Pundit praises 21-year-old's calmness in possession
Monday 1 December 2014 08:34, UK
Harry Kane's work rate hugely contributed to Tottenham's impressive victory over Everton, says Glenn Hoddle.
Spurs came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 on Sunday as Kane turned in a man-of-the-match performance at White Hart Lane.
The 21-year-old didn’t get on the scoresheet but impressed in what almost turned out to be a box-to-box role and Hoddle was delighted with the youngster's display.
"I think he’s done a job coming back for the team and dropping in defensively, but it’s helped them offensively because when he won it he had the energy to run at people," said the Sky Sports pundit.
"He likes to run with his head up, and I think he’s got a bit of calmness about him. Once he’s created a bit of space, he comes off on the energy side of things and he’s just got that little calm moment, and he’ll pick the right pass, put the right cross in or get a finish him himself. He worked exceedingly hard today."
Kane has quickly established himself as a fans’ favourite, scoring 10 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions this season, and Hoddle isn’t surprised the Spurs supporters have quickly warmed to him.
"This crowd love a home-grown player, and I think with the Adebayor situation they’re just willing him to do well and stay in the team," he said.
"Since they brought those seven players in, their tempo has been slow in the build-up, and [the same] with the players they brought in last year. I’ve watched it and it’s been too slow.
"[Mauricio Pochettino] had that going at Southampton, the pressing. It does help when you’ve got two strikers when the ball is really deep, because Kane then went up with Soldado and put pressure on the two centre-halves, which they’re not used to having nowadays because they’ve always got one striker.
"Once it went past he dropped in and filled up the midfield, but with the intensity they must have worked for three or four days - just press, press, press, all day long."
Hoddle also singled out the performance of Christian Eriksen, who got on the scoresheet but also excelled in a wider role for Pochettino’s men.
"That’s the best I’ve seen Eriksen play defensively," he added.
"How many balls he pinched, I don’t know. It’s not his forte - he’s normally in the pocket. But playing on that left-hand side we said ‘would he track back’ and he did.
"He went asleep once when Coleman got in, but the amount of times he pressed the ball and won the ball and set them up on the attack was probably seven or eight times."
