More tears for Piers

Piers Morgan is no longer on American television, thank God. But he’s still serving up embarrassing soccer commentary.

Before Saturday’s North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, Morgan tweeted that Spurs emerging star Harry Kane “wouldn’t get on [Arsenal’s] bench.” Kane proceeded to score the two goals that gave Tottenham a famous 2-1 victory over their bitter rivals.

Kane is the hottest forward in the Premier League. Arguably, he’s England’s best goal-scoring prospect since Michael Owen in the late 1990s and best overall attacking prospect since Wayne Rooney a few years later.

This season, Kane has scored 12 goals in 14 matches started and six appearances as a substitute. One goal per two starts is considered an excellent rate.

To be fair to Arsenal, the Gunners are blessed with outstanding attackers. But the best of them, Alexis Sanchez (unavailable for the Derby), has 12 goals in 20 starts (plus one appearance as a sub). Olivier Giroud has 7 goals in 13 appearances, 9 of them starts.

Somehow, I believe Arsene Wegner would find a place for Harry Kane in his attacking trio. Indeed, there isn’t a club in the Premier League Kane couldn’t start for right now.

As for Arsenal’s bench, on Saturday it included young Chuba Akpom, who came on as a late sub. At 19, Akpom is full of promise. However, he has never scored for Arsenal in the Premier League. In fact, I don’t believe he managed a goal during two loan spells to lower division clubs.

After the match, Morgan took plenty of stick for his absurd, ill-fated put-down of Harry Kane. Former Spurs chairman Lord Alan Sugar was one of those who mocked the pompous former CNN host.

Sugar once “fired” Morgan from a show called Celebrity Apprentice. If CNN had been paying attention, it could have spared itself the embarrassment of Morgan’s stint on American television.

Morgan reacted to Tottenham’s Kane-inspired victory in his usual way. As one reporter put it, “the defeat sent [Morgan] into a familiar spell of woe, reverting to type, and demanding Arsene Wenger be sacked as a result of the loss.”

The more things change, the more things stay the same. And I expect that, for the 18th season in a row, Wegner will lead Arsenal into the European Champions League. Even with Saturday’s defeat, the Gunners are only two points out of that enviable position, with a better goal difference than the teams ahead of them for the last Champions League spot (Spurs and Manchester United) and a more favorable schedule.

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