View: Keane has right to feel aggrieved by England snub
Everton defender Michael Keane was a notable absentee when Gareth Southgate named his England squad to face Albania, San Marino and Poland earlier this week.
The England boss named Conor Coady, Eric Dier, John Stones, Harry Maguire and Tyrone Mings as his centre-back options, while Kyle Walker has also been used in that role in the past.
Given his impressive season under Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park, Keane has every right to feel as though he has been snubbed by being left out.
The 28-year old has been a near constant figure at the back for Ancelotti this season, leading the Toffees backline by example through consistent and committed performances.
Everton’s defence has been very active this season, with WyScout stats revealing that the Toffees have faced the seventh most shots this season, by far the most of any top half side, while they’ve also blocked the fourth most attempts on goal in the league.
With Keane almost always at the heart of that defence, the former Burnley man deserves credit not just for his own performance levels but also for his ability to marshal Everton’s backline, especially considering how often the personnel around him has changed this season.
Keane has also proven himself to be a dangerous player from set pieces, having scored three times in the Premier League for Everton this season, while also picking up an assist [Transfermarkt].
While perhaps unlikely to shake either Maguire or Stones as England’s starting preferences ahead of the upcoming Euros this summer, Keane’s place in the squad wouldn’t be unwarranted.
Mings has had a strong season with Aston Villa, while him being left-footed makes him a strong asset too, and Dier’s versatility makes him someone who can bolster more than one position. However Keane has every reason to believe that he deserves Coady’s spot, particularly after the season that he has had.
Keane’s absence won’t impact Everton, who if anything will be pleased to hear that they won’t be running the risk of significant injury over the summer months. For the player, however, the snub just doesn’t feel deserved.
In other Everton news, Jay-Jay Okocha has explained Alex Iwobi’s slow start to life as an Everton player.