Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka too ‘basic’ to get credit as Roy Keane defended

Are Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka not ‘special’ enough to get the credit they deserve? And is Roy Keane right about Djed Spence?

We have tried to keep flags out of the Mailbox as we head towards the return of Premier League football.

Send your views to theeditor@football365.com

The Kane and Saka ‘problem’

Well they are just nice guys – humble, upright and very likeable. You will probably never hear of a controversy surrounding them (when was the last time you remember of these guys getting into fights on the pitch, show aggression or getting bad PR from pundits about their behavior?)

They are not flashy (being boastful of their talent or chest thumping when they score-which is very often by the way) and that is the problem.

They are not like your thrilling cr7’s, Thierry Henry, Ibrahimovic.

They’re the simple, “basic” guys who get the job done without a narrative being created about the way they achieved the results.

They’re the mature, reasonable guys who you meet during a boardroom presentation who get the job done without exuding much exuberance.

They are not the flashy footballers who you hate to love (CR7,) or those you love to hate (Suarez).

They’re special players but nothing about them is special in any way and that’s why people are not particularly thrilled about them when watching them or think much about their importance/contribution.
Jamo, Nairobi

READ: Bellingham tumbles in the England Ladder but who jumps 15 places into Tuchel’s starting XI?

Why Saka gets no credit

In response to John’s email about Saka not getting the credit he deserves, surely it’s because Arsenal haven’t won anything?
Matthew

Did England have the easiest group?

A couple of points on England if I may?

I’ve seen a lot of folk in various places say that England had the easiest group, which is why they’re the first to qualify.

I checked this out, and using the very unscientific method of using the FIFA Ranking of every team and then working out the average ranking of the various 4 & 5 team groups. I believe I’ve worked out that England had, in fact, had the 4th easiest group with an average ranking of 83 across the teams. The hardest group is Group E, that houses Spain. Just from a cursory glance the 45.5 ranked collection includes Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria, I’d say that it does indeed look like a whole post chimp rampage of Tesco aisle of discarded banana skins.

The easiest group is in fact the very last group, Group L. Seeds Croatia (9) have faced the might of Czechia (39), The Faroe Islands (136), Montenegro (80) and Gibraltar (200) and they have an average of 92.8 across the group.

As I’ve said, this is far from an exact science. I’m happy for a more mathematically minded Scotsman to come along with a better way of proving that England are in fact, total charlatans, and should be playing Botswana, Vatican City and Monserrat in friendlies next June rather than booking a plane to Trumpistan to bask in the glorious sweatshine light of the Dear Feeder. Scotland, by the way are the 3rd best team in the third hardest group with a ranking of 50.8, so fair play if they make it through Group C, through the playoffs or by usurping Denmark.

The other work day dreaming I’ve done today is try to work out who is going to be the Gazza ’98 of this crop? I think there is going to be tons, which is a nice problem to have. Even if they keep with the 26 man squad, I can’t see more than 3 of Rogers/Gibbs White/Foden/ Bellingham/Jones and Palmer going if they’re all fit. I also think that Gordon/Rashford and Madueke/Saka have effectively sewn up their reflective flanks after the last two international windows so Bowen and Grealish fans are going to be very despondent.

I can’t see Wharton going over Henderson as Anderson’s understudy at this point, as Tommy Toocan loves him. 2 years on from having a confused elderly Kieron Trippier standing in for a bedridden Luke Shaw we’re all of a sudden sodden with decent left backs. As for TAA, is he really going to get in ahead of James, the dual sided Livramento and Spence? I can’t see it.
Jae, from the famously grumpy Tunbridge Wells

Defending Roy Keane on Djed Spence

As a Spurs season ticket holder I too was somewhat surprised by Roy Keane’s comments. As your article points out, Spence’s one on one defending against wingers has been very good. However, he then went on to qualify his comments that he was talking about concentration and picking up players at the back post.

These are both areas of his game where he can improve; if you were to watch the goal Spurs conceded against Bournemouth for example, you will see that Spence was slow to come out and as a result played Semenya onside.

There was also a lapse of concentration against Villarreal where he let the ball roll towards the goal line for a goal kick, without realising that a Villarreal player was chasing the ball down…which resulted in Spurs losing possession in a very dangerous area of the pitch.

I’m sure he knows where he has to improve and would acknowledge these high profile incidents; he certainly seems to have taken feedback on board and has improved in his time at Spurs without doubt.

Overall though, Keane’s comments were fair enough…he’s done well but there are still question marks over his concentration on occasions. That he is genuinely excellent in certain facets of the game does not mean he can’t be questioned about others where he doesn’t always show such consistency (which is also why cherry picking one stat and extrapolating that to demonstrate “the best player” in a given position is doomed to failure).
Adam Jones

Strike!

We’ve seen two prime examples of players going on strike – Isak and Wissa.

Wissa is injured – during international duty.

Isak is either not match-fit, or just not playing well. Slot mentioned that Isak wasn’t ready and then spluttered some crap about the intensity of Liverpool’s training (compared to Newcastle’s no doubt).

In both cases, I’m guessing a full pre-season may have helped. Looking at Sweden and Congo, they’ll get the opportunity next season.

Perhaps a player going on strike isn’t a quality clubs should be looking for?
Simon S, NUFC, Cheshire

Going through Premier League withdrawal

I just wanted to let you know that I may need medical assistance. It’s been days without club football, and I’m showing all the classic symptoms of withdrawal — restlessness, irritability, and an uncontrollable urge to rewatch last season’s highlights of Aston Villa’s high defensive line just to feel something.

I tried to get a fix by watching the international break, but it’s not the same. It’s like switching from top-shelf Premier League chaos to decaf football. Even the commentary sounds like it’s on sedatives.

At this point, I’m basically Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street — crawling across the floor, foaming at the mouth, begging for a glimpse of Mo Salah cutting in from the right or Pep Guardiola overthinking a starting XI.

Please, someone tell me how to cope until Saturday. Or at least prescribe a replay of “Liverpool 4–3 City (2023)” to tide me over.

Yours in football-induced delirium,
Gaptoothfreak, Man. Utd., New York

A mail on myriad things

Bored at work so thought I’d point pick on a few things coz Interlull etc…

1. Ads on the phone/mobile version of F365 are a total screen covering nightmare. On the laptop they are all fine

2. Flags.. FFS! – The Union flag is a Union of 4 countries.. They each have their own flag, The Union Jack is more like the European Union blue with the starry circle

In my humble opinion, that should be reserved for the Olympics.. We are 4 individual countries (until we arent.. sportingly)

Ginger Spice wearing a Union dress because she wants to appeal to Scotland, N Ireland and Wales and not alienate them is fine. Going to an Ireland or Wales football match and waiving the Union Flag is as stupid as going to a Netherlands v Germany match and taking the Euro Flag…

3. Flags are not football, Can we please stick to football (I appreciate the irony of that after point 2)

4. Wembley games have had terrible (I would proffer the worst) home atmosphere for ages, The whatsapp group people always moan that’s it’s soo quiet. It’s pure tourism football. I 100% agree with TT on this. The away support has always been much much louder as the people that go are die hards (oddly and ironically not tourists per se)

The fighting and outside the ground stuff that JN bangs on about from the ‘good old days when football was a mans game and music was better’.. (I mostly agree with the music thing) is seemingly and thankfully calming down quite a lot and now its seemingly not ‘us’ causing the hassle, has nothing to do with in game atmospheres at any ground. Shhh Jonny ffs…

5. Despite Man Utd’s current shit filled sandwich of a season or 2, they always manage to get up for a game against us and with the equally shit eating week we had pre interlull, I am legitimately concerned that they may well become a wasp in the jam this weekend and can see a drab draw of 1 each with many chances being spurned and 2 lucky goals / deflections / calamities occurring..

6. I feel Stewie might have to be quiet for a week or 3. .which is a shame as I do fully enjoy his 1 eyed, cloud shouting, mainly because it winds people up quite amazingly well. (Thats why he does it..) If you dont like it, dont write in to criticize it, thats defeats your object.. Like all social media, if you dont like the cess filled pit of absolute purest arsewater… dont engage it and it goes totally away (as far as your life is concerned.)

7. I still come here every day, multiple times a day and have for many years, Its articles are still written mainly with tongue rammed in cheek or enough comedy gold moments to make you see that while this is serious football info site, its also supposed to be a giggle.. get your life giggles where you can people. Misery is far too easily achieved. (And searched for now a days)

8. Elliot Anderson wont be at Forest next year will he… hes far too good. Would take him in a heartbeat!
Al – Smiling (but worried about Sunday), House and Car flagger with St Georges, come the World and Euros, because I do support my countries football team and am allowed without retribution from the left or right or neighbours or wife (most importantly)! LFC