‘Glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur’ was the song being played upon the final whistle but you’d have been hard pressed to hear it at White Hart Lane on Saturday. It was Harry Kane’s name being roared by the Spurs supporters, drowning out anything else.
He’s one of their own, you see, and judging by the way his team-mates ran to him at the final whistle, it’s a feeling shared by the players as well as the fans. Kane was the last to leave the pitch and, typically, still running as he charged down the tunnel. “He doesn’t stop,” said Arsene Wenger afterwards.
It’s been an extraordinary season for the young striker but this game surely represents a new high point. For all the plaudits, talk of his achievements when moving through the ranks and the kind words from those coaches who’d worked with him during his loan moves, Kane’s blossoming needs to be seen to be believed - and even then, some are still struggling.
The Europa League goals, including a hat-trick at home to Greek side Asteras Tripoli, were supposed to be clouding the issue. When Sky Sports published the statistic showing Kane was the first player in England to reach the 20-goal mark, it wasn’t only Arsenal fans rushing to run him down and mock the overreaction to a young home-grown player showing such promise. Such cynicism is being made to look foolish. It’s now seven league goals in 2015 alone and only Lionel Messi can match that tally.
Kane’s confidence is palpable when watching him. There is no hesitancy, only complete conviction in his movement and decision-making. Strong and quick, playing on the last man and pulling wide into space - he’s a player who refuses to be pigeon-holed. The equaliser was the goal of a poacher, ghosting in at the far post, and yet the winner was the sort of towering header you’d expect to be scored by a very different type of striker.
To produce this performance in a game of such importance says plenty and while the media focused on Roy Hodgson’s presence, Kane’s inclusion in the England team is surely inevitable. As Wenger pointed out, “If you don’t put him in there, somebody will give him a passport for another country”.
A more pertinent question is whether - at this moment - there is a better player in England right now, regardless of nationality. And amazingly, Mauricio Pochettino thinks there is more to come. “Today he showed he is a great player,” said the Spurs boss. “But my idea is he can still improve. His potential is massive.”
culled from skysport
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