England icon reveals TWO reasons why Harry Kane must be dropped for Slovenia clash but it’s not all bad news for skipper
HARRY KANE should be DROPPED from the England team, according to former defender Stuart Pearce.
Skipper Kane scored in the 1-1 draw with Denmark but looked off the pace and was subbed by Gareth Southgate.
Ex-England left-back Pearce was asked on talkSPORT whether he would axe Kane and he said: “I think I would.
“To get more energy in the team, to get someone to run in behind the opposition’s defence and then you review it again when you get to the knockout stage.
“Where he (Southgate) goes from here, I don’t know.
“This is a tough one for Gareth and his coaching staff.
“It might be making some tough calls, it might be leaving the captain out. It might well be, ‘How do I solve the left-back issue?’
“How do we get more delivery from the left-hand side with no natural left-back? Potentially put Bukayo Saka there.”
Kane was replaced by Ollie Watkins for the final 20 minutes against Denmark as part of a bold triple sub that saw Southgate change his entire front three.
The manager admitted his team were lethargic against the Danes – and admitted Kane is not operating at 100 per cent right now.
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Southgate said: “Harry’s only had one 90 minutes in five or six weeks.
“We are not pressing well enough, with enough intensity.
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“We have limitations in how we can do that with the physical condition.
“We cannot press as high up the pitch as we might have done in the qualifiers, for example, and not keeping the ball well enough. It is as simple as that.
“We have to keep the ball better and build with more control.
“Then we will be defending less and we’ll have more confidence.”
Jack Wilshere: Southgate must be brave with Rice
By Jack Wilshere
GARETH SOUTHGATE should be brave and play Declan Rice as our sole holding midfielder.
But if England manager Southgate doesn’t want to do that — and he probably doesn’t — then he needs to give Rice the chance to play more like he does for Arsenal.
Let’s be absolutely clear here. Rice was so important for us again during that first half against Denmark.
The fact that he had a difficult second 45 minutes showed how much England were struggling.
Rice himself would hold his hands up and say he gave away the ball too often.
But what I took overall from his performance is that he needs more help in the engine room.
Read here how Jack Wilshere would resolve the Declan Rice dilemma.
The players took part in a yoga session hosted by Dr Rebekah Jade at their Blankenhain base.
And now the under-fire Three Lions boss is considering a change of personnel and a change of shape for England’s final Group C game against Slovenia on Tuesday.
Southgate added: “We’ll have a look at everything.
“We’ll look at the performance and look at the next opponent and find the best solutions for the next game.
“We felt the right thing to do against Denmark was to give confidence to the players we picked in the first game. We had won the previous game.”
ENGLAND vs DENMARK RATINGS
ENGLAND stumbled to a drab 1-1 draw with Denmark.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated the Three Lions team.
Jordan Pickford: 6
Looked a little jittery early doors, though there was nothing he could do about Morten Hjulmand’s corker and he made a decent parry after the break.
Kyle Walker: 7
Made England’s opener by racing round a sleeping Victor Kristiansen – he’ll be having nightmares of that forevermore – and teeing up Kane via a deflected cross.
John Stones: 6
OK but you have got to wonder how fit he feels having barely played for Man City in the second half of the season, plus his injury and illness issues over the last month.
Marc Guehi: 8 and my star man
Really encouraging again from the Crystal Palace centre-back, looking sharp with his interceptions and assured in distribution.
Kieran Trippier: 6
Like Stones, he was fine, but England really need Luke Shaw back ASAP because having no natural left-footer at left-back is a problem.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5
This experiment of playing Trent in midfield is far from convincing, especially when his passing was off it like it was here, barring one good ball to Saka. Subbed on 54 minutes.
Declan Rice: 5
Had to cover so much ground as England dropped worryingly deep in the first half and also lost it a few times in front of his back four.
Bukayo Saka: 7
Not quite as electric as his first half against Serbia, but another solid showing from our right winger who has been our most consistent attacker across the two games.
Jude Bellingham: 6
Nowhere near the majestic display he put in against Serbia and one of many who looked tired.
Phil Foden: 7
Was far more involved than against Serbia – although that was not hard – and had a few dangerous efforts from range, including one that smacked the post after the break.
Harry Kane: 6
Netted his 64th goal for his country with an opener he could not really miss, but then gave the ball away from Denmark’s leveller. Surprisingly subbed.
SUBS:
Conor Gallagher (on for Trent, 54): 7
Vital clearance on the stretch when Christian Eriksen was lurking and was not afraid to put his foot in.
Ollie Watkins (on for Kane, 70): 6
Played in by Bellingham’s lovely ball after coming on but could not finish from an acute angle.
Jarrod Bowen (on for Foden, 69): 6
Copped a nasty tackle which saw Joakim Maehle booked.
Eberechi Eze (on for Saka, 69): 6
On for his tournament bow though he was rarely involved.