Pochettino argues why Harry Kane dropping deep is a ‘problem’ for England

Mauricio Pochettino has claimed that it would be more beneficial for England if Harry Kane was in and around the box so that more chances fall to the Tottenham man.

It was during Pochettino’s reign at Spurs that Kane first broke into the clubs’ senior side and went on to establish himself as one of the best strikers in the world.

For almost the entirety of the Argentine’s five-and-a-half-year spell in North London, Kane featured as an out-and-out number nine, with the likes of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli providing the creativity for the Lilywhites.

However, over the last couple of years, the 29-year-old has adapted his game and has dropped deep to pick up the ball, often with great effect, setting up plenty of chances for the likes of Son Heung-min.

Kane’s playmaking abilities have certainly been there for all to see in Qatar, with the striker sitting joint-top of the assist charts with three to his name so far (Statista).

While Pochettino admitted that the England captain’s role will have to do with the specifics of Gareth Southgate’s strategy, he opined that he would want the striker to say as close to the goal as possible.

The former Tottenham manager told The Athletic: “The problem is when he is constantly dropping into midfield. Sometimes that is because the team needs him, but sometimes it is because he wants to get on the ball rather than being in the box to score goals. 

“So you need the coaching staff to decide on the strategy and game plan. And for me and my idea of football, when he’s in the box, he can be the most helpful.”

Spurs Web Opinion

While Kane would want to get on the ball more by dropping deep, I doubt that he is doing it of his own accord without having conversations about his role with Gareth Southgate.

The England boss is quite detail-oriented with respect to his tactical set-up (despite some often questioning his tactical acumen) and I believe he would have made it clear to Kane when he needs to drop deep and when he is required to occupy the centre-halves.

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