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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Harry Kane’s form has been sliding to the point where it has become a worry for Tottenham Hotspur.

On the chalkboard

The England international remains an elite calibre striker with a genuinely exceptional scoring record.

After a quiet start to the season, he has still scored 10 goals in 15 outings in all competitions.

Yet his statistics point to a player who is struggling.

Per WhoScored, he averages 2.7 shots per game, 0.7 key passes, 0.5 dribbles, two dispossessions and 2.4 unsuccessful touches, while his passing accuracy is a mere 69.1%.

Compare that with last season: He averaged 3.6 shots per game, 1.1 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, 1.6 dispossessions, 2.9 unsuccessful touches and a passing accuracy of 73.1%.

The season prior is even starker; in 2017/18 Kane averaged five shots per game, 0.9 key passes, 1.3 dribbles, 1.6 dispossessions and 1.7 unsuccessful touches. His passing accuracy was 71.2%.

This is a decline. In 2017/18, a season in which he netted 30 Premier League goals, one sees a single-minded striker who is always looking to hit the back of the net. In 2018/19, his game is slightly more rounded, as he looks to bring others into play, while his passing accuracy also improved.

This season, though, he seems caught between a rock and a hard place. He doesn’t shoot as much as he used to, he rarely runs with the ball and he loses the ball regularly. Combine that with poor passing accuracy and it adds up to a headache for manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Bring him into the game

The Spurs boss has to find a way to bring Kane into play.

Examine his match statistics thus far this season. He has attempted over 20 passes three times. His average passes per game number is just 16.5.

At his nadir, he completed just 50% of the passes he attempted in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The conclusion? Seven accurate passes.

Now, this is not to say that he should be dropping deeper and upping that number, quite the opposite.

Pochettino needs to construct his attack around Kane’s strengths because, at the moment, Spurs are merely accentuating his weaknesses.

Yes, he is still scoring goals, but he is toiling when he is not shooting and it is not helpful to the team.

Against Sheffield United at the weekend, as Spurs drew 1-1, Kane didn’t make a tackle, an interception or complete a dribble. He had two shots on goal but didn’t score and attempted 17 passes with an accuracy of 58.8%.

Kane remains an elite striker and his record speaks for itself but he needs some help.

Pochettino needs to find a way to surround him with the support he requires in order to get back to the lean, hungry striker he once was.

The stats prove that Kane can do it if he is given the tools; it is his manager’s challenge to source them.

England overcame Kosovo in a 4-0 victory on Sunday night, and these England fans were extremely pleased to see an impressive performance from Tyrone Mings in the Three Lions’ starting XI.

Mings, 26, was named in Gareth Southgate’s starting line-up for the clash against Kosovo, his second start for England since a first call-up in September following a promising start to the 2019/20 Premier League campaign.

The centre-back, who permanently signed for Aston Villa in a £26.5m deal following a successful loan spell in their promotion-winning season from the Championship, has been a mainstay in Dean Smith’s defence so far this season – starting all 12 league games. And on the basis of his impressive performance on Sunday, the defender has a strong chance of earning a spot in Southgate’s squad for Euro 2020 this summer.

Having been named in the starting XI, these England fans were certainly delighted to see their man featuring against Kosovo. Here are some of the best reactions following the centre-back’s impressive display in the 4-0 victory. 

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Manchester City’s opening Champions League commitment this season was away to Shakhtar Donetsk and it saw their record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero consigned to the bench while Gabriel Jesus started and subsequently scored.

Eyebrows were raised at the team selection. There was no think-of-the-children, shock and horror: just the arching of eyebrows because after all common consensus had it that the European trophy would be City’s main priority this term and also common consensus has Aguero pegged as the club’s best striker. So what gave?

One month later away to Crystal Palace, in a must-win league game, Aguero was once again relegated to sub and once again his like-for-like replacement Jesus found the back of the net. Now football’s knitting circle began to cluck and gossip.

With Pep Guardiola an affirmed admirer of the Brazilian’s pressing and work-rate, perhaps his deployment in key away games signified that Aguero’s long-held monopoly of the first choice striking role was waning. Perhaps – whisper it quietly for more dramatic effect – this was the clearest indication yet that one of the Premier League’s most infamously lethal hit-men was on the decline?

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In November City headed to Anfield, a ground that had hardly been a happy hunting ground for them in recent times and the same can be said of Aguero, who had drawn a blank there in seven previous attempts. A failure to score – despite being furnished with chances – had the commentators mulling on his curse with ominous tones.

It also led to some corners of social media writing off a forward who has fired his side to four titles. A legend no less.

Staying with Liverpool the prolific Argentine may repeatedly come unstuck in L4 but in his seven league appearances against the Reds at home he has scored each and every time. He is then cursed at Anfield but a one-man curse at the Etihad.

As for suggestions that his powers are fading it should be remembered that in the past three seasons he stands alone as the only British-based forward to score 30+ goals in each campaign across all competitions. The year before – 2015/16 – he still managed to muster 29 goals despite missing 52 days due to injury.

To put his recent prolificacy into context since Pep Guardiola has been in charge of the Blues his go-to difference-maker has scored 108 goals. The entire Manchester United squad in that period, across every competition, have put away 327. He has individually scored just shy of a third of United’s total tally.

And it’s a haul that is showing no signs of slowing down either.

This season only two strikers have scored more in the Premier League and he has averaged a goal every 82 minutes. His movement off the ball has been mosquito-sharp while his body-language is consistently that of a player highly motivated to wreak havoc. In short, he is approaching a peak that should have the rest fearful.

It is entirely understandable that rival fans look for any conceivable clue that Sergio Aguero is flagging through age.

Unfortunately for them that seems to be a long way off just yet.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Last Word on Spurs podcast (March 29, 14:03pm), former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Darren Anderton says he is “disappointed” that Mauricio Pochettino is no longer in charge of the club.

What did he say?

Well, host Ricky Sacks asked the ex-England international about the current situation at the north London outfit and to predict what is going to happen.

Speaking on the podcast, Anderton replied (1:15:25): “I think it’s difficult to predict [what is going to happen], to be honest. There’s a lot of negativity around. I’m disappointed that Poch isn’t there to be honest.

“I think what he did at the club, his spell there and the football that the club had played, bringing us into the new stadium. The players, every single one of them improved under him.”

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Did Levy get it right?

Following a really poor start to the 2019/20 season in which they sat 14th in the Premier League standings, were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Colchester United and beaten 7-2 at home by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, it was no real surprise that chairman Daniel Levy eventually wielded the axe on Pochettino in November.

The players looked to have given up fighting for the Argentine, and he looked to have run out of ideas and motivation himself during what was a difficult spell.

In appointing a serial winner in Jose Mourinho, Levy probably thought he was getting Tottenham back on the right track.

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There has been little evidence of that to date given Spurs lie 41 points behind Liverpool in the top flight and have been knocked out of the FA Cup and the Champions League under the Portuguese, but we do have to remember that this is still largely Pochettino’s team, and that strengthening is clearly required – especially in defensive areas.

Anderton’s disappointment is understandable, but perhaps the decision to get rid of Pochettino could prove to be the right one long-term if Mourinho eventually delivers success and silverware.

In other Tottenham news, loads of Spurs fans have identified the 6 ft 4 colossus they want to replace Harry Kane if he leaves…

Liverpool are so close, yet so far from lifting the Premier League title.

The Reds were just two wins and six points from being crowned as league champions for the first time in 30 years after having won 27 of their 29 matches in the competition. Their 25-point lead over second-placed Manchester City is the biggest in English top-flight history – the Anfield outfit’s domination has been seldom seen before.

Now, though, the pandemic making its way across the globe has damaged their title hopes – there has even been talk that the season could be cancelled.

There may be some good news for Liverpool supporters, though. According to The Daily Mirror, the Premier League is in advanced talks with the government to re-start the division in June – although that will be behind closed doors.

As you can imagine, this has delighted the club’s fans. You can see some of the best comments from Twitter below.

Liverpool fans, what do you think about this update? Let us know below…

Liverpool will be ruing their luck right now.

The Reds are currently top of the Premier League table by a huge 25 points – the biggest such margin in the history of the division – and they are just two wins away from confirming their inevitable status as champions. However, the current pandemic has not only seen professional football in the UK suspended, but has also threatened to cancel the campaign altogether.

Everton legend Graeme Sharp believes that the season should be declared null and void. The 59-year-old told The Irish Independent that, whilst it would be a shame for the Reds not to win the title and that Leeds and West Brom would not be promoted, this is the only way to go.

This was shared by Liverpool Echo reporter Ian Doyle, and as you can imagine, it has got the Anfield outfit’s supporters reacting in their droves with many claiming that Sharp is just a bitter Evertonian. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

What do you make of the comments? Let us know below!

Speaking to The Daily Mail, Liverpool legend John Barnes has made a huge claim about the kind of squad Jurgen Klopp has built at Anfield.

What did he say?

Despite the Reds lifting the Champions League trophy last season, and being on course to win the Premier League title this year before football’s postponement, Barnes has claimed that people still wouldn’t pick the kind of players currently at the club over others.

He said: “Klopp signs players to fit his system, not only because they looked great at their previous clubs. Ninety-nine per cent of people wouldn’t pick Henderson and Wijnaldum above Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva or even Jack Grealish or James Maddison, but they work for Liverpool.

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“Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri came in for the Barcelona semi-final, their attitude was great and they were physically ready. It shows they were training well, waiting for their chance. Jurgen creates that environment. One of the bravest things was letting Philippe Coutinho go and not directly replacing him. Liverpool trusted him.”

Team over individuals

Whilst it perhaps wasn’t Barnes’ intention to downplay what Henderson and Wijnaldum bring to the table, it’s certainly fair to say that Liverpool are more of a sum of their parts than just individuals.

The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah rightly figured highly in the Ballon d’Or rankings for last year, but it of course doesn’t show the contributions made by those who don’t get much of the limelight a la Henderson and Wijnaldum.

The Reds’ success is built on having a fully-functioning team with a sprinkling of stardust in key positions, and it has brought them rich rewards.

Sheffield Wednesday’s Massimo Luongo has opened up about his unfortunate run-in with injuries this calendar year. 

The 27-year-old’s maiden season with his new side has been more of a very faint whistle than a bang. After joining the Owls last summer from Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers, Luongo looked set to make waves with the Sheffield outfit.

His 27-goal and 32-assist career record suggested that he would be a promising asset to Garry Monk’s side but the midfielder has had a painfully unfortunate run in Wednesday colours so far.

Speaking to Dom Howson for Yorkshire Live, Luongo has said this past year has been ‘the most frustrating’ in his entire career. The Australian international hasn’t featured for the Owls since January, after a red card – which was later rescinded – left him out of the squad as he served his ban, followed up by an abductor injury.

“Literally, the day my red card got rescinded was when I got my scan results and it showed I had a grade two tear in my abductor,” Luongo said. “The funny thing is I don’t know how long I had that for but I had a few weeks of rehab on it.”

After recovering from the injury, the 27-year-old faced another setback through his calf, which has seen him miss out on almost all of 2020’s matches.

“It has been the most frustrating year in my career,” Luongo reflected. “I have not been able to play every week. I had to wait for my chance to break into the team and then I got injured.”

Despite his setbacks, the midfielder is confident he will return to action and make an impact on the team, saying: “If I am fit, I am confident I am going to play in the majority of those games.”

Luongo’s first year at Hillsborough may not have gone to plan but hopefully he can come out the right side of his injury torment and show the type of form which convinced Sheffield Wednesday to sign him.

Do you think Massimo Luongo will return with a bang, Owls fans? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Newcastle United keeper Martin Dubravka “is to be a symbol of the new and rich Newcastle”, referring to the prospective takeover in the northeast, according to the player’s agent Pavel Zika.

Speaking to Slovakian outlet SME, Zika said that he was not surprised that Dubravka became one of the most respected goalkeepers in England. Indeed, the 31-year old has kept a relatively impressive 24 clean sheets in 80 games in all competitions between the sticks in his career at the Tyneside club so far, according to Transfermarkt.

Zika also spoke about the apparent truth that the Magpies were influenced by his ‘excellent’ performances playing for the Slovak national team against England and Scotland. Allegedly, then-Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez was looking for a keeper for the long-term, and Zika started speaking to him about Dubravka through his Spanish connections (as per SME).

Other subjects that were touched upon were the price for which Dubravka would be sold in today’s transfer market, whether he would move to a so-called ‘larger’ team and the competition that he has both at club and international level.

The potential new owners of Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, businesswoman Amanda Staveley and the billionaire Reuben brothers will all have a decision to make as to whether they put faith in Dubravka or go out and buy a shiny new goalkeeper but, based off of his stats for the Toon, it may well be the former.

Moreover, Zika certainly seems to believe that his agent may become a symbol of the takeover, implying that he will stay in the team regardless of whether or not the £300m bid to take over from Mike Ashley is eventually approved by the Premier League.

Geordies, should Dubravka be kept as first choice goalkeeper even if the takeover goes through and extra funds become available? Comment below with your views!

Former Rangers boss Mark Warburton has lauded Chelsea prospect Billy Gilmour and has tipped a bright future ahead of him.

The 19-year-old spent his youth career with the Scottish side before the Blues came knocking. Gilmour rose through the Rangers academy system and eventually signed for Chelsea aged 15 (via Sky Sports). At the time, the youngster had already trained alongside Warburton’s first team, and he was keen to keep him at the club.

“David Weir and I went to his house to try and keep him for Rangers,” the now Queens Park Rangers boss told the Daily Mail. “We spent time with his mum and dad, but when the big boys come calling, it’s tough.”

He went on to describe Gilmour’s talent as ‘unquestioned’ and thinks big things are coming his way.

The midfielder has notched up two goals and four assists in Chelsea’s reserve side this season and has featured three times for the senior team (via Transfermarkt). His debut came against Sheffield United at the start of the campaign and he has since played against Crystal Palace and Everton.

Gilmour also represents Scotland in an U21 capacity and Warburton doesn’t expect it to be long before he’s shining on the main international stage with his country.

“What a talent. I think Scotland have a future world-class midfield player, I really do.” Particularly under Frank Lampard, who has so far got the best out of other youngsters such as Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, Gilmour will undoubtedly let his true potential erupt.

Do you think Billy Gilmour will go on to become a Chelsea star? Let us know in the comments below!