I loved Roy Keane as a player. I loved Roy Keane as a manager, bizarrely. I love Roy Keane as a man writing an autobiography. And finally, I love Roy Keane as a pundit. Roy says it as he sees it and if he thinks Jack Wilshere is the most overrated player on the planet then I have to applaud him for calling out the emperor’s new clothes. Pep wasn’t a million miles off all those years ago when he said that Spain has “hundreds of players like this”. Yet, many people will be calling for Wilshere to be on the plane to Russia (hopefully not wearing that stupid Lion backpack if he does get selected) just because he had potential when he was 16 and because he seems to be getting through a portion of the season unscathed.
Why the Keane outburst? Well, Arsenal lost to Ostersunds at home in the Europa League last night. Ha! Not a massive defeat mind, Arsenal still managed to scrape through 4-2 on aggregate but they lost to this loveable, yet tiny little Swedish club that a few years ago were playing in front of 500 people. Arsene can bemoan the attitude of the players as much as he wants but surely it is his job to motivate them, make sure they are not complacent and maybe even shame them into a performance? After all, he did sign every single one of them. Maybe they had their minds on Sunday’s League Cup Final against a Manchester City side desperate to get over the fire started by Will Grigg. It would be very, very Arsenal to go and lift the trophy.
After one half-decent performance, Scott McTominay now has an international dilemma. Should he choose England or Scotland? I might be slightly biased, but how is that even a choice? Born in England, to English parents the lad qualifies for Scotland through his grandparents. And anyway, you don’t choose England, England chooses you (unfortunately).
The player who appears to be above McTominay on Jose’s shit list is none other than Paul Pogba. It has been reported that Pogs and Jose had a massive row on the training ground before the Sevilla game. Ex-Chelsea player William Gallas, who was just the kind of personality to clash with Jose, claims that Mou is trying to “sting” Pogba back into action. Ah, the old bumblebee routine. Except once the bee has stung, it dies. Jose or Pogba to leave in the summer then?
Alan Pardew has said “God teaches us to forget” as Jonny Evans prepares his arm for the West Bromwich Albion band once again this weekend. God teaches us to forget, does he Al? He seems to have taught you to forget how to manage a winning football team, no?