Qudus SalihuIn a blistering critique following Aston Villa’s frustrating 1-1 draw against Bournemouth today, Roy Keane has singled out Ross Barkley for a performance he described as “utterly shameful.” The legendary pundit, never one to mince words, suggested that Barkley’s display at the Vitality Stadium should be his last in a Villa shirt, demanding that Unai Emery never give the midfielder “another minute” for the club.
The draw saw Villa lose ground in the Premier League title race, a result Keane largely attributed to a lack of urgency and discipline in the middle of the park. Barkley, who was brought on as a second-half substitute to provide control, instead became the focus of Keane’s ire after a series of misplaced passes and a perceived lack of defensive tracking during Bournemouth’s dominant late spell.
”I’ve seen some lazy performances, but that from Barkley was something else,” Keane fumed on Sky Sports. “You’re coming into a game where your teammates are fighting for a result, and you’re strolling around like it’s a testimonial in the park. It’s shameful. If I’m Emery, he doesn’t get near the matchday squad again. You can’t trust him. He’s a passenger, and Villa are trying to win league titles. Passengers get you nowhere.”
Keane’s “monstrous” assessment highlighted the contrast between Barkley’s “sheer lack of effort” and the high-intensity system Emery has implemented. While Villa took the lead through Morgan Rogers, they were eventually pegged back by a goal from Bournemouth’s teenage sensation, Rayan—a goal Keane insists could have been prevented with “basic midfield graft.”
As Villa fans debate the future of the 32-year-old midfielder, Keane’s ultimatum has set the tone for a week of scrutiny. For a player of Barkley’s talent, being called out for a “shameful” lack of heart by one of the game’s toughest critics is a blow that may be hard to recover from.
Qudus Salihu
Rabiu Aminu