Kane told to be more Haaland-minded and his England spot could be under threat
Harry Kane needs to take a leaf out of Erling Haaland’s book and stop dropping deep, believes talkSPORT’s Jermaine Pennant.
The Bayern Munich hotshot captained England in their comfortable Nations League win over the Republic of Ireland as the Three Lions got the job done in interim boss Lee Carsley’s first game in charge.
However, Kane cut something of an anonymous figure in Dublin with Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scoring the goals in England’s 2-0 triumph.
And Pennant suggested this was due to Kane failing to get inside the Ireland box as much as a typical forward would.
“Well, obviously watching him and seeing him, for one, he was dropping far too deep,” Pennant said on GameDay Phone-In.
After host Jason Cundy suggested Kane may have been told to do that, Pennant said: “No, but he’s not been told to do that. If you watch Kane play throughout his years, that’s what he does. He likes dropping deep. He likes getting on the ball.
“He likes to try and somehow make those… We’ve seen it happen, make those great passes to start an attack. And it leaves his bare up front. He’s got to be more like Haaland-minded now.
“Because this is not the same Harry Kane. He hasn’t got the legs. He’s not as sharp as he used to. You want him in the box.”
However, Pennant went on to suggest that we may have seen the best of Kane already and perhaps management should consider life without the 31-year-old as England’s main man up top.
“Just think now, another two years, that’s another two years on the mileage clock, that’s on his body, he’s going to be what, 33?” Pennant added.
“So he’s not going to get sharper, he’s only going to slowly decline. So come to the World Cup, I don’t want that as our main man taking us into the World Cup.
“I think Harry Kane is an absolute legend, a great goal scorer for England, and been fantastic, so he’s been a fantastic captain.
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“I’m not saying he’s a bad player, he’s an absolutely fantastic player throughout his time. I think it’s coming to a point now, where in two more years, he’s just not going to get better.
“When’s the last time you’ve seen, not score a goal, but when’s the last time you’ve seen Harry Kane have a fantastic or a good game for England?
“That’s a lot of games, a lot of games gone without putting in a good performance.
“So I think now, I won’t say not having him in the squad, you’ve got to have him in the squad, because there are moments of magic where he can just, a ball coming in… he knows the back of the net.
“But someone like Ollie Watkins, who’s quicker, sharper, you’ve seen him come on in the final against England, he’s got the rhythm, he’s got the goal. We need players like that.
“You don’t see Ollie Watkins dropping at the edge of that box trying to pick up the ball.”
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Cundy then suggested there isn’t necessarily anyone who can replace Kane and Carsley, if appointed as permanent manager, may have to change the way England play.
To which Pennant responded: “But Carsley won the European Championship in the 21s with no striker.”
Kane boasts 99 England caps to his name having made his debut in March 2015.
The former Tottenham star was appointed captain of the Three Lions in 2018 and won the Golden Boot at the World Cup in Russia later that year with six goals in the tournament.
He holds the record for most England goals ever having netted on 66 occasions for his country.
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