How can England get the best out of Harry Kane?

The Tottenham forward has stormed into the international reckoning with his club form but can the Three Lions adapt their squad to make him feel at home?

Harry Kane’s ascension to the senior England squad could have waited no longer and it looks certain that Roy Hodgson will throw the Tottenham striker straight into the action against Lithuania on Friday.

In the injury-enforced absence of Daniel Sturridge, Kane has a strong case to already be his country’s main man up front, especially while captain Wayne Rooney recovers from his unsuccessful spell in midfield.

But how best can England tap into the qualities that have seen Kane flourish so remarkably in recent months, with the more imposing Italy also in their path?

The first and simplest thing to establish is where to play him: as a centre forward. While Kane has

He has scored two of his 19 Premier League goals this season from outside of the penalty area (one of which was a free kick), and the 21-year-old is clearly at his best as a poacher in the box, with 47 per

Should Hodgson wish to push up a second striker alongside Kane against the more vulnerable Lithuania, then Kane should lean to the left of the pair. As 10 of his goals have come with his preferred right foot, approaching the goal from the left-hand side allows a wider range of angles for a shot on that foot.

cent of his top-flight goals coming from the centre of the area and a further 27% from within the six-yard box.
scored goals in the hole behind a striker at White Hart Lane, the bulk of his success has come as the primary finisher in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is the shape that England have been playing recently as well.