Pro Pundits

Can we rely on Spurs’ FPL assets without injured Harry Kane in the side?

Fantasy Premier League managers and Tottenham Hotspur fans alike are eagerly waiting for Harry Kane‘s (£11.1m) return from his latest ankle injury.

Watching the striker go down clutching that part of his leg has filled most of us with dread for several years now and we are already seeing some of the impact his absence has had on Jose Mourinho’s men.

At the very least, this time around, the latest news coming out of the Spurs camp does seem more positive than the last two injuries Kane suffered.

“The news is pretty good news. On the day of the Liverpool game, [we had] no idea. Then the next day we were thinking about three weeks, something like that. I do not want to be super optimistic but Harry is optimistic. He has the experience of some injuries in ankles and in Harry’s mind it is a couple of weeks, so let’s see if he is right.”

Jose Mourinho

However, even the most hopeful of Fantasy managers and Spurs fans don’t expect to see Kane back for at least another couple of FPL Gameweeks. The Spurs chatter suggests that the Manchester City game in Gameweek 24 might be the first time we see Kane pull on that trusty number 10 jersey again.

Either way, we cannot rely on him in the short-term but the question on many a Fantasy manager’s lips is what his absence means for his colleagues, especially the highly-popular and capable asset Son Heung-min (£9.7m).

Spurs without Kane in the past

Which FPL forward should we choose to replace Harry Kane?

Many of you will remember this sort of injury has happened before with Kane. On New Year’s Day at Southampton last season, he was substituted with ankle pain and did not return to Spurs’ first-team for 90 days.

It was only due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that he saw any further action at the end of 2019/20, making it back for Spurs’ first game of Project Restart against Manchester United.

Back in April 2019, Kane was out for 51 days with a ligament injury. In January 2019 he missed 40 days with an ankle injury. In March 2018 he missed 20 days with another ankle injury and in the 2016/17 season missed 73 days in total as a result of an ankle injury.

So we do have plenty of data to draw on when Spurs don’t have Kane although some of the circumstances have changed since his previous injury.

Spurs without Kane in 2019

CompetitionOppositionScorelineGoalsAssists
FA Cup
(3rd round)
Middlesborough (a)1-1 (D)MouraAurier
PLLiverpool (h)0-1 (L)
FA Cup
(3rd round R)
Middlesborough (h)2-1 (W)Lo Celso
Lamela
PLWatford (a)0-0 (D)
PLNorwich (h)2-1 (W)Dele
Son
Aurier
Dele
FA Cup
(4th round)
Southampton (a)1-1 (D)SonLamela
PLManchester City (h)2-0 (W)Bergwijn
Son
Moura
Ndombele
FA Cup
(4th round R)
Southampton (h)3-2 (W)Stephens (OG)
Son (pen)
Moura
Ndombele
Dele
PLAston Villa (a)3-2 (W)Alderweireld
Son (x2) (pen)
Bergwijn
Dier
UEFA CLLeipzig (h)0-1 (L)
PLChelsea (a)2-1 (L)Rudiger (OG)Lamela
PLWolves (a)2-3 (L)Bergwijn
Aurier
Aurier
Dele
FA Cup
(5th round)
Norwich1-1 (D)VertonghenLo Celso
PLBurnley1-1 (D)Dele (pen)Lamela

All Spurs fans will tell you how important Kane is to the success of the Spurs’ team.

However, back in the 2019/20 season it was maybe less concerning than it is right now. While Kane’s absence was felt, there were enough big performances and goal involvements from the rest of the side that Spurs continued to do well without him.

When you look at the games Kane missed in all competitions between January and Project Restart, the rest of the Spurs squad chipped in with their fair share of goal involvements.

  • Dele Alli (7.4m) provided two goals and three assists
  • Lucas Moura (6.6m) two goals, one assist
  • Eric Lamela (5.7m) one goal, three assists
  • Giovani Lo Celso (6.9m) one goal, one assist
  • Heung-Min Son (9.7m) six goals
  • Steven Bergwijn (7.0m) two goals, one assist
  • Tanguy Ndombele (5.9m) two assists

Even the defenders contributed with two goals and four assists between them.

However, since Kane left the field at half time against Liverpool in Gameweek 20, Spurs have failed to score. This, in part, should not be, and is not unexpected.

Over the course of the 2019/20 season the Kane was, not unexpectedly, Spurs’ top goal scorer however his team mates contributed too:

  • Kane – 24 goals in all competitions
  • Son – 18 goals in all competitions
  • Dele – 9 goals in all competitions
  • Moura – 7 goals in all competitions
  • Bergwijn – 3 goals in all competitions
  • Alderweireld – 2 goals in all competitions

However, over the course of the 2020/21 season so far the rest of the Spurs team have contributed far less to the number of goals the team have scored.

While Son and Kane are both on target to beat their goal totals from last season with 16 and 19 goals (in all competitions) respectively, they are providing 58% of the goals in all competitions and this increases to 70% of Premier League goals scored this season.

With Ndombele and Aurier the only other Spurs players to register more than one goal this season, Kane missing from the Spurs starting XI is likely to be a lot more costly this season than it was last. Furthermore, when you couple the loss of his assists as well, Spurs are decidedly short in attack without him.

Spurs without Kane in Gameweek 21

This is a massive worry for Son owners.

Son was the second-most transferred-out player ahead of Gameweek 22 with 276,748 managers saying goodbye to FPL’s third-highest point-scorer. At the time of writing, only Kane has been sold by more Fantasy managers.

With a tough match at home to Chelsea in Gameweek 21, followed by West Brom and then Manchester City, more Son sales look inevitable unless Mourinho can find the right balance for his Kane-free side.

During the second half of the Brighton game, things did improve for Spurs when Carlos Vinicius (6.9m) was introduced. The benefit of a target man in the Spurs side was noticeable with improvements.

When asked about the change from Gareth Bale (9.3m) for Vinicius after the match Mourinho said:

“I don’t like to individualise. We tried to start with a team who can try to give Son the same dynamic that he’s used to. There’s no replacement for Harry but we tried to give him that with Bale coming into his position to connect with Son, but we were not successful. But I’m not speaking about Bale, I’m speaking about us. In the second half, Vinicius is a different player. We tried to change the direction of the game. Vinicius as a target point brought us energy and he had a great shot with a great save from Sanchez. The reality is that the team improved.”

Jose Mourinho

While Spurs without Kane does the exact opposite of making Fantasy managers hearts flutter, the last half an hour of Gameweek 21 suggested that Spurs might just have enough about them to survive this latest injury blow.

The Gameweek 22 match against Chelsea will be a different prospect to Brighton. With Spurs and Chelsea playing out a 0-0 draw in the reverse of this fixture earlier on in the season, coupled with Son only managing two gaols in 10 games vs Chelsea, I am not expecting Son to return big for his owners this week.

But with the prospect of Kane returning sooner than originally feared I will be holding him, especially ahead of the West Brom game in Gameweek 23.

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Sam FPLFamily <p>Fantasy Football Scout's General Manager. Half of the FPLFamily. Pundit on the FPL Pod, Fantasy Show and Sky Sports News&nbsp;</p> Follow them on Twitter

752 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    So fingers crossed that Salah news is BS just like the City team leak one was

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah... In any case Cancelo please haul.

    2. Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I actually want him benched so DCL can come on lol

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Why bench DCL?

    3. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He's out? Bruno VC here.

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Apparently a late fitness test to start so there's a chance he plays 20-30 off the bench...

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I guess if he passes fitness test he will start you think?

  2. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Double pivot for Gundo? Boo

    1. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Huh.. Same as it has been of late, Bilva and him operating as 7 and 8, sometimes evenhigher

  3. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Right.. dias and cancelo, monster haul please, as its unlikely awb will grace my 11 now.

  4. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    After the **** show of the weekend. Now I need huge city performance to make up the points!!!

  5. Simon69
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Oh the Foden pain whyyyyyy did I buyyyyy

  6. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    First team for Man City.

    Thought it could be rotation time still....

    1. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Preparing for Liverpool game, Pep wants rythm

  7. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    FULHAM TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Leicester: Areola, Tete, Aina, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Robinson, Reed, Anguissa, Lookman, Mitrovic, Loftus-Cheek.

    Subs: Rodak, Hector, Odoi, Ream, Lemina, Bryan, Onomah, Decordova-Reid.

    LEICESTER TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Fulham: Schmeichel, Pereira, Soyuncu, Evans, Justin, Choudhury, Tielemans, Maddison, Perez, Barnez, Iheanacho.

    Subs: Ward, Daley-Campbell, Thomas, Fuchs, Mendy, Leshabela, Amartey, Albrighton, Under.

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pereira on my watchlist

    2. afcblegend
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Barnez stumped me for longer than I'd care to admit.

      1. TomSaints
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lol

  8. teneighty
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is Laporte playing LB?

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Seems so

      1. teneighty
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Seems like an odd choice but Pep gonna Pep.

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah, prep for Liverpool.

    3. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nah. 3-6-1

    4. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No - Cancelo playing in mid

      1. Bennerman
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Says who?

        If you're going by the BBC visual line-up, they can get things very wrong.

        Rodri left wing-back looking like an example, to me.

        1. Bennerman
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Or right wing-back, even.

      2. AIRMILES
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This was talked about on the Scoutcast the other day, but one of the pundits saying Pep wouldn't start a match like this, only move to it in-game. Interesting to see if it is 3 at the back. Hope it is, would love some Cancelo action tonight..... Would make sense too, as Brighton is gonna defend hard.

      3. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        4-3-3 with Laporte LB

    5. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lopsided back 4, they will shuffle to a 3 when Cancelo moves forward

  9. Krafty Werks
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling cappers unite...you owe me Raheem!!

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bit worried with Jesus starting.

      1. Niho992
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He is better with Jesus than without

      2. Krafty Werks
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Not me, he's back in his favourite spot out on the left cutting in no? Brave to not go Salah cap this week i think but chasing in ML's so need to do something different? I capped him last week too so he owes me double bubble this eve?!!

    2. el polako
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I capped him myself so let's hope so.

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Always nice when Pep starts all the serious FPL assets, scenes inc!

  11. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is that Barnes up top?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Na, cho.

  12. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    AWB stays on my bench ...oh well...

  13. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    CS points for everyone, hooray!

  14. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dias is so nailed. "He'll be rested next week" people in shambles

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      🙂

      Can’t recall that even Laporte at his best got so many starts on the spin

    2. Threat Level Midnight
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Noone has ever been more right than when you predicted this 15 weeks ago. LOL

  15. Ejaaz11
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone else pick Mahrez this week?

    1. The Red Devil
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yep

  16. Free Hat
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Too bad Stones start, my rival had Bednarek first def on bench xD

  17. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dias is nailed as good as Ederson

  18. FantasyHero
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Leggo (C)ancelo

  19. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cancelo is playing in mid

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Water is wet.

  20. Tonyawesome69
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    This theory about Gundo being less effective when a proper striker starts compared to a false 9 better be proved wrong tonight!

  21. JELLYFISH
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Got so excited about Stones starting that I just passed wind

  22. built_this_city
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    wish everyone would shut the f up about salah

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      This

    2. JBG
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      This

  23. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cancelo playing centre midfield. Odd position.

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I think Laporte will operate as a LB

  24. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    9 players tonight. Need big returns after last weeks total disaster.

  25. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Really hope Salah isn’t out, all my ML Rivals have Bruno (VC), was the only one who gave him the armband 🙁

  26. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is this Man City formation good or bad for Gundo? Who will be the other fullback besides Cancelo?

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cancelo playing central mdf in a 3-4-3..

      1. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Sorry looks like 4-3-3 with Laporte at LB

        1. Boomerang V
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          cheers

  27. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I can feel Ruben Dias goal. Its coming lads !

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      God I hope so

  28. Rash
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Can see cancelo having the freedom to go all out attack with laporte less adventurous at left back

  29. JohnnyRev7
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Justin, Cancelo, Dias and Gündogan all start.

    Bednarek -7 stays as 1st sub on the bench at the moment. Still praying.

    1. Fudgy
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lol

    2. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bet you were bricking it!!

      1. JohnnyRev7
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Still am. Still need my other 6 players to start tonight in the later games.

    3. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      haha... parp.

  30. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alright alright. Can we go back to the Salah rumours now please? So have you heard the latest?

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Do you have the latest? It’s Salah hat trick or no show preferably personally

      1. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Exactly this... Cancelo VC not bad

      2. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Apparently right, so what I’ve heard from my contact is, he has a nut allergy and had a snickers thinking it was a Mars bar. He’s fine, but just a little shaken. He’s fine to come on for 20 minutes apparently.

        1. Brimble82
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Mars a day keeps the haters at bay!

        2. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Must have been the new crispy snickers then.. So shaken but not stirred? Good to know 😉

    2. el polako
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No, tell me all about it...

      *looks like excited teenage girl*

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Well I’ve also read that he trod on a bit of his daughters Lego last night. He should be fine but the daughter can’t go to legoland this year. Not because he’s angry, they’re just not allowed
        To open in these circumstances. So many twists and turns.

        1. el polako
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Thank you for putting all the pieces together for me.

          1. Brimble82
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Bravo!

    3. Rash
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Heard a rumour that mane is out and that means a salah haul is guaranteed.

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Oof wow. Now go spread.

    4. Aster
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Like some guy last night predicted...Salah trapped his willy in a car door.

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Haha. I think that’s where it all started. It’s easier when there’s a massively owned high scoring vice captain that needs to be subbed in.

      2. Brimble82
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ding dong!

    5. Call Me Old Fashioned
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah, Salah's daughter captained Bruno and to show her who is boss Salah is getting a brace at least today