Tag Archives: England

Feature Pieces, Football, Guest Writers, Women's Football

Ready, Steady, Lionesses

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With the 2022 Women’s European Championships fast approaching, England Lionesses head coach Sarina Weigman has attempted to select a balanced squad for qualifiers and friendlies – with one eye set on the final 23-player squad that she will select for the summer.

We have seen lots of consistency in who she has selected for the squad, with a huge array of talent and squad competition at her disposal.

In the lead up to the Euros, we look here at a breakdown of her squad selection, strong areas, and areas in need of strengthening and or decision making. In today’s feature, we will be looking predominantly at the wingers/wide forwards that England have.

The wide forwards

When it comes to the forwards that Weigman gets to choose from, she’s very much spoilt for choice.

Even just glancing at the forward lines of the big three – especially Manchester City, you could make up a world-class forward line using their players alone.

The balance of the forward options is what makes that area particularly strong as we get both providers and finishers in almost every candidate.

Electric pace is a huge part of the system that the Lionesses play and within that, they have so many people that they can count on.

Lauren Hemp is the quickest player in the league and probably one of the quickest players that will be at the Euro’s this summer.

 Her unique blend of pace and decision-making despite being so young makes her an almost definite starter for England, as her skill set is an absolute nightmare for defenders.

She has now added goals to her game for country which makes her even more of a threat.

Arsenal’s Beth Mead similarly brings technical proficiency and goal scoring prowess from one of the wide positions.

Having played across the forward line throughout her career from Sunderland to Arsenal, there is a level of consistency that Mead brings.

When her team needs a goal, she’s often able to provide it, as well her ability to pick out the right pass to her teammate who can also score.

Mead’s traits mean that it also take away some of the pressure off the main striker playing on the day. She is a reliable goal scorer, and with that brings confidence to Weigman that she’s able to alter and rotate the front line without sacrificing goals that will win matches.

This in turn will also give Weigman the upper hand when picking starting line-ups – especially in the tournament setting.

Nikita Parris is expected to be selected and what someone like Parris brings is supreme experience. Having played at Championship winning teams at club Level and been a core part of Lionesses teams that have done well at prior tournaments.

A last-minute addition to bolster the wing options would be Chloe Kelly. Whilst she has missed 75% of the season due to an ACL injury she suffered last year, her talent and what she’d bring to the team cannot be understated. As mentioned before, she is someone else who brings both goals and assists to the team.

She’s arguably the most technically and naturally gifted winger that England have – with her ability to combine both her technical ability on the ball when dribbling, but also when linking up with teammates.

Like Hemp, she’s also someone that is extremely blessed when it comes to pace, which as seen in most European defences, that’s an area that they struggle with.

Selecting someone who hasn’t been able to showcase their skillset across the whole season is often seen as a risk. But when it comes to someone of Kelly’s calibre, it appears to be a risk worth taking when it comes to having a unique skill set and being a game changer for them.

A late addition?

With Fran Kirby taking some recovery time away from football in order to get healthy from an ongoing issue that’s plagued her throughout her career, she’s expected to miss the Euro’s – having not featured since the end of February.

That’s not to rule her out completely from contention as we know that a fully fit Kirby walks into most teams in the world. However, Weigman will be cautious not to rush her back as her regaining full health is the most important thing for all parties.

Could we see a late addition to the Lionesses squad with someone who hasn’t received a call up since Weigman’s tenure began? For example, Man City starlet Jess Park who has had an impactful season, or Manchester United’s Leah Galton who continued her fine form from last season.

My Guess

Because of squad restrictions, I’m not sure Weigman calls up somebody new.

This decision would be supported by the fact that many of her attacking midfield options are also extremely strong and comfortable on the wing – having played their numerous times throughout the season for club.

They also have such versatility amongst the wingers themselves that I think that Weigman will opt to find the solution ‘in-house’. Though that’s not to say that we won’t get a surprise inclusion as often seems to happen when international tournaments happen.

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Football, Transfers

Jesse Lingard’s decisions leaving him in a rut at Manchester United

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Jesse Lingard’s future at Manchester United has been up in the air for the best part of two years, and yet nothing seems to be changing any time soon.

The 29-year-old has been at the club since an infant, coming through the academy at Carrington and making his debut under Louis van Gaal way back in 2014.

His future looked bright, but it just never really took off and for the best part of three seasons the door has been open for the player to leave.

It seemed like he finally got the message last winter, when he joined West Ham United on a six-month loan deal after a severe lack of minutes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He was brilliant, scoring nine times in 16 appearances as West Ham made it to the Europa League and everything looked set for him to return on a permanent contract.

But despite just 12 months remaining on his contract, the decision was made for him to stay at the club. The same United side that he couldn’t even get on the bench for six months prior, who had added Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo to their attacking ranks, were keeping Lingard again.

Lingard had a bit of a run of form off the bench, scoring the winner against West Ham on his return to the London Stadium and also notching against Newcastle. But since then he saw his minutes deplete again and he rejected a new contract with the club, meaning the expectation was that he’d leave in January.

Jesse Lingard of Manchester United looks on during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Manchester United and BSC Young Boys at Old...

However with Solskjaer getting sacked and Ralf Rangnick coming in, The Athletic are reporting that Lingard will now be staying at Old Trafford for the rest of the season and will only make a decision on his future in the summer – when his contract expires.

Obviously there isn’t much of a sample size under Rangnick, but the chances of him getting greatly improved game time in the second half the season are likely to still be poor.

In a World Cup year, his decision not to push for a move away to get an extra six months of regular football under his belt is just baffling.

There would be plenty of clubs interested in January that would give him regular game time at a high level, but instead he is choosing to stay and fight for his place from the bench with limited opportunities.

Jesse Lingard of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on December 07, 2021 in Manchester,...

At this point, any loss of form or lack of playing time has lost sympathy among neutrals and United fans. He’s been given ample opportunity to show he is good enough and move away to play elsewhere and he’s done neither.

His career has stalled during his prime years at the club and he’s done nothing to change that. He’s in a rut and he’s stuck there because of his own strange decisions.

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Football, Opinion

Gareth Southgate’s new contract is jumping the gun for England

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England have announced that manager Gareth Southgate has signed a two-year extension to his contract, taking him through to after Euro 2024.

It had been long expected that a deal would be reached between the parties to extend his tenure as the boss, after first taking charge of the national team back in 2016.

But now after confirming England’s place in the World Cup for 2022 in Qatar, the deal has been confirmed which will see Southgate complete eight years in charge should he finish out the deal.

But while Southgate’s performance as manager has undoubtedly been successful thus far, have they jumped the gun by extending his contract before a major tournament takes place?

England have enjoyed two brilliant tournaments so far under Southgate, reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 before making it all the way to the final of the delayed Euro 2020 earlier this year, losing to Italy on penalties at Wembley.

But despite the good tournaments, performances for the most part have been far from ideal from Southgate’s side.

The manager has constantly been critiqued for his defensive outlook on games despite the abundance of attacking talent he has at his disposal. Regularly fielding a three-at-the-back formation with two defensive midfielders too, it feels like there is a lot of potential waiting to be unlocked by a better coach.

Against the lesser nations, England have no problems whatsoever. They score plenty of goals, create plenty of chances and regularly win the games they’re supposed to win by a decent margin.

But against the top sides, we’ve seen them struggle on several occasions. When it comes to keeping the ball secure against sides full of quality, who know how to press and defend well they often get overrun and that is a coaching issue.

Southgate also has his favourites in the squad, with some getting call-ups regardless of form at club level while others struggle to get a call-up at all irrespective of what they’re doing for their club side.

While you could absolutely make a case for Southgate to get a new contract, giving him a new deal right before a major tournament seems weird.

What happens if England crash out at the group stages? What if England fail to score a single goal? What if England completely under-perform from their pre-tournament expectations?

Gareth Southgate poses in front of the tunnel as he is unveiled as the new England manager at Wembley Stadium on December 1, 2016 in London, England.

While the intentions are pure and from a good place, it just seems rushed. Southgate is very happy in the job and has intention of going anywhere else right now, and nobody else wants him currently.

England should probably have waited until the end of the tournament next year before extending, especially since Southgate himself had said he was in no rush.

But the announcement of the deal now means the pressure will be on in Qatar, if it wasn’t already.

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Football, Streets Won't Forget

Streets Won’t Forget – Jack Wilshere

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In every generation of football there is a selection of players that while they may not see the greatest level of success, are never forgotten by the fans.

These players are usually the ones that kept the fans on the edge of their seats during games, provided memorable moments and played the beautiful game in a beautiful way.

This series is dedicated to celebrating those players and giving them their flowers now, before they fade into the distance and it’s too late.

A player who many will see that fits into this category is former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who as of this writing is still only 29-years-old but is clubless.

Breaking onto the scene as a 16-year-old, Wilshere shone in an Arsenal team under Arsene Wenger’s tutelage. A half-season loan to Bolton Wanderers followed where he managed to cement himself as a starter despite his young age, applying a physical touch to his finessed game.

He returned to Arsenal the following season and racked up a career-high 49 appearances across all competitions aged just 18 and 19 years old.

One of those 49 games is the one that sticks with all football fans as the game that marked his arrival as a mainstay on the world stage.

Arsenal welcomed Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side to the Emirates Stadium in the knockout rounds of the year they went on to win the UEFA Champions League. But they had to do so by beating Arsenal in the last 16 round, and Jack Wilshere was sensational.

Against Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets, the 19-year-old was absolutely dominant as Arsenal were able to sneak a shock 2-1 win in the first leg.

It marked Wilshere as a young player who could perform at the very highest level and from that point onwards, the sky was the limit.

The following season marked a pattern of what would become the legacy that Wilshere will eventually leave behind however. He missed the entire campaign with a stress fracture of his ankle that took longer than expected to recover, meaning he missed Euro 2012 with England too.

The following season he returned to the fold after 17 months out, and racked up 33 appearances in all competitions before 32 appearances the following year.

Wilshere’s career never really recovered though, as persistent ankle injuries consistently kept him out of action for prolonged periods of time.

He was the scorer of one of the great Premier League goals against Norwich, where Arsenal stringed together a brilliant one-touch passing move that ended with Wilshere slotting the ball into the corner with his right foot.

He was unfortunately never the same again, but the glimpses we saw throughout the rest of his career still explain why he is held in such high regard

The finesse he had on the ball, the guile when gliding past opposition players, the ability to turn and play in tight spaces, the weight of pass he possessed; all things that were of an incredibly high level at a really young age.

Jack Wilshere of England celebrates scoring their second goal during the UEFA EURO 2016 Qualifier between Slovenia and England on at the Stozice...

He was able to take any game by the scruff of the neck and just dominate it. He was never afraid to ask for the ball, never afraid to play football the “right” way.

Despite his career being so short at the top level, it was memorable. If you were watching football regularly at the time, you can’t help but feel robbed of seeing a potential great in the making.

History may forget him one day, but the streets never will.

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Football, Match Previews

England secure World Cup 2022 qualification with 10-0 win

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England sealed their spot in the Qatar 2022 World Cup with a thumping 10-0 win over San Marino on Monday night, led by captain Harry Kane’s four-goal haul.

Harry Maguire got his second goal of the international break to become England’s highest scoring centre-back ever, before Kane scored two penalties and two open play goals either side of a San Marino own-goal in the first-half.

Conor Gallagher became the 50th debutant under Gareth Southgate as a half-time substitute before goals from Emile Smith Rowe, Tyrone Mings, Tammy Abraham and Bukayo Saka wrapped up a dominant display.

It’s not a result that was ever in doubt, with San Marino earning just one win in 187 previous games and they’ve now conceded 30 goals since they last scored one.

Kane’s four-goal haul moved him level with Gary Lineker on 48 England goals, seven games quicker than the legendary striker managed it in. It means he is now just five goals behind Wayne Rooney’s all-time record, and six away from breaking it.

He also broke the record for the most goals in a calendar year for England, moving to 16 for 2021 with his strikes.

But aside from the record, the game simply stood just to give some other players extra minutes to impress Southgate ahead of the tournament next winter.

There are only three more squad meet-ups between now and the tournament starting next December, so Southgate will have limited time to see new faces performing within his setup.

The likes of Smith Rowe, Gallagher, Abraham and Bellingham all did themselves no harm with their performances, but their places are far from guaranteed with the likes of Mason Greenwood and Callum Hudson-Odoi also in the picture for future call-ups.

For Southgate, the plan now is to build his squad in his head for the World Cup and try to keep an eye on those players’ form while also coming up with how he wants to play during the winter tournament and start to implement those plans.

England have made it official nice and early, unlike Portugal and Italy who will be part of the playoffs to make it so some plaudits are deserved.

Now they need to make sure they’re not just there to make up the numbers, and that starts as soon as possible.

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Football, Match Previews

The England team that should start against San Marino

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England travel to San Marino on Monday night in need of just one point to confirm their place as group winners and therefore seal qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

A 5-0 win over Albania on Friday all but secured their place in next winter’s tournament, with Harry Kane grabbing a hat-trick to go with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson’s goals in the first half for a dominant win.

But for Monday’s game Gareth Southgate will be forced to make changes. Luke Shaw and Mason Mount have been ruled out with injuries, while Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling have all been released from duty early.

Crystal Palace midfielder Conor Gallagher has been called up from the Under-21’s as extra cover, but will he go straight into the starting lineup for the game? Here is the team I think should start.

Aaron Ramsdale

Jordan Pickford is still the number one for England and Southgate, but with Ramsdale’s current form he deserves a start in a game like this where he’s unlikely to be tested much, if at all.

Trent Alexander Arnold

The Liverpool man has been in excellent form for his club side this season but he was a substitute in the game against Albania on Friday where both Reece James and Kyle Walker started. He’ll get the nod and likely chip in with a goal contribution too.

Trent Alexander-Arnold of England looks on during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between England and Albania at Wembley Stadium on November...

Conor Coady and Tyrone Mings

Southgate has tended to rotate his centre-backs for these games against the more lowly opposition and it doesn’t get more lowly than San Marino, so expect both Coady and Mings to get the nod in this one.

Ben Chilwell

England’s only fit left-back in the squad following Shaw’s withdrawal with concussion, Chilwell is sure to start once again. His good performances in attack will surely lead to chances

Jude Bellingham

Bellingham has been a regular starter for Dortmund and despite only being 18 is one of the most talented footballers in the entire squad. Great in possession, physically imposing and technically astute he’ll have an absolute field day in this game and should start.

Kalvin Phillips

Southgate seems likely to stick with Phillips for this game following the withdrawals of James Ward-Prowse, Henderson and Declan Rice since the announcement of the squad. With Gallagher getting a late call up, he’ll likely start on the bench meaning Phillips starts again.

Gareth Southgate, Manager of England talks to Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka of England during a training session in the gym at St George's Park on...

Bukayo Saka

Saka has shone in an England shirt for the most part of his international career, so selection here will likely see him continue that. With Sterling leaving the squad early, Saka should get the nod and will probably get a goal or assist (or both) in a big win.

Emile Smith Rowe

The first time call-up, Smith Rowe made his debut as a substitute against Albania and should now get a start with Jack Grealish unavailable for the game after returning to Man City. His ability to dribble in tight spaces will help create chances, and in his current form he could well get his first goal for England.

Phil Foden

The key to the future for England, Foden is essential in any success the team will have and he’ll start here and be the main man when it comes to creating chances.

Harry Kane

The likelihood is Tammy Abraham will start this game, but captain Kane should be given the chance to add to his tally for the year. Kane has 12 goals for England in 2021 and broke Wayne Rooney’s record of 37 competitive goals against Albania. He’s only ten goals away from overtaking him on the overall table as England’s highest goalscorer ever, and he can make up some ground in this game even if only given 60 minutes or so.

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Football, Match Previews

The England team that should start against Albania

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England are back in World Cup qualifying action against Albania on Friday night at Wembley, where a win will confirm their place in Qatar next year.

Gareth Southgate’s side currently sit top of their group with two games remaining, three points ahead of Poland and five ahead of Albania.

Only group winners are guaranteed a place in Qatar 2022, while runners-up will have to go through a play-off to make it. It makes bouncing back from last month’s draw with Hungary all the more important. But who should start the game? This is our England lineup.

GK: Jordan Pickford

England’s number one has been under pressure recently because of the form of Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal, but he’s been performing worse than this and kept his place so I’d expect him to get the nod once again.

RB: Reece James

No Chelsea player has been involved in more goals directly than James this season and he has proven his worth in both directions with some excellent defensive displays too. He has stiff competition with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker, but his performances deserve a start.

CB: John Stones

Stones has been a mainstay for Southgate whenever fit and despite having some fitness issues this season again, when he has played he’s been excellent. He’s claimed his City starting place back too, so should continue for England.

CB: Harry Maguire

Ben Chilwell of Chelsea talking to Reece James of Chelsea at full time of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge on...

Maguire arguably shouldn’t even be in the squad this time around if we’re going based on form, but the fact he is means he’ll start. His competition for places is Tyrone Mings who recently lost his place at Villa and Conor Coady who has never really impressed, so it’s a no-brainer really.

LB: Ben Chilwell

Chilwell lost his place as England’s first-choice left-back last year after Luke Shaw’s resurgence, but this season they’ve reverted to type and Chilwell has been flying. He’s been great going forward and defensively solid, so he deserves the starting spot.

DM: Declan Rice

England’s most in-form central midfielder this season, Rice has become indispensable to West Ham and the national team. His ability to win the ball back is unmatched in the squad, he has become a leader and is constantly improving on the ball so he should start here.

CM: Phil Foden

Southgate has previously featured Foden out wide mostly, but this special footballer should be playing centrally. A magician on the ball with great ball manipulation, a killer pass and an eye for goal, get him in the heart of the game to effect games and watch him shine.

CM: Jude Bellingham

Another superstar youngster, Bellingham has firmly established himself as one of the best young midfielders in the game. A regular starter with Dortmund, Bellingham’s skillset is so diverse that he can play any midfield role with ease and would offer the perfect balance alongside Rice and Foden.

Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden of England battle for the ball during a training session at St George's Park on November 09, 2021 in Burton upon...

RW: Raheem Sterling

Sterling’s season hasn’t gone to plan after Euro 2020, but his spot with England is pretty much guaranteed. He ended a goal drought for City recently and as a key part of Southgate’s England team, he will start on the right wing.

ST: Harry Kane

Another Harry who can count himself lucky that the England squad isn’t simply decided based on form, because if it was the captain would certainly not be involved. But since he is, and he’s the skipper and his record for England is so good, he’ll start and probably score to help them qualify.

LW: Jack Grealish

Grealish’s move to man City has certainly helped establish him as an England regular, but Marcus Rashford’s injury issues have helped him become a starter too. Rashford has withdrawn from the squad, leaving Grealish as the best and most senior option to play from the left so that’s what he’ll do.

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Football, Opinion

Is Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City working out?

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It was the most expensive transfer of the summer across the world, as Jack Grealish became the Premier League’s first ever £100m player.

Joining Manchester City from Aston Villa, it was expected that the 25-year-old would see an upturn in his reputation and also his performances on the pitch after helping Villa to a great season and then helping England reach the Euro 2020 final.

But while Grealish has played well, he’s hardly ripped up any trees at City so far. So is the deal doing what it was supposed to do?

It was expected by many that Grealish would go into the City team and instantly go up a level, surrounded by better players and with one of the best managers in the world coaching him.

But what we’ve seen from Grealish is arguably just more of the same of what we saw at Villa, but with better players and a better manager around him.

With Man City’s style of play being ball domination heavy, Grealish doesn’t have nearly as much space to drive into as he did at Villa.

It also hasn’t helped him that teams turn up to play City with two blocks of defensive lines and camp outside the penalty area to prevent them being carved open, whereas teams would attack Villa and give him a chance to work his magic.

Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates after scoring during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Norwich City at Etihad Stadium...

With that said, Grealish hasn’t been bad by any stretch of the imagination. Grealish has contributed two goals and three assists in 13 games in the Premier League and Champions League so far, with City sitting second domestically and top of their Champions League group too.

He’s made the left-wing role his own, ousting Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden from the wide positions and formed a good partnership with Joao Cancelo from left-back.

But that X-factor that he had at Villa where he would take games by the scruff of the neck and create something out of nothing seems to have left his game.

City still automatically look to Kevin De Bruyne when they need saving and Grealish has seemingly just become a cog in the machine, rather than the guy who has the codes.

Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City talks with teammate Jack Grealish during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Manchester City and RB...

Guardiola wants his team to pass teams to death rather than carry the ball too much, something that Grealish has always excelled in. In the current system, it’s arguable whether or not Grealish is better or more effective than other wide options like Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez.

The magic in his game has been lost, but faith in him coming good is not lost.

Grealish, like any other player, needs to be given time to adapt to new surroundings, new teammates, new tactics and new expectations.

He has the talent to excel and improve, is young enough to have the time to do that and Guardiola has a track record of doing it. There’s no rush right now.

As it stands, he’s probably underwhelmed City fans and football fans since the move. But anyone ruling Grealish out of being a success already is simply delusional.

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Football, News

Marcus Rashford withdraws from England squad

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Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming internationals against Albania and San Marino.

The 24-year-old was a member of the squad that reached the Euro 2020 final this summer, missing a penalty in the shootout as they were defeated by Italy.

Following that tournament, Rashford opted to undergo shoulder surgery to deal with a long-standing problem and subsequently missed the first three months of the campaign.

Rashford returned following the last international break and has scored three goals in six appearances, with goals against Leicester City, Atalanta and Tottenham Hotspur.

However he is yet to complete 90 minutes since his return to action and after a bout of illness last week, has opted to stay behind instead of joining up with the national team and focus on getting 100% fit.

Rashford has been in-and-out of the starting lineup since his return, but has mainly been limited to substitute appearances with Solskjaer opting for a 3-5-2 formation in recent games after a 5-0 thumping by Liverpool at Old Trafford.

With United in such poor form, they need their key players at their best to have a chance of turning it around and Rashford has been one of those senior players for a number of seasons now despite his young age.

England have called up Emile Smith-Rowe to the senior squad, with Gareth Southgate naming a relatively strong attack in his initial 25-man squad last week.

United duo Jesse Lingard and Jadon Sancho both missed out on a call-up after a lack of first-team minutes so far this season. However all of Tammy Abraham, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka were named in the squad for the two games.

Rashford and Man United will return to action against Watford on November 20th at Vicarage Road, hoping to earn a much needed win in the Premier League.

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Football, Match Previews, Opinion

Harry Kane’s poor form continues as England held at Wembley

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Harry Kane is just not the same footballer this season after failing to get his move to Man City in the summer.

His poor form for the season continued at Wembley in an England shirt as he turned in another horror-show with the Three Lions being held to a 1-1 draw by Hungary in a World Cup qualifier.

Gareth Southgate opted for an attacking lineup with all of Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling and Kane starting in a 4-3-3 formation.

However it was Hungary who took the lead in the first half, after Luke Shaw’s high foot to clear the ball was deemed dangerous play and a penalty was awarded. Striker Roland Sallai sent Jordan Pickford the wrong way and England were up against it.

They struggled to create many openings with the visitors very organised, before Phil Foden whipped a free-kick onto the head of John Stones to equalise before the break.

In the second half England looked to their talisman Kane for inspiration, but he was more interested in dropping deep to get on the ball than actually getting into dangerous positions to affect the result of the game.

His touch was off all night, his passing wayward for most of it and physically he just doesn’t quite look at the races again.

Harry Kane of England interacts with Gareth Southgate, Manager of England as he is substituted during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between...

He did create a good chance for Sterling in the second half when the City winger won the ball back high up the pitch, with Kane putting a great through ball into his path only for Sterling to hit the ball straight at the goalkeeper.

Kane’s poor performance was summarised by Southgate who with the game deadlocked at 1-1 and England pushing for a winning goal, decided to bring Tammy Abraham on in place of the skipper.

It means that in 10 appearances for England and Tottenham (in the Premier League) this season Kane has scored just three times, with all of them coming for the national team.

His only goals this season have come in the Europa Conference League and Carabao Cup, adding six more goals to his tally.

Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 03,...

He looks disinterested and unhappy and his unmotivated state seems to be rubbing off on those around him.

Spurs have struggled this season with some poor attacking performances despite earning some victories, while England’s attacking options haven’t looked particularly in gear despite their wins over lowly opposition.

It’s a problem for club and country if it continues, but it shows no signs of stopping.

Spurs refused to sell him and the opportunity could be gone forever now. If so, we may have already seen the absolute best of Harry Kane’s career.

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