The feast or famine continues for Harry Kane. Backed by 607,000 new owners and 1.4 million armbands for Gameweek 11, the Spurs striker once again frustrated at Wembley Stadium.
We have, of course, been here before.
Kane has been the top captain pick on just two occasions this season: today against Crystal Palace and back in Gameweek 8 for the home fixture with Bournemouth. He returned two points in both matches.
Indeed, Sunday’s blank was his fifth in six “home” fixtures this season, with a brace and 16 points against Liverpool in Gameweek 9 the only respite.
Ordinarily, we can point to Kane’s numbers as reassurance. However, just two shots, with one effort on target against the Eagles is a modest set of figures – his worst of the campaign so far.
The “unexpected” outcome delivered a most satisfying weekend for the 250,000 who opted for the 15-point Mohamed Salah as their captain, or indeed the 800,000 who trusted one of Alvaro Morata, Sergio Aguero or Gabriel Jesus.
Spurs’ leggy display post Champions League, together with a much-changed teamsheet, clearly hindered Kane’s prospects. Perhaps we should have anticipated as much.
However, there’s no denying that the encounter with Palace ticked all the boxes as a favourable fixture. Roy Hodgson’s men were without a clean sheet, with 12 goals shipped in five away trips before today.
Plus, in Spurs’ last two matches that followed European ties – including an away trip to Madrid – Mauricio Pochettino’s attack had twice fired four goals, with Kane earning a brace in both. There was no talk of fatigue on those occasions.
We can clutch at straws and, yet again, try to decipher some data and theories to feed our future decisions on Kane, but the fact is, he almost defies all logic.
When he scores, he has not been restricted to a single goal in a match since the first of two fixtures in Gameweek 37 last season – a strike in a 2-1 win over Manchester United.
A total of 15 goals have come from eight matches. Over those fixtures, Kane has produced huge FPL scores via two hat-tricks and four braces, with maximum bonus points each and every time.
No other forward can match that level of explosive potential. That’s the reason behind his ownership, and why 1.4 million captained him for Sunday’s clash.
We clearly have a choice. We either show resolve and grit our teeth through the blanks, or risk turning our backs on Kane. The alternative is to allocate 12.8 of our budget on a player and not hand them the armband.
Are we really proposing we can consider that idea for home matches against bottom three sides? It’s an option, but it’s not easy to justify.
So perhaps we dare to go without Kane and back one of two Manchester City strikers seemingly locked in rotation. Or perhaps Morata, who suffered a six-match goal drought before today’s header. Or even Lukaku, who has no goals in his last seven outings.
Our confidence in Salah has grown, but is he really at the level where we can trust him with the armband week after week?
These alternatives are hardly convincing. At least, not yet.
That leaves us back at square one.
For all the frustration and rage that Kane creates, he remains a player that is intimidating to ignore and arguably too expensive not to trust with the captaincy.
6 years, 6 months agoPope (Elliot)
Otamendi Jones Ward (Simpson Hunemeier)
Hazard Salah Sterling Richarlison (Carroll)
Aguero Kane Joselu
1FT, 0.3, ITB. Which move?
(A) Simpson to Daniels
(B) Joselu to Murray
(C) Aguero to Lukaku
(D) Otamendi and Joselu to Daniels and Murray/Abraham (-4)
(E) Other?