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Harry Kane: England captain wants team-mates to make this change - Rio Ferdinand
ENGLAND captain Harry Kane wants his team to play a more direct style of football at times, according to BBC Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand.
Ferdinand was speaking ahead of England’s World Cup quarter-final against Sweden today.
Despite reaching the last eight, Gareth Southgate’s side have struggled to score from open play in the tournament.
Former England striker Gary Lineker asked Ferdinand if a change in style would help.
“Would you like England to perhaps alternate a bit, play a bit more direct at times?,” Lineker said.
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He’d want the ball to be played into him, ‘get the ball into me’. Then you can get (Raheem) Sterling, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard running
Ferdinand agreed and believes Kane especially would welcome it.
“Yes, and I’m sure Harry Kane would as well,” the Manchester United legend said in reply to Lineker.
“He’d want the ball to be played into him, ‘get the ball into me’. Then you can get (Raheem) Sterling, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard running.
“But I think the wider areas in this game today are very key.
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"We’ve got to try and create two v ones out wide and cross the ball.
“Today’s defenders, the first thing you ask about a defender normally is ‘how good are they on the ball?’.
“It used to be how you defend first, but now it’s how good you are on the ball.
“Make these players do what they’re not used to, and that’s defend.”