Should England drop Harry Kane? 

Jacob, say it out loud: Southgate refusing to play Gordon forfeits half the pitch and the opponent can clog everything up defensively. I’ve never seen a more stubborn manager, ignoring an obvious answer to not having anything on the left.

Really enjoyed Oli setting out clealry why Kane is having 0 impact then saying "but I would start him'

Tbh Ive accepted Southgate won't change a thing and there's no point even discussing it.

ahmed was a great guest

Love kane, absolute goal scoring machine (50 goals this season) i think he may still be carrying the back injury sustained at the tail end of the season. Play him for 60 minutes & let watkins / toney have a run out for the last 30minutes

A tough one really , he’s obviously carrying a back injury however , he’s influential enough to get important goals . With the system 3421 need a striker to run in behind and hold it up better , he isn’t doing either of those things at the moment, looking at Watkins or Ivan Toni to start might be the brave move that Southgate needs to take .

1st half against Switzerland, Saka put the perfect ball into the box and Kane wasn't anywhere near to attack that. Time for Southgate to take gamble on Ivan Toney

I get what Jacob's saying about Kane, but for the Italy game, and I'm pretty sure he's talking about 'The Thrill in Seville', England didn't have Bellingham or Foden occupying that position. Also, against Spain we played 4-3-3 without a 10, so Kane could drop and ping it to either Rashford or Sterling, who both like to get in behind. I love Kane, but I think he's redundant in this system, you at least need Gordon as well as Saka obvioulsy, in order to get the best out of him.

Listening to Oliver Kay is like somebody scraping their nails down the ceiling of a bus

If he scores one more goal he goes joint top scorer, it has generally been a low scoring tournament. Changing Kane might work, who knows, but we all know Southgate isn't going to drop him in any case. He's arguably the best player in his position in global football, a superb penalty taker, and still dangerous when not playing well.

Kane is top striker, but this guy drops so deep that it’s so easy to mark him out of the game. The lack of mobility is the big issue.

Kane is a known slow starter to any season, where he is expected to not score in August. Coming back from injury we should expect the same.

Should've dropped Southy a few years ago. the team is yet to create more than a few chances for Harry and that's why you're asking this question.

We had the exact same debate in 2018, when he stunk the game out against Croatia in the semi final at walking pace, same in the CL final against Liverpool In saying that, Southgate doesn't use him properly, he needs to play in a front 2 like at Spurs or a front 3 like at Bayern - with him being the one that drops deep

40 mins out a 41 minute podcast and 4 things stand out 1. Nobody mentioning the political aspect of leaving out the England captain if they go on win the title, it's a bad look, similar to Rooney lifting the Europa league. 2 Olie Watkins record against VVD is very impressive including a famous hat trick in the villa 7-2 win 3 history has shown different occasions how a back up striker had a make difference eg Geoff Hurst 4 no mention of Cody Gakpo who has clearly been the best and the most effective forward player the tournament. It's been pretty clear to see stop Gakpo stop the Netherlands.

Kane has been Englands best player last 5-6 yrs but i agree he doesn’t look the sharpest

Kane is clearly struggling to make any impact so far (apart from his goals. Personally against the Dutch, I would opt for Watkins to utilise his speed against Virgil Van Dyke, but as we all know Southgate will stick with his plan A until it is nearly too late

Defo reduce his minutes

Kane isn't getting service as a striker because he's not getting into the right positions. He's clogging up the areas where Foden/Bellingham are operating. We need someone to run into the box.

Yes Yes! Yes!!! Yes!!!! Holding England back because of his selfish desire for records etc. Would prefer a 100% channel runner than a 5% magical moment has been.

To me it's simple. The lack of balance and absence of left sided attacks forces Kane out of position and he is less effective

You should if you want to progress, but Southgate won't because it's what he does.

Came here to watch this AFTER the Watkins goal! Lets see! xD

Saying kane offers something defensive shows a complete lack of football understanding. Great, you have another defender but what do you do with the ball when you get it. Theres no out so its either whack it up the pitch....yo no-one, or play it around at the back till the inevitable mistake...or someone whacks it aimlessly up the pitch. Honestly Kanes positioning in these matches has been baffling. And he has show no speed or dynamic movement. Its so obvious he needs resting

If Kane had gone near post/edge of six yard box for any of Saka's crosses/cutbacks, he would have scored a couple of goals, easy. The fact that he is so hungry for goals, he would be there if he could be there, so there is definitely something wrong, probably with his fitness. Look at Kane's touches/passes/heat map in the context of the team's and you can see there is a big problem for England. We are not getting anything like enough people into the box and Kane is largely responsible for that ...

Yes

HK needs to start & TAA should also be selected on the advanced right [initially] so he can supply crosses for him as the Dutch look suspect in the air. 2nd half I’d bring on Saka to go in behind when we get in front 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

YESSSSS

I think Kane is at his best when he's dropping deep and being the play maker who is switching the balls to the wings. So he needs Saka on the right running in behind and Gordon on the left doing the same. Foden doesn't fit into that system ie the 4-3-3, I think if England are going to play the system they played against Switzerland, the 3-4-2-1 then it should be Toney or Watkins playing as the 9 as it suits the system better.

Funnily enough, Southgate shoehorning best possible players onto a pitch just for the sake of having them all on doesn't work well! Too late to change anything now but the team needs to always be catered around how to get the best out of your goalscorer. Kane needs speed each side to set up his attacks in the box and another striker/fales 9/very attacking midfileder alongside to link up and make the runs beyond him. Foden and Saka aren't staying wide enoug, always cutting into the middle (fair play Saka for scoring when doing so though) and clog up Kane's areas & Bellingham is trying to do Kane's other role as the playmaking forward rather than making the runs beyond him onto the last defender like Dele used to. Not hard to solve for a decent coach, shame Southgate is way too defensive to allow for wingers to play as wingers and a midfielder to run ahead of the striker...

YES

Depends on who will take his space.

I don't know if the producers at the BBC had a word in pundit's ears, but Micah Richards screaming that England were brilliant in this game is bordering on an insult to the viewer's intelligence. I watched the game in a sports bar, and I actively booed and chanted "BORING". Any fan who went out there and rightfully expected a bit more dynamism and expansiveness to our play has been ripped off. Gareth Southgate owes us an apology after the fucking drivel we've been subjected to at this tournament. There's being pragmatic and cautious, but making Serbia, Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia AND Switzerland all look like tough opponents is totally and utterly unacceptable. We have the Bundesliga's top scorer, La Liga's player of the season, the Premier League's player of the season, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Cole Palmer, Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins in our attacking ranks. It doesn't need to be THIS sluggish. I literally fell asleep in the Slovenia game, and there's a video going round social media of a journalist who fell asleep during the same game. If we play like this against an actual heavyweight team, they will eat us up and spit us out. We are owed more. We deserve more. We are entitled to more. Yeah, yeah, I know we won, and I know I "don't deserve nice things" and all that shit. If that's the best comeback you've got, then don't even bother, because I'll just school you. I am under no obligation to only say nice things or blow smoke up people's arses, and I am just as entitled to give my opinion as anybody else. If you don't like it just because I don't fall in line and say "Thank you Gareth, may I have another?" like everybody else, tough shit. Learn to, because if this utter horse shit continues, then so will I. I don't like what I'm seeing, and I'm prepared to speak up about it, as is my God given right. We need a different manager after the Euro's, no matter what. Gareth Southgate has done wonderful things and revived our belief in the England national football team. That can't be denied or ignored, but his time has run its course now. We need something fresh, and it's not as if there are no free agents out there right now (Mauricio Pochettino or Graham Potter?). To actually answer the question that was asked, yes, I think Kane should be dropped. He gets in other player's way, because he drops deep too much when we have midfielders who can do that job and to be honest, forget underwhelming; I think he's been pretty terrible at this tournament. If I'm Ivan Toney or Ollie Watkins, I'd be kicking the manager's door down, let alone knocking on it and asking for a quiet chat.

honest question here. Can someone explain to me how Oli can argue why Saka and Foden are not someone to lead a press. Saka is an absolutely vital cog in Arsenal who last year waas the best Off the ball team in Europa for long spells. If Arsenal was good at one thing last/this season it was the pressing. And Ødegaard was probably the one most important cog in that machine with Saka and Havertz second. So I don't get the Saka is not one to lead a press. He can. He is just not run around like a headless chicken pressing. And Foden is integral in a Pep side. I think he can press just fine. Again not the typical English headless chicken style. But...

Oil Kay right on the money about Kane. His rationale is objectively correct me reckons. Problem is the 2 options aren’t the worlds finest, although both offer different attributes that would benefit England during certain phases of play. Come on England 🙌

England should drop Gareth Southgate

Yes. He has been completely useless.

Drop Kane and play Bellingham as a false 9. Foden @ 10, Saka up top on right side. Keep Rice and Mainoo in CM Shaw and Trent wingbacks. Back 3 of Guehi, Stones and Walker.

If it was club football he would be dropped, it's too big of a call, would you really do it before a semi final?

If it is a fitness issue with Kane then a) why is the manager selecting him b) why isn't Kane himself telling the manager he should not be available for selection?

Yep.

Yes he needs to be dropped like Foden and Toney and Palmer to take over

Short Answer: No Long Answer: Why in the hell would you leave Rashford at home and deny Kane a runner to play off like he had with Son at Tottenham and now at Bayern? And why is Foden still undroppable? Drop Southgate before you drop Kane

he isn't England's best player RIGHT now in these Euros. Team England is bigger than Kane. Kane must step aside for Watkins

Don't even mention Arnautovic, he has been the least functional and worst CF in the Euros

Kane is 100% injured.

Talking like Kane is 40… he is 31!!! That is not old, he shouldn’t be playing like this. Must be injured.

2-0 Holland, set piece goals.

If England win euro championship 2024 it will not be England team it will be England team and Jamaica and Africa team so it will not be England team

Harry Kane at this tournament is basically just a Ronaldo that can’t speak English

We really could have benefited from having Maddison in this team. His game is purely playmaking, and his passing could have helped us out massively in these games.

I feel they should either drop him or play a 2 so someone can do the running for him, everything has to be into feet absolutely zero threat in behind, he looks tired and his pressing is pretty nonexistent unfortunately

Kane is the mist successfull striker in the Bundesliga but in the English team he sucks?

The answer. Hell no. Sure he's arrived in the box late. But if a midfield creates chances, with the ball in and around the box... then theres no better man to turn half a yard into a goal

Kane is a World class striker but England need someone different upfront right now.

He will score a brace...wait and see😅😅

Obviously not

The latest scapegoat 🙄

There is a moment in the game that I think sums up why it's not Kane to blame. Saka gets to the byline and cuts it back front post and there is nobody there, Kane is sitting way back towards the penalty spot/leaning to back post. On first view this seems to be a mistake from Kane because the striker should absolutely be getting in there. But, I think they have trained for Bellingham to crash near post from his CAM position and Kane to go back. Because of the position changes, Bellingham isn't in position to do that job, but because of the training Kane is waiting for it to happen. This making him look a little silly but really he instinctually followed instructions. Even if those instructions had changed for this match, in a split moment you rely on your training to make the decision for you.

No

nope

Watch the game back.. Kane is limping from the 6th minute

Why is this even a conversation? Ofcouse they shouldn't, should france drop Mbappe? Should spain drop Morata? No Ofcouse not

The answer is incredibly simple.

We have talked, analysed, sold, bullshitted, prostituted this whole greatest of sports to death. Sorry guys, but you are flogging the poor horse's carcass/skeleton in the road years after it died of exhaustion in your service. You just don't know it yet.

Free Watkins…..

Lol

This has got to be a joke 😂 Kane hasn’t had service? HE STANDS STILL WAITING FOR A LUCKY DEFLECTION HE MAKES NO EFFORT

No! But why I am i even commenting on this random channel with 3 random guys sitting in their kitchens? go help your wives with the kids or something!

England were losing until Mainoo left thre pitch. He's the real problem.

Absolutely, yes. Have some courage. Drop him. He has been totally ineffective.

White saviour Kane is yet again protected by the media. Whenever he plays badly it is due to fitness issues. His arrogance and lack of tactical intelligence, particularly dropping deep and needing to connrct with the play, is never questioned. I wonder why.

Kane is so poor - also terrible decision to make him captain. You think a non-native English speaking ref has a clue what he’s saying?

Kane out

Kane should learn to talk English.

Please do it. I don't want England to win

YES

No