Harry Kane hasn’t scored a goal for England since July 3, in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, but Gareth Southgate insists he is unconcerned about the Tottenham Hotspur striker’s ongoing goal drought.
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Most forwards wouldn’t elicit mass hysteria over six appearances (479 minutes) without a goal on the international stage — it’s hard to score goals, you know — but most forwards aren’t Kane, either. From the first time he put on the senior-team shirt and marked his debut with a goal, Kane has been bagging them with ease — 19 in 33 caps thus far.
For that reason, Southgate refuses to panic or stray from the course that says one of the world’s best, most complete forwards should be the first name on the team sheet every time out. Plus, he can sense that once Kane finds the net again, the floodgates will open; he sensed the moment was close in Friday’s 0-0 draw with Croatia — quotes from the Guardian:
“He buried that chance but was just offside, but Harry will get us goals. We were a real threat. The most important thing for the team is we create chances, look dangerous, and I have faith the players who didn’t score will score.
“This feels like a game we should have won but I was really pleased with the way we played. We dictated the flow for a long period and the second-half performance was excellent, pushing right to the end. I couldn’t ask for more from the players. We just have to make sure we finish the chances. On another day, we will”
On the other hand, Kane hasn’t exactly been the sharpest version of himself since injuring his ankle in mid-March. He was likely rushed back for the finish of the Premier League season, followed by the World Cup with a very short week’s break in between. A prolonged period of rest wasn’t possible post-World Cup either, as the PL season began in early August. At some point — whether by design or another injury that may come along — he’ll likely need a few weeks of rest and rehabilitation to regain top form for club and for country.
