Harry Kane is determined to defy those who believe he is crying out for a rest by leading England into UEFA Nations League battle in Spain on Monday night.
Kane made it six internationals without a goal when he drew a blank on a frustrating night in Croatia on Friday, his worst run since breaking into the national side three years ago.
But the England skipper, who has 19 goals in 33 games for England and who won the Golden Boot after starring at the World Cup, is adamant his form has not dipped and that he does not need a break. ‘I’ll be ready to go Monday for sure,’ said the Tottenham striker.
Kane, who has scored six in 10 for Tottenham this season, pointed out that he is still second top scorer in the Premier League and said: ‘When you set the standards that I’ve set over the last few years and you feel a little bit below it, people are going to talk. That’s just the game we are in.
‘I’m experienced enough now to know that and not get too high or too low. I just stay focused on my job and what I need to do.’
Kane, who came as close as anyone to breaking the deadlock in Rijeka with a header against the bar, said: ‘I’d like to have scored more for England recently. But as a striker you go through spells where maybe it goes off the bar and other times it comes off your heel and goes in the back of the net like in the World Cup.
‘I don’t think my game has dipped. It has been tough after the World Cup not getting much rest but I think I dealt with it well. I’ve stayed fit and stayed healthy. That’s my main priority at the start of the season. Now it’s building on that and pushing forward over the winter.’
Kane did, however, admit that all the players have had to adjust after the intensity and hysteria of the World Cup.
‘We had an amazing summer, a big high but ending on a low,’ he said. ‘It’s difficult because every game we play for England now is not going to be as big as the semi-final and quarter-final. It’s about adapting to that.’
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, meanwhile, one of England’s breakthrough players at the World Cup, will ask to leave Chelsea on loan in January after seeing his gamble to stay at Stamford Bridge backfire under their new manager Maurizio Sarri.
Loftus-Cheek missed out on Gareth Southgate’s current squad after starting only one game this season. Crystal Palace will again be interested in the midfielder in January but may face competition from Everton and Arsenal.
azmilalmahomed
1
AND YET THEY WERE PICKING ON SALAH !!!!! AT LEAST SALAH SCORED A BRILLIANT GOAL AGAINST SWAZILAND IN THE AFRICAN NATION CUP RECENTLY !!!!!! ANY PLAYERS CAN HAVE MOMENT UP & DOWN BUT ONCE THEY FIND THEIR SHAPE , THEY BECOMES A GOAL MACHINE AGAIN !!!!!! GOOD LUCK TO BOTH SALAH & KANE !!!! THERE ARE GREAT PRESSURE ON BOTH OF THESE PLAYERS AS SALAH WAS THE EPL GOLDEN BOOT WITH RECORDS SETTING LAST SEASON & KANE AS WORLD CUP GOLDEN BOOT IN RUSSIA !!!!
tunezee88
1
Kane can't kill himself nw
ishwarkawale
2
Excellent opposition defence haven't conceded penalty
literary
3
Quite simple. Eriksen puts it on a plate for me and the English media are desperate for a success story. No eriksen and Kane is average.
wildcaterdo
2
Maybe at the next World Cup - England should let their goalkeeper take the penalties. At least that way he will stand a good chance of winning the golden boot!
Lawrencium
2
All he need is more pelnaties to take.
Codilra
1
He just needs lessons in speech.
balcony
0
He needs a rest
humidityi
0
Kane is a very ordinary player - nowhere near being world-class.
Wendydemi
0
Slow, lacking movement and not scoring goals. There's a problem somewhere.
Charleses
0
Guys if he hits bad form and goes on a goal drought he will just claim a goal
Worldmend
0
Even without the goals Harry Kane is still putting in those "world class" performancs the pundits were drooling about at the world cup, the ones where he did nothing and they all claimed he was so good he was undroppable. Its amazing how he's playing the same but now it's not the world cup they admit he's not doing it. Well I hope he keeps playing exactly as he is. We had our best chance ever at the WC and if these pundits had spoken up then rather then blowing smoke up his A55 and making him into a undroppable god then maybe the team would have come first rather then his golden boot quest.
Medarby05
0
good striker
yungdave
1
These are his trying times.... he'll surely overcome and start hitting the net as usual
Samsonchuddy
1
This lad is exhausted, he needs a rest but yet still scores goals for Tottenham. Good but not great player yet.
Ismitty
1
He is exhausted and Fatigue
Bksd
1
He will score soon