Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Harry Kane: One Tottenham team-mate is to blame for striker’s poor form - BT Sport pundit
TOTTENHAM forward Lucas Moura is to blame for Harry Kane’s lean spell in front of goal, reckons BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves.
Ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Brighton tonight, Harry Kane had scored just twice in six appearances for Spurs this season.
The England man has notoriously started seasons slow but his lack of shots on target was alarming.
Kane had just four shots on target in those six games and has received some criticism.
But Hargreaves believes the 25-year-old has been playing in a slightly different position because of Moura.
I think his role, as good as he’s been, has probably just changed Harry Kane’s role ever so slightly
Moura has often played alongside Kane up front, rather than in his more familiar role on the wing.
And Hargreaves reckons that has had a negative impact on the influence Kane can have in front of goal.
“I don’t think he’s tired,” the former England midfielder said of Kane.
“I just think his role is slightly different.
“Look at Lucas Moura, he’s a winger, at PSG he’s always played on the right-hand side.
“He’s playing right next to Harry Kane - he’s been Tottenham’s best player really this season, most effective.
“I think his role, as good as he’s been, has probably just changed Harry Kane’s role ever so slightly.
“All those touches Harry Kane expected, now he’s coming a bit deeper, look where he is he switches that play.
“Lucas Moura’s in the box, Harry Kane’s not in the box, where we’re used to seeing him, getting shots, getting goals.
“We know he’s a great passer of the ball, he can play as a No 10, but that’s why he’s not getting as many shots this season.
“He’s in a slightly different position because Lucas Moura is in there.”
Kane did end his barren run with a penalty in the first half of the visit to Brighton.