Tottenham’s tactics will be ‘frustrating’ Harry Kane despite stunning form, claims Michael Owen

Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
In tune: Harry Kane and Heung-min Son
Pool via REUTERS
Alex Young @alexwsyoung16 December 2020

Tottenham's tactics under Jose Mourinho will be leaving Harry Kane "frustrated", claims Michael Owen.

Kane and striker partner Heung-min Son have fired Spurs to the top of the table ahead of Wednesday evening's trip to Premier League champions Liverpool.

England captain Kane has nine goals and 10 assists in 12 games, with Son adding a further 10 goals and four assists, in a streak of form he describes as the best of his career.

But Owen believes Kane must look beyond Tottenham's position in the table and his goal contributions and realise Mourinho's counter-attacking style is not for him.

Owen told talkSPORT: "If I was Harry Kane I would certainly be frustrated thinking 'we play deep, we don't get enough crosses in and we're not playing to my strengths'.  

"However, results would suggest that at the moment everything is quite rosy and the more you win games and see yourself up the top of the table then the problems in your mind about how you're playing or how much of the ball you're getting probably disappears.

"But if results don't go well then all of a sudden, as a top centre forward, you're thinking 'hang on a minute, I'm not built for this counter-attacking style'." 

However, Owen recognises that with Kane now more often seen dropping deep and becoming a more creative force, perhaps Mourinho’s approach suits a player entering his late 20s.

He continued: "In many ways, as well, he's changed his role with the evolution of Tottenham. He's much more of a No 10 this season and he's assisting a lot more.

"Being at the sharp end of that team requires a lot of pace, lots of running, multiple sprints and he's not so young now.  

"He's going to get into a stage of his career, where we've all been, where you start tweaking your game a little bit to manage your body.

"So, in fact, it might be the making of him that he starts developing that No10 role and it works even better when you've got pace around you."

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