Jermaine Pennant has suggested that Antonio Conte plays Harry Kane as a ‘defensive-midfielder’ when the England captain returns to Tottenham Hotspur duty after the World Cup, as he told talkSPORT.
The former Premier League winger thinks this needs to happen to accommodate Richarlison, who ‘won’t be happy’, that he could be benched when he returns to Spurs, especially given the tournament he is having with Brazil.
Tottenham’s summer signing has three goals to his name for one of the pre-World Cup favourites, who are now preparing for a quarter-final clash against Croatia.
Whilst there is a realistic chance Richarlison returns to north London as a World Cup winner, he won’t play as a centre-forward because of Kane, whilst Kulusevski, when fit, has been preferred on the right and Son is a regular.
Pennant agreed that the former Everton man ‘won’t be happy’ with that situation, but given that Kane constantly drops deep, then perhaps all four can be fitted into the XI.
“No, he’s not going to be happy,” said Pennant on Richarlison possibly being dropped to the bench once he returns to club football.
“Put Richarlison there (up top) and then put Kane defensive-midfield because he drops that deep. When he is playing for Spurs, he drops that deep to get the ball, so you might as well put him in midfield or as a number ten and see how it works.”
RICHARLISON STARTS AHEAD OF SON
This was the reason Spurs broke their club-record transfer, for situations like this and much-needed headaches for Antonio Conte.
Whilst Son Heung-min, whose South Korean side were knocked out of the World Cup by Richarlison’s Brazil, has been outstanding for Spurs over the years, the simple fact is that he isn’t performing this season.
Therefore, it’s Richarlison-Kane-Kulusevski as a front three.
And as Son proved against Leicester City, he can cause as much damage from the bench as he is when starting.
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