Tottenham’s Kane refusal proving no good for anyone

Nicholas Hughes

• 4 Oct 2021 08:08 BST
• 6 min read

After a transfer saga that was drawn out across almost the entire summer, Tottenham managed to keep Harry Kane from the clutches of Manchester City.

Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy was adamant that the No.10 would not be allowed to leave the club, with Kane himself conceding that fact and committing himself to further success in North London.

But early signs have shown that, as has been the case countless times in the past, the merry-go-round in the boardroom has affected Kane on the pitch, and not in a good way.

Despite a run of three goals in a matter of six days in the last international break, Kane has not yet seen a return to form at club level, with the reigning golden boot winner yet to score or assist in six outings in the Premier League.

The only goals Kane has provided at club level this season have been a strike against Wolves in the League Cup at the end of September and a hat-trick against Slovenian minnow NS Mura in the Europa Conference League a week later.

Jadon Sancho had a similar experience at the beginning of last season after failing to secure a move to Manchester United, though he did turn it around at Dortmund before making that transfer 12 months later.

If that is something of an omen for Tottenham, then there is still plenty of time for Kane to have a similar upturn in form, but potentially decreasing time for fans to see him at the club.

This situation is no good for anyone, and such is Kane’s importance to the Tottenham team that the performances of the side as a whole are suffering from the lack of quality the England captain is bringing.

Not just his goal scoring, but the link-up play that he was so effective in last season and the leadership he is so revered for have all gone missing at the beginning of this campaign.

Kane's form his hurting Tottenham, while Man City's No.9 hole remains

As far as Man City are concerned, their lack of a quality centre forward was highlighted again in a topsy-turvy clash against Liverpool at Anfield.

The absence of a key player in that position meant that Jack Grealish was deployed in a false-nine role in the match, with Gabriel Jesus continuing on the right-wing.

City had the overwhelming majority of the play in the first half but were unable to make their vast possession count with any sort of persistent chance creation or conversion.

Instead of being one, maybe two goals up at half-time, Pep Guardiola’s side began the second half level and ended up having to come from behind twice to earn a point that really could have been three but for a bit more polish in the final third.

Kane, and indeed Nuno Espirito Santo and the Tottenham hierarchy will be hoping the second international break of the season can give the 28-year-old a chance to reinvigorate himself for the remainder of the domestic campaign.