Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
Analysing Harry Kane’s hat-trick performance for Tottenham against Fulham
Tottenham have moved into the last eight of the FA Cup and have to be seen as one of the frontrunners to win the competition. They convincingly beat Championship side Fulham during Sunday afternoon and it was the perfect response from the side that had lost back-to-back matches. Mauricio Pochettino played a strong team, which sent out a strong message that he wants to do well in the FA Cup. The competition represents an excellent opportunity to win a trophy for a young Spurs side, who are vying for domestic success.
Harry Kane had been suffering from a niggle that was picked up during Thursday night’s defeat against Gent. Many expected him to be rested this afternoon, but he was selected to lead the line and he delivered one of his best performances of recent weeks. It was exactly what he and the team needed, providing them with a timely boost after a couple of poor performances. Although he will be disappointed with his last two matches, he remains the biggest goal threat in the Tottenham team and they need him at his best during the run in.
The English international scored a hat-trick at Craven Cottage and it served as a reminder of the quality difference that exists between the two clubs. Fulham are one of the better Championship sides on their day, but they were thoroughly outclassed on Sunday. Kane’s first two goals were typical poacher goals, as he found a yard of space and finished smartly on both occasions. These are the goals that Harry Kane needs to be scoring more often, as they are the mark of being a great goal-scorer. It was his third goal that highlighted the best parts of his game as he took the ball in his stride and fired the ball into the Fulham net. The finish wasn’t as easy as it looked and underlined the confidence that he gained during the match.
Throughout his involvement, Kane attempted six shots, with a 50% conversion rate. It highlights how important he is to the Tottenham back four and how he can be deadly on his day. His link-up play was excellent, with the striker finishing the match with a pass accuracy of 84%, which included one key pass. He also played his part defensively, with a successful defensive aerial dual and one successful tackle. Kane pressed well for his team and it is overall contribution why he is the undisputed first choice striker at White Hart Lane.
Although it was a good day for Kane considering he scored the hat-trick that took Tottenham into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, there was one concerning element to his performance. He was dispossessed on five occasions and that is more than any other player on Sunday. He does play in dangerous areas of the pitch, but a player of his quality shouldn’t be losing the ball that often against lower league opposition. Tottenham’s attack relies on Kane holding up the ball and he is normally good in possession. However, he wasn’t at Craven Cottage and that needs to improve over the coming weeks.
After just one goal and an assist in his last five appearances in all competitions, it was a return to form for Kane as he bagged a hat-trick. The opposition wasn’t the best, but you can only beat what is in front of you and Sunday’s match operated as a confidence booster for the entire team. They can now look ahead to the second leg against Gent with momentum and Kane will be hoping to continue his goal-scoring form against the Belgian club.
Featured image: All rights reserved by