[ad_pod ]
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Jamie O’Hara believes Harry Kane is focusing too much on playing as a No.10, limiting his effectiveness as a striker, per Sky Sports’ The Debate.
What’s he said?
Spurs struggled to break down Newcastle United at the weekend, losing 1-0 in north London despite racking up nearly 80% possession, per WhoScored.
Kane had just one shot on goal throughout the 90 minutes and was regularly seen dropping deep in search of the ball.
Of course, Christian Eriksen, the club’s go-to playmaker, was benched for the game, while Dele Alli was injured, and O’Hara believes that the England captain is attempting to fill the void left by the Dane.
He said: “If you watch Tottenham at the minute without Eriksen, without Dele Alli, I think Dele Alli’s a big loss at the minute for them, Harry Kane’s trying to do everything.
“He’s dropping deep, he’s trying to get on the ball, basically he’s playing the No.10 role and the problem is, they haven’t got the runners beyond. That guy there should be Eriksen, getting on the ball and making things happen. And that’s his position, he gets it in them areas and he puts Harry Kane in.
“If Dele Alli plays there, he makes the runs off the ball. Without Eriksen, I don’t see how they’re going to really break things down.”
Spot on
Perhaps Kane sees himself as something of a Roy of the Rovers figure and, historically, he has backed that up, scoring in big games and generally being an exceptional player when he is most needed.
Versus Newcastle, though, it didn’t work, with Kane desperately trying to get the ball in order to make something happen.
Historically, those things that happen come when the forward is given the ball in the box, instead of in midfield.
Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
O’Hara is right to call attention to this, particularly as it is actively hindering Spurs against teams who set up with a low block and with men behind the ball, as Steve Bruce’s men did at the weekend.
With the north London derby looming against Arsenal, Spurs have to find a way to keep Kane in the box.
[ad_pod ]
