Sport

HARRY KANE & THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTANCY AT SPURS

Fast forward 12 months and Harry Kane has just scored the winning goal for England in the European Championship final. Okay, now stop dreaming. After Kane’s phenomenal 2014-15 season, many have touted him to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer and could even guide Spurs into the top four.

There is no denying that Kane is talented and could go on and achieve both targets. However, it is unrealistic – and also unfair – to place these kind of expectations on a 22-year-old’s shoulders. While the striker netted 21 goals last term, there is no guarantee that he will emulate that figure in the upcoming season.

Fortunately for Kane, there is very little competition at Tottenham. Emmanuel Adebayor could well be on his way to link up with former manager Tim Sherwood at Aston Villa, while Roberto Soldado has struggled to find the net since Spurs forked out £26 million for the Spaniard back in 2013.

However, all this does is add to the pressure on Kane. While there is next to no competition for the England striker, supporters will begin to expect him to not only deliver, but to deliver on a regular basis. Kane is an excellent player and is more than capable of leading the line for Tottenham but he may struggle without a credible supporting cast.

One thing that Spurs have in abundance is creativity. In fact, Tottenham boast one of the best attacking midfield units in the Premier League. Christian Eriksen and Mousa Dembele possess the skills to unlock some of the best defences in the sport and will record numerous assists throughout the 2015-16 season.

Kane is blessed. Spurs are blessed. Blessed with talented wingers who can whip crosses into the box and present the striker with opportunities on a plate. Andros Townsend, Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli are all capable of beating defenders and providing inch-perfect assists in and around the 18-yard box.

Opposing sides will begin to focus on Kane. While that may be a negative for the striker on an individual level, it shows that teams are recognising talent and tweaking their own game plan to accommodate Kane. In theory, this should open up space for Tottenham’s other forward-thinking players who could prosper.

Now, if Aston Villa decide not to pursue Adebayor and Soldado also remains at White Hart Lane, they must contribute goals. Both players remain, on paper at least, reasonably gifted footballers but lack confidence. Pochettino may opt to select these forwards in domestic cup competitions in a last-ditch attempt to increase confidence, as well as ensuring Kane isn’t overworked.

As a squad, Tottenham are certainly in contention for a Champions League spot. While it could be argued that Spurs are the weakest of England’s “top 6”, they have an exceptional work ethic and, with a bit of luck, could beat the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool into the Champions League positions this year.

Supporters must ensure that they don’t expect too much from Harry Kane and shouldn’t voice their frustration if the 22-year-old starts the new campaign slowly. The England international is a potent threat and will score goals, given the opportunities. Tottenham’s fans, however, must remain level-headed and remember that Kane isn’t the only striker at the club. It would only be unjust to rest their failures throughout the season on Kane’s head.