Kieran Tierney is set to join Celtic in the coming summer.
The Celtic-bound Arsenal player has been used sparingly this season by Mikel Arteta but recently, the Scotland defender has been enjoying a mini-run in the Premier League team.
Tierney was used in Arsenal’s Champions League draw with PSV last night, and by all accounts, the Celtic Invincible performed relatively well.
However, it was Tierney’s appearance against Manchester United that had former Celtic man Carlton Cole and ex-Chelsea winger Joe Cole heavily criticising Arteta.
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Ex-Celtic player Carlton Cole calls Kieran Tierney’s Arsenal appearance vs Man United was ‘disrespectful’
Tierney was subbed on as Arsenal chased a winner against Man United to keep their Premier League dream alive.
Not a big deal until you learn that the Celtic-bound defender was deployed as a winger as Raheem Sterling sat raging on the Arsenal bench.
Carlton Cole told The Dressing Room Podcast, “That’s disrespectful. Raheem is a proper player, we know that. I actually think he did alright at Chelsea, I don’t think he done badly.
“He didn’t suit the club, he’s getting on and they want to get youngsters in.
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“But he’s gone to Arsenal and I was thinking he was going to do well. Forget about all the noise, actions say a lot.
“They needed a goal and he brought on Kieran Tierney instead of a seasoned pro, a goalscorer that might get back on track. He could make something happen. For me, I would say that’s disrespectful.”
Joe Cole ‘feels’ for Arsenal’s Raheem Sterling after Celtic-bound Tierney’s Man United appearance
That sentiment was shared by former Chelsea winger Joe Cole, who said he is feeling it for for Sterling after Tierney was preferred as an attacking option in such a high-profile game.
Former Chelsea winger, Joe Cole said, “Raheem will see it as that, for sure. For me, it didn’t work out for Raheem at Chelsea but I thought Arsenal would have been perfect, it made sense.
“But Arteta’s just not using him. There’s reports coming out that he’s training well and is respected by the coaching staff but if Mikel Arteta is doing that… I feel for him.”
The positive out of all this for Celtic is that Tierney is getting some much-needed first-team minutes ahead of his return to Paradise and has come through those relatively unscathed.
With his big move imminent, Celtic fans will be looking forward to Tierney’s return after his first spell at the club was such a success.