Anthony Gordon is the key to bringing the best back out of Harry Kane at Euro 2024, according to former England star Darren Anderton.
Gareth Southgate’s side have reached the knockout stages of the competition having qualified as Group C winners, setting up a last 16 showdown with Slovakia on Sunday night.
But the performances in Germany have been alarming. Passive displays devoid of intensity or any real invention have marred their first three games and among the biggest concerns is the form of captain Kane.
The Bayern Munich star, who scored 45 times in 48 appearances in his first season in Germany last season, has struggled to replicate his usual fearsome form with Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, two of his predecessors in leading the England attack, vocal in their criticism.
Former Tottenham star Anderton, who won 50 caps for England, believes it is now time for Southgate to make some ‘big decisions’ with his starting XI, with Gordon’s inclusion a vital one.
Gordon made a late cameo off the bench against Slovenia in what were his first minutes of the competition, offering an immediate threat.
With England struggling to get players in behind the opposition, Anderton believes the Newcastle United star can offer what Son Heung-min used to do working in tandem with Kane at Tottenham.
‘For me, we need to stretch the pitch now, the movement is not good enough and everybody is coming to the ball and we end up playing in such a small area,’ Anderton told Metro.co.uk courtesy of whatbonuscode.co.uk.
‘You want to make the pitch big when you’ve got the ball, so you need people to run in behind. Harry used to do that at Spurs but doesn’t do that anymore, so you need someone like Son would do at Spurs.
Euro 2024 LAST-16 FIXTURES
June 29
Switzerland vs Italy (Berlin, 5pm)
Germany vs Denmark (Dortmund, 8pm)
June 30
England vs Slovakia (Gelsenkirchen, 5pm)
Spain vs Georgia (Cologne, 8pm)
July 1
France vs Belgium (Dusseldorf, 5pm)
Portugal vs Slovenia (Frankfurt, 8pm)
July 2
Romania vs Netherlands (Munich, 5pm)
Austria vs Turkey (Leipzig, 8pm)
‘What I took away from that game [against Slovenia] was that Gordon has to play in that team in order to create the right balance. It probably means that Gareth has to make some big decisions.’
Anderton believes Kane’s role in the England team is becoming more and more similar to the one another Tottenham great in Teddy Sheringham played. But underlining the need for more space between the lines, he believes Gordon is the only player in the squad capable of making that happen.
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY – JUNE 20: Harry Kane of England celebrates scoring the opening goal with Kieran Trippier during the UEFA Euro 2024 group stage match between Denmark and England at Frankfurt Arena on June 20, 2024 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
‘You have to have someone that will run in behind,’ Anderton continued. ‘As a centre-back, if you know the ball isn’t going in behind you, you can get as tight as you like but if they have the worry of someone running in behind them they might get a little deeper and create more space for Harry to come into the hole and play like Teddy used to.
‘Harry can do that but there’s no space for him to come into at the moment, because Foden is trying to get in there, Saka’s coming inside, Bellingham is in there.
WHEN IS ENGLAND’S NEXT GAME?
England play Slovakia in the Euro 2024 last-16 stage at 5pm on Sunday.
‘You need to stretch the play and it is a big, big decision, but Gordon is the only one I see doing that.’
England will avoid Germany, France, Portugal and Spain on their half of the draw and also avoided a last 16 clash with Netherlands, who only qualified for the knockout phase by finishing third in their group.
Slovakia, who also finished third behind Romania and Belgium in Group E, await this weekend but Anderton believes a sterner test against the Dutch may have been more beneficial for a side needing to up their game.
WHO COULD ENGLAND PLAY IN THE QUARTER-FINAL AND SEMI-FINAL?
If England beat Slovakia, they will play either Italy or Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter final on July 6.
Potential semi-final opponents: Romania, Netherlands, Austria or Turkey
‘You always want the easier draw, but I felt like it would have done us good to play the Netherlands and to see exactly where we are,’ Anderton said.
‘I’d say Gareth is a pretty lucky manager with the draws that we keep getting, and we have to take advantage of it finally. Three games so far and not played well, we’ve won the group and now we play Slovakia in the knockout stage – you can’t ask for anything more than that.
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