It should not be that Harry Kane dropping deep to be brilliant is framed as an \u2018infuriating\u2019 problem for England in actual 2025 but here we are again.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the Hope that kills you<\/p>\n
If you look closely enough at the opening paragraph to Craig Hope\u2019s England reaction in the Daily Mail, you can actually pinpoint the second when his heart rips in half:<\/p>\n
\u2018Morgan Rogers chose a bad time to have his first quiet game for\u00a0England\u00a0last month, and here was his second. Now that\u00a0Jude Bellingham\u00a0is back, the noise for his inclusion will grow, just like the cheer that welcomed his replacement of Rogers in the second half.\u2019<\/p>\n
And\u2026now.<\/p>\n
Hope has largely spent the last two international breaks trying to convince the world that England do not need Bellingham<\/a>, that they are contemplating \u2018pressing ahead with World Cup preparations\u2019 without him.<\/p>\n Some might say such an argument was always based on nonsense if the edifice starts collapsing in on itself after two fairly underwhelming games.<\/p>\n Morgan Rogers is described as a \u2018spectator\u2019 who \u2018did not provide the guile that a player in his position ought to offer\u2019 against Serbia, and that \u2018\u00a0his progress has flatlined\u2019.<\/p>\n There is obviously still room for a dig at Bellingham and his comparatively poor \u2018positional discipline\u2019 as he \u2018can wander like the star he believes he should be for England\u2019. Because something, something, intimidatory ego<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bellingham will also \u2018no doubt feel he deserves to start in Albania on Sunday,\u2019 whereas the humble and deferential Rogers will simply accept whatever call Tuchel makes.<\/p>\n Hope is absolutely right on one thing: \u2018Tuchel\u2019s management of the situation has been smart.\u2019 Some of the reaction to it, rather less so.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n You Kane hardly believe it<\/p>\n It is heartening that in the year of our lord 2025, the Harry Kane Should Stop Dropping Deep narrative persists.<\/p>\n Ian Ladyman has a vague point that it can sometimes be \u2018infuriating\u2019 to see one of the best strikers in world football roaming around midfield and playing phenomenal passes to brilliant forwards before himself pushing up to join the attack. That sh*t is exasperating, even if you\u2019d think the frustration surrounding it would have worn off after well over half a decade.<\/p>\n And to be fair it really has been an issue in some major tournaments when Kane has been poor and even detrimental to the team.<\/p>\n It just feels like a weird time to make the point after a 2-0 win in the midst of the best run of goalscoring form of Kane\u2019s career<\/a>, in which he has often played behind a striker for Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n As the man himself said following an inspirational performance against Borussia Dortmund when stationed behind Nicolas Jackson in October: \u201cI think it was one of my best games, probably of my career, to be honest, in terms of affecting the game in all different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n The bloke likes to get involved and, most importantly, is bloody good at it. It\u2019s not exactly Wayne Rooney dragging the last years of his career out plodding around the centre circle and spraying 50-yard passes for no apparent reason.<\/p>\n Sure, \u2018it\u2019s one thing doing this on a mild November night against poor opposition and quite another during a World Cup summer in hot conditions and against better teams\u2019. But it seems very early and unnecessary to start building that particular straw man \u2013 especially when he has a three-week winter break coming up.<\/p>\n \u2018The sight of Kane tackling Serbia centre forward Dusan Vlahovic on the edge of his own penalty area and then appearing on the end of a pass 60 yards up field seconds later summed his night up,\u2019 is also a spectacular sentence to write as part of some seemingly constructive criticism.<\/p>\n Stop doing all the good stuff and just get in the box, Harry.<\/p>\n MORE ENGLAND REACTION FROM F365 \u00a0<\/p>\n Surprise, surprise<\/p>\n Phil Foden being credited with the \u201ckey\u201d role in Eberechi Eze\u2019s wonderful curler<\/a> was funny but perhaps there was something in the water at Wembley because this is weird.<\/p>\n As John Cross writes in his Daily Mirror player ratings of Declan Rice: \u2018No surprise he delivered a free kick which led to a goal.\u2019<\/p>\n Not sure they worked on a routine in which Rice\u2019s relatively poor delivery was punched clear, shot back in, deflected and then sublimely volleyed in from a difficult angle.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Rash decision<\/p>\n There is no harm in a difference of opinion; it\u2019s part and parcel of football. But this is a delightfully stark contrast in takes from the same game.<\/p>\n \u2018Marcus Rashford, who did not even go to Germany, had a clear chance to book his ticket to North America last night. But the on-loan\u00a0Barcelona\u00a0forward failed to grab it\u2019 \u2013 Neil McLeman, Daily Mirror.<\/p>\n Rashford\u2019s form for Barcelona is being mirrored for England now and he was arguably his country\u2019s best player on an otherwise rather slow night at Wembley\u2019 \u2013 Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail.<\/p>\n So Rashford either \u2018flattered to deceive\u2019 or \u2018is slowly wrapping up another position\u2019 in this England side. Glad to have cleared that up.<\/p>\n
\ud83e\udd81\u00a0F365 picks England\u2019s World Cup-winning XI: Spence, Rashford win left-wing debate<\/a>
\ud83e\udd81\u00a0England 2-0 Serbia player ratings: Bellingham, Foden, Eze stake claims from bench<\/a>
\ud83e\udd81\u00a0The discarded England XI without a hope of a World Cup squad place<\/a><\/p>\n