HomeFeatured ArticlesIs Harry Kane back to his best for Tottenham?

Is Harry Kane back to his best for Tottenham?

It has definitely been a season of two halves for Harry Kane. After an mentally draining summer, he started this season in the worst form we have seen from him. It was clear that he wasn’t happy at Tottenham, but his performances were a result of burnout after the Euros. He looked leggy during the opening months of the season. Last season, he built a reputation as one of the most creative players in the league, while retaining a good scoring rate. At the start of this campaign, he was doing neither.

In 2022, Kane has contributed nine goals and two assists across all competitions. After his brace against Everton, he has moved to ten goals for the Premier League season. Before December, the England captain had only scored a single goal in the league. Now, it is feasible that he could reach the 20 mark for yet another season.
His return to form has been impressive and underlines his elite mentality on the pitch. Kane could easily have struggled to get back to his best this season, but the appointment of Antonio Conte has played a huge part in his revival. Kane is now working under a world class manager and his performances have improved a lot since the change of coach.
During the 2022 calendar year so far, Kane is ranking at the top of a lot of attacking metrics. He has scored six league goals, more than any other player. In addition to finding the back of the net, he has the highest expected goals (xG) of any Premier League player with 5.68. This shows that this current run of form is sustainable.
Prior to the turn of the year, Kane had accumulated 6.59 xG and ranked 8th among Premier League players. However, he only managed to score four, so he was underachieving based on the chances that were coming his way. Throughout his career, Kane has always over achieved based on his expected numbers. It seemed inevitable that the goals would return, but he has also managed to improve his underlying numbers.
Before the New Year, he was averaging 0.44 xG and 0.21 expected assists (xA) per ninety minutes. Since, he is averaging 0.63 xG and 0.29 xA. This is a significant improvement, especially when it comes to the chances that are now coming his way. It suggests the confidence is back and he is once again, one of the most dangerous and consistent players in the division.
These are encouraging signs for Tottenham and they will give supporters belief ahead of the run-in. If Conte has Kane performing at his best, Spurs still have a great chance of finishing in the top four. That would represent a good season for the club and ensure they can continue to build with Champions League resources available to them. It could also be required to ensure their talisman remains with the club.
After some fears about Kane’s decline at Tottenham, he is now thriving once again.
Stats taken from fbref (powered by Statsbomb) 
More News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here