Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has delivered his devastating verdict on Tottenham Hotspur centre forward Harry Kane.
The 6’1″ England captain [Source: Transfermarkt] has scored two goals in four games so far this season, but seemingly hasn’t done enough to impress the former Arsenal great.
“Kane is badly out of form anyway,” Merson wrote in the Daily Star. “I watch him and sometimes he really doesn’t do anything in a game at all. Then in other games he looks like a world beater, it’s weird.
“You watch him at times and you think: ‘What did he bring to the pitch today?’ I think he’s just badly out of form. But he looks low on confidence to me and a yard off the pace. He needs to catch fire. He didn’t do much in Tottenham’s game at Watford and he didn’t do much in the two games for England either,” he finished.
OPINION
Merson seems like he’s being a bit harsh on Kane, here. The Spurs star hasn’t played badly this season, and indeed he played a key role in the emphatic wins over Fulham and Manchester United. He wasn’t at his best against Watford, but which Tottenham player was? He did OK for England against Spain, while he didn’t have too much time to contribute for the Three Lions against Switzerland on Tuesday night. The 25-year-old doesn’t usually score at all in August and he did so twice this time around, so surely he’s doing better than in previous seasons? Obviously goals aren’t everything and Kane has looked a little tired after a draining summer, but he’s not been as bad as Merson is saying. He’s going to improve as the season wears on, but it would be a good idea for Mauricio Pochettino to give him a rest at some point, so that he can come back reenergised.