Tottenham debunk ‘Harry Kane team’ myth just in time to welcome Pep
Earlier this season Pep Guardiola labelled Tottenham ‘the Harry Kane team,’ but Spurs have well and truly debunked such a myth, just in time to host Manchester City.
Harry may receive most of the accolades, but the importance of Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-min, and Dele Alli cannot be understated in his chronicles of greatness.
None of the trio court the limelight and their first thought is always to find their talismanic striker. But as Harry spent a couple of weeks on the sideline, they took the opportunity to show Spurs can be as ruthless in his absence.
No Kane, no problem
After Kane went down holding his ankle against Bournemouth, Erik Lamela quickly eradicated any sense of trepidation. The Argentinean’s presence leads to a more anarchic style and instantly flummoxed the Bournemouth backline resulting in a Son brace. The Korean has been prolific in front of goal of late, and may finally hold the answer to Spurs’ backup striker conundrum.
In the following game, Christian Eriksen was on the double, putting in a masterclass performance against Swansea. Harry may be regarded as Spurs best player, but Eriksen is widely deemed as their most important. The Dane constantly drifts inside spinning webs of passes and is the fulcrum of Tottenham’s offensive threat.
Next, it was Dele’s turn. The league’s newest pantomime villain twice outwitted the Chelsea backline to silence the critics and Stamford Bridge’s boo boys.
All in all, Spurs scored ten and conceded just once in roughly three games without Harry.
Humble Harry
Harry may wear an unwavering self-confidence, but it is cloaked in modesty. He continually deflects personal acclaim to the work of his teammates and took to the Player’s Tribune to thank everyone from his Mum to Tom Brady after breaking into the Premier League’s 100 club.
In the same article, he wrote of how he would ‘trade the next 100 goals’ just to lift the Premier League trophy with his mates at the new stadium.
The homegrown striker just gets what it means to play for the club, as he proved with his reaction to Tottenham’s goals against Chelsea.
Ready for City
Poch fired back to Pep’s gibe claiming that the Catalan ‘struggles to be a gentleman’, but Spurs still have a score to settle on the field after falling 4-1 to a seemingly indomitable City back in December.
Next: Eriksen shines in 2-1 win over Stoke
Tottenham have claimed 33 points from a possible 39 since their encounter at the Etihad. Their attacking armoury is in fine fettle and will be gunning to inflict another blow to a wounded City.