Which wingers should England use to get the best out of Harry Kane?
Only England could boast a striker with the clinical character, the ruthless finishing ability and the overall brilliant play of Harry Kane, and still do not understand how to use him properly while he is in his prime.
Two games into Euro 2020 and the Three Lions have collected one goal and just a couple more shots on goal. What is more worrying than the statistics, however, is the qualitative data shown.
Kane is not playing well. In fact, he plays poorly – something we have rarely been able to accuse the England captain of doing. And the bad performances have led to two consequences.
The first is that manager Gareth Southgate has used to replace his leader and talisman in both matches, something that was previously thought unthinkable. Secondly, it has led to conversations about how to get the best out of Kane, a man with 23 league goals and 14 assists to his name last year.
His newfound tendency to let go of space and perform the role of a deep-lying forward means that we leave the search for the English son Heung-min and at the same time banish the wild character Jack Grealish and the tricky winger Jadon Sancho to the bench.
Kane does not get the service he needs / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images
But it’s fair to say what Southgate is trying to do does not work.
So what broad players are the right men to accompany Kane, and who will help bring him back to his devastating form of old age? Here, 90min selects the six best partnerships with wide players to support the England captain.
* Editor’s Note – the extremely talented Bukayo Saka has been left out of this hypothetical exercise, based solely on the fact that he is unlikely to break into England’s side before any of these many, many opportunities. Still a good player and one for the future.
The current options / Andy Rain – Pool / Getty Images
Strengths: Southgate’s current lineup. Therefore, we put this at the bottom of the list. Raheem Sterling’s pace behind is the key to his choice, and his love of chasing a ball over the top is one of the main reasons for England’s success in recent years. His qualifying shows proved that he also boasts of a good relationship with Kane. The foot is there for its creativity and insane technical ability.
Weaknesses: Its not working. Sterling is out of shape, and apart from his admittedly important goal in the victory over Croatia, he has not watched the competitions. The foot was unlucky to be replaced by Southgate in a 0-0 draw against Scotland, but he did not show enough desire to find Kane in the box to earn his place on the pitch.
A Famous Night for the Trio / Soccrates Images / Getty Images
Strengths: This one has worked before and you can not argue with the story. We saw the best of Kane and this top three worked together in England’s 3-2 victory over Spain 2018, with both Rashford and Sterling landing on the points side and the center game was involved in all three goals.
Weaknesses: Three years have passed since the wonderful evening and the two players in question are out of shape. Sterling and Kane’s chemistry has evaporated, and Rashford’s injury season has taken its toll. No thanks.
A Decent Alternative / Marc Atkins / Getty Images
Strengths: As a duo, they boast a combination of pace, insane tricks and a mix of direct running and the ability to change pace in the final third. They can also change on both sides. Liquid.
Weaknesses: In addition to Sterling’s poor form, there may be a lack of access to the box for Kane. Grealish can cross, but he also likes to hold the ball and instead work an angle in tight spaces. It could be a frustrating afternoon for Harry.
… do not ask / Marc Atkins / Getty Images
Strengths: Very good at throwing chickens. There are so many tricks between them, they can switch to either flank when needed and can both dribble and choose a delivery. They also know where the target is. A dream for Kane, you can imagine.
Weaknesses: Both players are fast, let’s not exaggerate, but neither are Rashford or Sterling fast, and Kane may be reluctant to play his mark passing through the defense if he feels there is no one chasing them. Not using his vision would be a mistake.
A scary perspective / Pool / Getty Images
Strengths: What’s not to love about this? Both players are comfortable with each foot, they love to dribble and try to hit their marker. You can just watch them dance to the byline and cut the ball back to Kane – as long as he’s in the box.
Weaknesses: While dribbling is their strength, it can also prove England’s weakness. Grealish will hold the ball all day, and Sancho is happy to pick it up and run in the back line without fear. They are risk takers, and even if they make things happen, possession can tip over on both flanks.
The partnership that everyone wants to see / Andy Rain – Pool / Getty Images
Strengths: If you ran a Twitter poll about the preferred wingers, this would be the winner. Both Grealish and Foden demand the ball, can create an opening from nothing, and even if their pace is not Sterling-esque, it is still enough to scare defenders. It’s tricky, it’s penetrating, it’s beautiful.
Weaknesses: Their desire to drift and float around the last third could see the forward line lose its structure, and Kane could become more isolated than he is now. Other than that, however, it is an attractive perspective.
