Harry Kane should be DROPPED for Dominic Calvert-Lewin against Czech Republic, says former England star Jamie Carragher
HARRY KANE should be rested against the Czech Republic with Dominic Calvert-Lewin given a rare chance to impress.
That is the view of former England star Jamie Carragher who benched the Three Lions skipper as part of five changes he’d make tomorrow.
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Gareth Southgate has already confirmed Kane will START the final Euro 2020 Group D game despite being hauled off in Friday’s drab draw against Scotland.
But Carragher feels the Tottenham star would benefit more from sitting out the Czech clash ahead of England’s likely progression into the next round.
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The Liverpool legend would also give both Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire chances to prove their fitness in place of Kalvin Phillips and Tyrone Mings.
Luke Shaw keeps his place at left-back but Kyle Walker has come back in for Reece James.
And the defender’s Chelsea team-mate Mason Mount is another who misses out due to his self-isolation after coming into contact with Billy Gilmour.
His absence has led Carragher to turn to Foden in the central attacking area with Jack Grealish starting from the left wing.
There are five changes in my line-up. It’s about getting players up to speed, bringing freshness in, and – with England already having a foot in the next round – making sure those who came back in for the last 16 are refreshed
Jamie Carragher
But his call to drop Kane is the pick of the bunch, as he wrote in the Telegraph: “Southgate has confirmed Kane will start, but as I wrote after the goalless draw with Scotland I would have given him a rest to prepare for the last sixteen.
“If Kane scores, many will say he has ‘proved people wrong’. Football has evolved beyond the point where a striker’s performance is judged solely on whether he scored.
“It’s the general play for 90 minutes which must be of the highest standard. That is what the top coaches judge.
“The days when converting a penalty or scoring a tap-in is considered ‘job done’ are long over.
“Kane doing so against the Czech Republic will be no measure of form for the rest of the tournament unless the overall level improves.
“There are five changes in my line-up. It’s about getting players up to speed, bringing freshness in, and – with England already having a foot in the next round – making sure those who came back in for the last 16 are refreshed.”
Kane had just TEN first-half touches against Scotland while the Three Lions failed to record a shot on target before the break for the first time since a 0-0 friendly stalemate against Germany in November 2017.
But England boss Southgate dispelled any possibility his skipper would be axed for the country’s final group-stage fixture.
He said: “He is our most important player, there’s no doubt about that, have a look at his goalscoring record with us to see his importance to the team.
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“He is fundamental not only to the goals he scores, but the build up play and everything else he brings.
“I know there will be questions about him, but he has been through this 100 times before.
“I’ve answered that in this role several times in the past, and he has come up with the goals to help us win games, and I expect that to be the case moving forward.”
