Tottenham's 2-1 win over Everton saw Christian Eriksen and Roberto Soldado on the scoresheet but it was Harry Kane who took the plaudits. The 21-year-old forward's energy is helping to make Spurs look a better team...
Monday 1 December 2014 08:55, UK
"We worked hard and gave it 110 per cent," said Harry Kane. He's picked up the interview habits of a seasoned Premier League player but for once the cliché that’s long troubled mathematicians didn't feel so farcical. The Tottenham forward had pushed himself beyond the limit.
The Premier League tracking data emphasised the point. Kane covered more than 13 kilometres for his team in their 2-1 win over Everton on Super Sunday, the most by a Spurs player this year and more than all but two Premier League players have managed all season.
White Hart Lane loved it. "It was his energy that lifted the crowd and sometimes it only takes one player and it lifts everyone around him," said Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio. "There’s been talk about him getting in that team ahead of Emmanuel Adebayor and it looks now as though he's actually got that position for himself. He’s nailed it down."
Spurs might finally have a strike partnership worthy of the name. Kane and Roberto Soldado have been team-mates for well over a year but Sunday was only their fifth start as a pair. It's now four wins and a draw from those games and the Spaniard seems to be enjoying it. "Soldado isn't a striker who plays very well up front on his own, particularly at Tottenham," said Gary Neville on co-commentary. "He’ll appreciate the support."
Neville couldn't have imagined that would prove to be the case quite so quickly - Kane's hard running seeing him get a tackle in on Gareth Barry to help engineer Soldado’s winner. "That’s what we’ve been working on," Kane told Sky Sports. "Pressing high and winning the ball high up the pitch to create opportunities. It's good to see it working on the pitch."
While Kane is already in double figures for the season, for Soldado it was a first goal in 12 games and a reward for his own involvement in the first goal. His movement created the space for Kane to drive at the Everton defence with Christian Eriksen putting in the rebound after the forward's initial effort was saved by Tim Howard.
Spurs fans have been calling for 4-4-2 but Kane’s work rate means it seldom feels like that with him in the team. "He was the one who dropped in and helped all day," said Carragher. "He's been involved in everything." Neville agreed. "He was the difference at times in this game with the way in which he linked the midfield and attack. His power and directness in running at the Everton defenders was always a problem for them.
"If you can have a forward who drops off, it’s got to be better than a midfield player who goes in there because you've obviously got the goal threat as well. So for Harry Kane to be a forward-type player but then have the ability to go in and do that third midfield role, it's better if you can get that. There aren't many forwards who are willing to do it or are capable of doing it but he looked like he was willing to both sides of it and that’s a big plus."
Tim Sherwood once likened Kane to Teddy Sheringham and while the bustling youngster has some way to go to convince he has similar levels of vision and creativity, his recent performances certainly suggest there is more to his game than weary sceptics tired of the search for England's 'next big thing' might have anticipated.
The energy is there, with Kane contesting a game-high 24 duels, making more sprints (64) than his team-mates and, in the first half, more tackles too. But he also boasted the best pass completion rate of any player on either team in the first 45 minutes, so there's a composure to go with the effort. Predictably, that was the quality Glenn Hoddle appreciated most.
"He likes to run at players and I think he's got that little bit of calmness about him," Hoddle told Sky Sports. "Once he's created a bit of space, he actually comes off the energy side of it, he's got that calm moment to pick the right pass, get the right cross in or finish it off himself. He worked extremely hard today and this crowd love a home-grown player. With the Adebayor situation, they're just willing him to do well and stay in the team."
In this form, that seems a safe bet. Kane is not only adapting to the demands of Mauricio Pochettino's style of play, he's contributing goals and helping to make sense of their system. Moreover, he's even helping to get an expensive striker back in the goals. Maths might not be the strong point but maybe 11 out of 10 might just be a fair mark for this performance.
