Martin Keown has told talkSPORT that Tottenham Hotspur are not playing a style that suits Harry Kane and need Heung-Min Son to return from injury quickly to add the missing spark.
Kane has endured a sluggish start to Nuno Espirito Santo’s tenure with no goals in three Premier League appearances. He also failed to find the back of the net as Spurs drew 2-2 with Stade Rennes on the opening night of the Europa Conference League Group Stage.
The 28-year-old scored his only goals of the season with a brace in the Conference League play-off with Pacos Ferreira. Keown believes Kane’s difficulties stem from the counter-attacking style Nuno is trying to implement since taking charge at Tottenham.
Keown believes Kane is a gifted player with world-class finishing ability, but the Tottenham star does not have the pace to play on the counter-attack. Instead, he needs Son – who has been struggling with a calf injury – and pacey players around him to operate best.
“I feel he is extremely professional, and I just feel it is down to service and the way they are currently playing,” Keown said. “Spurs, they kind of allow the opposition to have the ball and it’s then on the break. And he hasn’t necessarily got that pace into those areas, he’s become more of an assist person. And they need Son back in the team quickly.
“He relies on that pace in and around him. You need to get [him] higher up the pitch and in and around that penalty box. He’s just simply not getting there, but you need to create the opportunities. When you’ve got somebody gifted, and he is a world-class finisher, you’ve got to provide that service for him.”
Should Tottenham change system to suit Kane, amid Keown’s concerns?
Kane started each of Tottenham’s last two Premier League games after making his season debut as a substitute against Wolves. He had a chance to open his account for the term at Molineux, too, but for Jose Sa in goal.
The England captain tried to make things happen against Watford on his first start too, but with little reward. Kane was even more ineffectual in Tottenham’s shock defeat to Crystal Palace, with the striker struggling for service – like Keown suggests – but wasteful when he did get the ball. A similar story as it proved to be on Thursday against Rennes.
Nuno may have to consider changing his desired Tottenham system to suit Kane, and ease concerns like Keown’s. The Portuguese will need the 28-year-old making a difference if Spurs are to beat Chelsea on Sunday. He can ill-afford to have a passenger lead the attack.
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