverpool.
"Chelsea is a massive game for us," Keane added. "They are doing well and haven't been beaten for so long at home, but the way I look it at records are there to be broken. We are doing well too. We have to confident we can go there and get a result."
Having beaten Manchester United already this season a second scalp from a top club would send title expectations soaring at Liverpool, especially as it would also end Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten record in the league at Stamford Bridge.
"If we want to have a chance of winning something we have to beat the top sides," said Benitez. "Just one point between the big clubs can make all the difference at the end."
Guardian Service
