The article discusses the current state of English football and the country's men's team, particularly in regards to their striking options. It mentions that while Harry Kane is a talented player, he is not a replacement for the classic "number nine" shirt, which was traditionally worn by strikers who could lead the line and create scoring opportunities.
The article quotes former England striker Alan Shearer, who played as part of the iconic strike partnership with Chris Sutton in the 1990s, as saying that there's "a massive problem" with the current state of English football when it comes to finding reliable strikers. Shearer believes that playing with two strikers is not an option for teams like England, and that the country needs to find a way to reinvent the traditional partnership between the number nine and the wide forwards.
The article also quotes Michael Owen, who won the Premier League Golden Boot in 1997-98 while playing alongside Shearer. Owen believes that if he were to emerge from retirement now, he would likely be considered as a wide forward rather than a striker, due to the shift in styles of play and the increasing emphasis on pace and agility over traditional striking abilities.
The article concludes by highlighting the need for England to find a solution to their striking problems before the next World Cup, which will take place in 2022.
The article quotes former England striker Alan Shearer, who played as part of the iconic strike partnership with Chris Sutton in the 1990s, as saying that there's "a massive problem" with the current state of English football when it comes to finding reliable strikers. Shearer believes that playing with two strikers is not an option for teams like England, and that the country needs to find a way to reinvent the traditional partnership between the number nine and the wide forwards.
The article also quotes Michael Owen, who won the Premier League Golden Boot in 1997-98 while playing alongside Shearer. Owen believes that if he were to emerge from retirement now, he would likely be considered as a wide forward rather than a striker, due to the shift in styles of play and the increasing emphasis on pace and agility over traditional striking abilities.
The article concludes by highlighting the need for England to find a solution to their striking problems before the next World Cup, which will take place in 2022.