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Milalai · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 12137

<div><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.15.1/48551?ns=guardian&pageName=Football%3A+Benitez+confident+Keane+can+deliver+despite+goal+drought&ch=Football&c3=The+Guardian&c4=Liverpool+FC+%28Football%29%2CRafael+Ben%C3%ADtez%2CPremier+League+%28Football%29%2CFootball&c5=Premier+League&c6=Andy+Hunter&c7=2008_12_03&c8=1127790&c9=article&c10=GU&c11=Football&c12=Liverpool&c13=&c14=&h2=GU%2FFootball%2FLiverpool" width="1" height="1" /></div>Liverpool's manager, Rafael Benítez, has confirmed what his substitution policy has indicated this season by revealing that he expects an improvement from Robbie Keane once the £20.3m striker adapts to life at Anfield.Keane, Benítez's showcase signing of the summer, was withdrawn for the 15th time in his brief Liverpool career on Monday night as the new Premier League leaders were held to a goalless draw by West Ham United. The Republic of Ireland captain's frustration was evident when his number went up in the 66th minute and the raw French forward, David Ngog, took his place to cap another unproductive night in front of goal for the 28-year-old.The former Tottenham striker was by no means Liverpool's chief culprit against West Ham and his prodigious work-rate is not reflected in a return of just four goals this season. But Benítez has admitted Keane is struggling after allowing the striker to complete 90 minutes in only three of his 22 appearances for the club."Robbie is a better player than the one we are seeing now," the Liverpool manager said. "We know what kind of player Robbie Keane is. He needs people around him to pass the ball well. I believe he will be OK, he will score more if we create chances for him. But if that does not happen we have to use players with different qualities to open up the game."Robbie does get disappointed when things are not going his way. He is a worker, but he can improve. It is a question of confidence. If we score first in this type of game then we will grow and win. "Some players may be lacking in confidence, but if we keep creating chances we will be OK. Robbie, when he came off, was disappointed. "But players always want to be out on the pitch for 90 minutes, but we were thinking of different solutions and Ngog did well when he came on, holding the ball up."Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool's recent dip in form should be placed into perspective against a similar, but far more costly, slump by their title rivals Chelsea.The former England defender said: "We are both going through a bit of a rough patch but while Chelsea got beat in the Champions League [by Roma] and have still to qualify and went down a place in the league after losing to Arsenal, the good thing is that we've not been playing well but have qualified [for the Champions League knockout stage] and have just gone top of the league."Don't get me wrong, we would love to have gone three points clear, but I'm going to stay positive and say I'm delighted with where we are."<div style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/liverpool">Liverpool</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/rafael-benitez">Rafael Benítez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premierleague">Premier League</a></li></ul></div><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/webfeeds/1,,1309488,00.html">More Feeds</a>
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