The Kane trick
The form of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Spurs overall has been overwhelming the Premier League. However, the former has been endangering the safety of players with a technique in games which has seen little-to-no scrutiny.
The England captain has been seen to duck underneath players when entering an aerial challenge, causing the competing player to land heavily on their back from a great height.
It was present in Spurs’ match with Arsenal yesterday in which Gabriel challenged Kane for a header, the Spurs forward ducked underneath the challenge up-ending the Brazilian and he, like many others, landed on his back in serious pain.
As Gabriel jumps for the ball with Kane, the England international ducks underneath the Brazilian. (Source: Wyscout)
This causes Gabriel to go over the top of Kane to then land and possibly seriously hurt himself. (Source: Wyscout)
Kane, after the match against Brighton in which Adam Lallana fell victim to the trick, defended the action claiming that it is part of the game being a contact sport.
“We play in a game where you get contacted every other minute probably with the opposition defenders. So unless you’re going to completely take physical contact out of the game, you’re going to get decisions where it’s a 50-50 call and that’s all that was.”
“As a striker, when you’re dealing with long balls all the time in the middle of the pitch from goal-kicks, long balls from defenders, you’re getting your body in the way and trying to hold the ball and take pressure off the team.
“The ball went up in the air, I tried to get my body there, Adam tried to jump up and he has come through the back of me before getting the ball and the ref made a decision.
“It’s one of those, 50-50, I’ve had stuff my way in my career, I’ve had those decisions not go my way. If that was just from a goal-kick, I don’t think there’s any debate at all. I’m not going to cry if I don’t get it, I’m not going to go over the top if I do get it.”
The evidence
Whilst Kane has said that these are ’50-50′ challenges where players are going ‘through the back of’ him, the evidence suggests more sinister actions are going on.
Using the example against Lallana first, the following two images show Kane looking towards Lallana as the former Liverpool player is looking straight towards the ball, Kane then ducks underneath Lallana, not only endangering the player but tricking the referee into awarding Spurs a free kick.
Kane is seen looking at Lallana whilst the Brighton player is fully focused on the ball. (Source: Wyscout)
Kane then ducks underneath Lallana causing the former Liverpool man to roll over and fall hard on the surface. (Source: Wyscout)
If it were simply a case of this occurring in a one-off situation the benefit of the doubt could be given to the striker but it is becoming increasingly clear that this is not the case whatsoever. Kane was seen using the technique again against Aaron Cresswell in the 3-3 draw with West Ham.
Kane is seen again looking towards Cresswell and the West Ham full-back looking straight towards the ball. (Source: Wyscout)
Kane, predictably ducks underneath the player and Cresswell flies over him. (Source: Wyscout)
There is a real risk of a player landing awkwardly as a victim of Kane’s antics in these challenges and getting seriously injured. The footballing authorities are yet to comment on the action but the evidence is becoming increasingly clear that the players need further protection and other individuals will need to be deterred from mimicking Kane and increasing the frequency of these incidents.
