Kane Returns for Spurs but Was it a Farewell Appearance?
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Harry Kane was named on the substitutes bench for Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers on the weekend.
It was the first time we have seen the name of the England international striker on the Spurs team sheet following the conclusion of the European Championship.
There were several reports Kane decided not to turn up for training at the beginning of the season in a bid to push through a move to defending Premier League champions Manchester City.
However, as the end of the transfer window edges ever closer, Kane remains a Spurs player and he played his first minutes of the season under new manager, Nuno Espirito Santo. Kane came off the bench with 20 minutes remaining and although he did not score, he did show his quality in the short space of time he had on the pitch.
It is always interesting to see the fans reaction to a player who has been strongly linked with a move away from a club. Many onlookers predicted Kane’s emergence onto the field was going to be met with a chorus of boos from the travelling Spurs fans.
However, Kane was met with good support from the away fans, who chanted “Harry Kane, he’s one of our own,” which was followed quickly by a not so pleasant response from the home fans. In fact, the majority of the booing directed at Kane came from the Wolves fans.
In terms of Spurs’ performance, it is not going to go down in the history books as a great display. It was a solid performance, not as well structured as the win over Manchester City last weekend but gives an idea of what Spurs fans can expect under Santo this season.
If this is how Spurs are going to play for the majority of the 2021/22 Premier League season, they are going to need Kane in the team to challenge for the top four. Kane is a player who only needs one chance to score a goal and is capable of finishing the most difficult of opportunities.
He is also highly capable when it comes to dropping deep and linking the play, something Spurs are going to need a lot this season if they are to be successful.
However, one look at Manchester City on the weekend shows they need a central striker. Whether it was merely a tactical decision or a look to the future, Gabriel Jesus was deployed wide right, with Ferran Torres as the central striker for Manchester City at home against Norwich. It worked well against the Canaries but is Torres capable of playing in that position for much of the season?
Perhaps Guardiola was trying to make a point with this team selection in the hope it will push the club to get a deal for Kane over the line before the transfer window closes. It is going to be an interesting week and one set of fans are going to be left extremely disappointed.
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