The European Championship ‘21 | Page 7 | Vital Football

The European Championship ‘21

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What’s eating Harry? Kane’s game is misaligned with changed England
Enveloped by a strange sense of entropy, England’s captain is on a run of two goals in his past 10 England games
3738.jpg

Harry Kane sees a rare chance against Croatia go begging – he touched the ball only 26 times in England’s Euro 2020 opener. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Barney_Ronay,_L.png

Barney Ronay

@barneyronay
Tue 15 Jun 2021 08.00 BST
Last modified on Tue 15 Jun 2021 08.02 BST


OK, win the opening game. Let’s top the group and play Portugal next, a nation England haven’t beaten in a proper match since 1966. Harry Kane? Two England goals in his past 10. Plus it’s probably going to rain on Friday.
The Stoics of ancient Greece had a practice known now as “negative visualisation”. This involved thinking about the worst things that might possibly happen, preparing yourself for a balanced approach to the coming obstacles by ramping up the bad vibes and generally taking it one doomed day at a time.



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In the wake of England’s jarringly smooth, oddly edge-free 1-0 win against Croatia this feels like a sensible approach. First for obvious reasons of damping down the only other feasible option – gurning triumphalism, Gareth wigs, Tyrone Mings chest tattoos, and the inevitable crossbar-stealing defeat at the hands of Scotland on Friday night. And secondly because there is a danger such a convincing start can obscure the areas that still need polishing: most obviously the attack, and the strange sense of entropy around Kane.

First, though, the good bits. England don’t generally beat good teams at tournaments. And while Croatia didn’t look like a good team at Wembley, run into the ground by England’s high-pressure midfield, flustered by the skill and intensity of Kalvin Phillips, they are still World Cup finalists with a Ballon d’Or winner in their ranks.

England were neat on the ball and physically dominant. Every tactical gambit, from the right-back at left-back to the clear‑headed faith in England‑model Raheem Sterling paid off handsomely. With the result in the balance Southgate even had the confidence to bring on a 17-year-old Bundesliga player to replace his star, captain and chief goalscorer.

Those who accuse England’s manager of being risk-averse have a limited view of what risks really are. Cavalier football is one thing. Trusting youth, promoting talent, sending the proper England football man playbook windmilling out of the window, moustaches and devil’s horns doodled across its pages. This is quietly revolutionary stuff.

And yet there is still much to be gained by taking the stoic approach, by focusing instead on the negatives. As Southgate knows better than anyone, this is still a tournament team being thrown together on the hoof. The most obvious concern is that England won at Wembley without their one real super‑strength, the attack, finding any rhythm. They had two shots on target. Southgate used six attacking players. Of these only Mason Mount, whose duties were also defensive, performed to anything like his best level.

6976.jpg

Harry Kane joins his teammates in applauding England fans at Wembley on Sunday after arguably his worst international outing. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AFP/Getty Images
Sterling, the hero of the day, still looked cobwebbed close to goal. Marcus Rashford came on for 20 minutes and touched the ball five times, which feels generous. Most significant of all, Kane had perhaps his poorest game in an England shirt. Really, this was a stinker, and for reasons that seem to speak to the basic architecture of the team.

All the chat around England has been about their creative riches, but there is something unresolved in the way these are being deployed. Kane is England’s one real razor edge, but his game has also changed, just as the tone and texture of England’s attack has altered. Right now the parts look misaligned. The numbers from Wembley are unforgiving. Kane touched the ball 26 times. Despite dropping into midfield he contributed very little: no dribbles, no shots on target, only 62% of his passes completed.

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Kane is a wonderful player. He was very good for England in the World Cup qualifier against Poland just three months ago. But he also has three shots on target in his past five games and one goal from open play in 10. Get this: he hasn’t scored from open play at Wembley since Montenegro in November 2019. What’s eating Harry?

There are obvious structural reasons why Kane has chafed at times against this England attack. There has been so much talk about his own adaptations – the deeper positions, the spin-and-pass stuff – with the assumption this is always a good thing.

But there is also a moment to un‑adapt, to revert, to play those old tunes. When England set up in a 4-3-3 with the current personnel and patterns there is a sense of players simply bouncing off one another. Phillips, Mount, Phil Foden and Kane all wanted to fill that space behind the (nominal) central attacker. At times Kane seemed to be coming deep to pass to himself, only to find that he, Harry Kane, was nowhere to be seen. This iteration of Kane has worked previously with England. Check back and Kane’s last real period of goal-fury came between September and November 2019, when he scored 10 in six games. Several of those goals came with two of Sterling, Rashford and Jadon Sancho on the pitch, players who are happy to vacate that space, feeding off Kane’s passes and pulling opponents out of shape.

2279.jpg

The England manager, Gareth Southgate, defended his captain after the victory over Croatia. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
It is a pattern that has been regeared as England have fielded attackers who also want to come into those spaces. This either leads to gridlock, or to compromise. When Foden stayed wide on the right the effect was emphasise his only real weakness, his pronounced one-footedness, allowing Croatia’s defence to crowd him toward the touchline. Foden is too good in that central space to be neutered like this. Kane is too sharp to be spending his time 30 yards from goal creating chances for Sterling and Rashford.

International football is a simpler game. England have one very good finisher. The heat map of the Croatia game shows an inlet, a grey place where a centre-forward might have stood. This team will surely pose more danger with Kane deployed in that position as much as possible, shooting as much as possible.


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On the plus side Kane is too skilful, too clever and too ruthless not to come good at some point. Maybe things will simply click. But he looked frustrated as he waved to the crowd on his lap around the touchline on Sunday, shoulders slumped, that flinty expression just a little more opaque.

Kane wants to be a complete footballer, tracking back and creating because he wants to add value in every metric. He also hates not scoring. Maybe, for England’s sake, it is time to get a little more brutally one-note. Team play cuts both ways. The collective might benefit from a little high-grade selfishness from its gun player.
 
Much has been said about Harry and his current form. I reserve judgement and would rather look at his contributions over the season. His ratings via the forum, the media and other websites suggest over the season he performed well. His stats for goals and assists were exceptional plus he got the golden boot.
I know he is almost certainly leaving and may even be in a bad place mentally because of that, he may be torn.
I'm not going to turn on him, he deserves some time.
.
 
What’s eating Harry? Kane’s game is misaligned with changed England
Enveloped by a strange sense of entropy, England’s captain is on a run of two goals in his past 10 England games
3738.jpg

Harry Kane sees a rare chance against Croatia go begging – he touched the ball only 26 times in England’s Euro 2020 opener. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Barney_Ronay,_L.png

Barney Ronay

@barneyronay
Tue 15 Jun 2021 08.00 BST
Last modified on Tue 15 Jun 2021 08.02 BST


OK, win the opening game. Let’s top the group and play Portugal next, a nation England haven’t beaten in a proper match since 1966. Harry Kane? Two England goals in his past 10. Plus it’s probably going to rain on Friday.
The Stoics of ancient Greece had a practice known now as “negative visualisation”. This involved thinking about the worst things that might possibly happen, preparing yourself for a balanced approach to the coming obstacles by ramping up the bad vibes and generally taking it one doomed day at a time.


Wimbledon finals to allow full crowd capacity with 45,000 at Euro 2020 final
Read more

In the wake of England’s jarringly smooth, oddly edge-free 1-0 win against Croatia this feels like a sensible approach. First for obvious reasons of damping down the only other feasible option – gurning triumphalism, Gareth wigs, Tyrone Mings chest tattoos, and the inevitable crossbar-stealing defeat at the hands of Scotland on Friday night. And secondly because there is a danger such a convincing start can obscure the areas that still need polishing: most obviously the attack, and the strange sense of entropy around Kane.

First, though, the good bits. England don’t generally beat good teams at tournaments. And while Croatia didn’t look like a good team at Wembley, run into the ground by England’s high-pressure midfield, flustered by the skill and intensity of Kalvin Phillips, they are still World Cup finalists with a Ballon d’Or winner in their ranks.

England were neat on the ball and physically dominant. Every tactical gambit, from the right-back at left-back to the clear‑headed faith in England‑model Raheem Sterling paid off handsomely. With the result in the balance Southgate even had the confidence to bring on a 17-year-old Bundesliga player to replace his star, captain and chief goalscorer.

Those who accuse England’s manager of being risk-averse have a limited view of what risks really are. Cavalier football is one thing. Trusting youth, promoting talent, sending the proper England football man playbook windmilling out of the window, moustaches and devil’s horns doodled across its pages. This is quietly revolutionary stuff.

And yet there is still much to be gained by taking the stoic approach, by focusing instead on the negatives. As Southgate knows better than anyone, this is still a tournament team being thrown together on the hoof. The most obvious concern is that England won at Wembley without their one real super‑strength, the attack, finding any rhythm. They had two shots on target. Southgate used six attacking players. Of these only Mason Mount, whose duties were also defensive, performed to anything like his best level.

6976.jpg

Harry Kane joins his teammates in applauding England fans at Wembley on Sunday after arguably his worst international outing. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AFP/Getty Images
Sterling, the hero of the day, still looked cobwebbed close to goal. Marcus Rashford came on for 20 minutes and touched the ball five times, which feels generous. Most significant of all, Kane had perhaps his poorest game in an England shirt. Really, this was a stinker, and for reasons that seem to speak to the basic architecture of the team.

All the chat around England has been about their creative riches, but there is something unresolved in the way these are being deployed. Kane is England’s one real razor edge, but his game has also changed, just as the tone and texture of England’s attack has altered. Right now the parts look misaligned. The numbers from Wembley are unforgiving. Kane touched the ball 26 times. Despite dropping into midfield he contributed very little: no dribbles, no shots on target, only 62% of his passes completed.

Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?
Show
Kane is a wonderful player. He was very good for England in the World Cup qualifier against Poland just three months ago. But he also has three shots on target in his past five games and one goal from open play in 10. Get this: he hasn’t scored from open play at Wembley since Montenegro in November 2019. What’s eating Harry?

There are obvious structural reasons why Kane has chafed at times against this England attack. There has been so much talk about his own adaptations – the deeper positions, the spin-and-pass stuff – with the assumption this is always a good thing.

But there is also a moment to un‑adapt, to revert, to play those old tunes. When England set up in a 4-3-3 with the current personnel and patterns there is a sense of players simply bouncing off one another. Phillips, Mount, Phil Foden and Kane all wanted to fill that space behind the (nominal) central attacker. At times Kane seemed to be coming deep to pass to himself, only to find that he, Harry Kane, was nowhere to be seen. This iteration of Kane has worked previously with England. Check back and Kane’s last real period of goal-fury came between September and November 2019, when he scored 10 in six games. Several of those goals came with two of Sterling, Rashford and Jadon Sancho on the pitch, players who are happy to vacate that space, feeding off Kane’s passes and pulling opponents out of shape.

2279.jpg

The England manager, Gareth Southgate, defended his captain after the victory over Croatia. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
It is a pattern that has been regeared as England have fielded attackers who also want to come into those spaces. This either leads to gridlock, or to compromise. When Foden stayed wide on the right the effect was emphasise his only real weakness, his pronounced one-footedness, allowing Croatia’s defence to crowd him toward the touchline. Foden is too good in that central space to be neutered like this. Kane is too sharp to be spending his time 30 yards from goal creating chances for Sterling and Rashford.

International football is a simpler game. England have one very good finisher. The heat map of the Croatia game shows an inlet, a grey place where a centre-forward might have stood. This team will surely pose more danger with Kane deployed in that position as much as possible, shooting as much as possible.


The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email.
On the plus side Kane is too skilful, too clever and too ruthless not to come good at some point. Maybe things will simply click. But he looked frustrated as he waved to the crowd on his lap around the touchline on Sunday, shoulders slumped, that flinty expression just a little more opaque.

Kane wants to be a complete footballer, tracking back and creating because he wants to add value in every metric. He also hates not scoring. Maybe, for England’s sake, it is time to get a little more brutally one-note. Team play cuts both ways. The collective might benefit from a little high-grade selfishness from its gun player.

Another apologist writing an article without even questioning Kane himself.

Southgate needs to do what a great manager should do in this situation. Get him one on one, get the video footage out and ask his player why there is less than 100% effort. Perhaps throw in some Mar-May Spurs footage and ensure he knows that what happened against Croatia wasn't a one off. Show him what it looks like from the outside-in and have the adult conversation.

Then get behind him, encourage him and help him back to full fitness and form. Perhaps even broker an agreement that he only wants 70 mins from him on Friday, but at full throttle. Kane is a smart guy. He knows.
 
The trouble with that approach now is that Kane will not know how to deal with it. He has had MP, JM & GS letting him do what the heck he likes for years and years. His goals mean his approach works in his eyes and that of most of the footballing world. In fact i would go so far as to say Kane will be 100% focussed on his own tyle which has served him so well that he will not listen to Southgate. Even when his body started to fail him (His glass ankles, any pace he ever had and his physical presence have all gone) JM designed a way to restructure the ENTIRE spurs team to accommodate his new way of playing. In ways it was a success in the short term but in others it was a complete disaster. Again, that could be as much down to Spurs lack of quality as anything else.

But this is ENGLAND. Sitting on some of the best attacking talent we have ever had. Mobile, fast, skillfull young men who are more than capable of carving out chance after chance against the best in the world. Those boys need a leader and they need someone who can also join in their quick interactions. I think southgate needs to do as you say but he needs to be strong enough to make the big call earlier than we expect.

I honestly think Calvert Lewin offers much more
 
What was the point of the Hungarian player busting a gut running on and scoring when he was offside but the linesman lets it go on until the ball hits the net...the crowd euphoria is quashed...this offside nonesense is destroying the game....FFS the rules must change...the linesman should be waving if it is offside to him, WHEN it is offside ...not a minute later after the pointless game develops....
 
What was the point of the Hungarian player busting a gut running on and scoring when he was offside but the linesman lets it go on until the ball hits the net...the crowd euphoria is quashed...this offside nonesense is destroying the game....FFS the rules must change...the linesman should be waving if it is offside to him, WHEN it is offside ...not a minute later after the pointless game develops....

Absolutely dumb flipping rule. Absolutely stupid
 
What was the point of the Hungarian player busting a gut running on and scoring when he was offside but the linesman lets it go on until the ball hits the net...the crowd euphoria is quashed...this offside nonesense is destroying the game....FFS the rules must change...the linesman should be waving if it is offside to him, WHEN it is offside ...not a minute later after the pointless game develops....

lol - you and your stupid common sense.
 
Yet again . EUFA s stupid offside decisions make them look like idiots .
It won’t be long until someone gets a broken leg or something equally as serious , unnecessarily because of the linesman not doing his job and letting play go on .
They are bringing the game into disrepute.
 
It's interesting how Kane is coming under-fire all of a sudden. I genuinely think he has played at 50-75% all season long, which proves how good he can be. What people are noticing now though is his work-rate is not what it should be and his leadership is pretty average.

I honestly think that the issue is ego. It is very easy to say all the right things in front of the camera but Kane, from the impression he gives me, is now more focused on personal glory first and team glory second. If this wasnt true, he wouldn't be putting in the minimal effort until that glory moment is handed to him on a plate.
 
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