Captain Harry Kane calls for more positional discipline to fix England’s attack

BLANKENHAIN – Captain Harry Kane has suggested that “more positional discipline” is needed for England’s attack to click in their final Euro 2024 Group C game against Slovenia on June 25.

Despite the excellent club form of Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, they have struggled to dovetail in Germany thus far, with all three tending to drift into the No. 10 role. Of the Three Lions’ first-choice attackers, only winger Bukayo Saka does not gravitate into that pocket of space.

Highlighting this, centre-back John Stones admitted his Manchester City and England teammate Foden “loves playing through the middle”, even though “he’s played every position up top for us at City”.

The 24-year-old Premier League Player of the Season features on the left wing in Gareth Southgate’s England set-up, with La Liga Player of the Season Bellingham to his right as an attacking midfielder and European Golden Boot winner Kane up front.

Bayern Munich striker Kane was quoted in The Independent as saying: “From all of us, maybe a little bit more positional discipline (is needed). When we look back at the games, maybe there were times when we were a bit too deep.

“Not just us, certainly over the pitch where we had too many numbers behind their press or block. We found it very hard then to progress up the pitch.

“We all want to get on the ball and make a difference, which is great but we also need to be a threat going forward, which we haven’t been, compared to our usual selves.”

Following Southgate questioning England’s pressing, Foden said the intensity has gone up in training.

He told The Guardian: “I feel like the intensity has gone up a little bit... It’s probably the most technical England team I’ve ever seen. ­Training is such a high level.”

The Three Lions began their quest for a first European Championship trophy with two tepid performances against Serbia (1-0 win) and Denmark (1-1 draw) that drew flak from former players-turned-pundits Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Shearer, among others.

Kane has hit back at the criticism, saying they should remember how difficult it is to play for their country.

“I always feel like they have a responsibility,” the England captain said on June 23.

“I know they have got to be honest and give their opinion but also they have a responsibility of being an ex-England player a lot of players look up to, that people do listen to them and people do care about what they say.”

Kane, who said he is fully fit amid speculation about a back injury that bothered him late in the Bundesliga season, took a swipe at the pundits by noting they never won an international trophy during their careers.

“I would never want to be disrespectful to any player, especially a player who has worn the shirt and knows what it is like to play for England,” said the 30-year-old.

“(But) the bottom line is we haven’t won anything as a nation for a long, long time and a lot of these players were part of that as well and they know how tough it is.”

In the other Group C clash, Serbia have their backs against the wall but are confident of the win they require against Denmark to reach the last 16, midfielder Veljko Birmancevic said on June 23.

Dragan Stojkovic’s side have one point from their opening two games to sit bottom of the group and, while a draw could mathematically prove enough to stay in the tournament, they want to leave nothing to chance in Munich.

“We have no options for comfort, we have reached the wall,” Birmancevic said. “There is no going back and we can only go forward. If you want to move forward, you have to win...

“You can never go for a point in life. In life, you always have to look to win. Winners go for victory. When you calculate in life, you will always lose.”

Like Birmancevic, Denmark’s Thomas Delaney is struggling to break into his side’s midfield but the combative 32-year-old is still full of praise for Morten Hjulmand, who has taken his spot in the team.

He said: “He is a player after my own heart. He is great to watch and does many of the things I like to see. I’m impressed by that... Yes, it’s annoying, but... at the same time, I also want us to win, so we need good players and sharp competition.” REUTERS, AFP