England football: The great number nine decline - where have English strikers gone?

[Deep]

The article discusses the issue of finding suitable strikers for the England national team, particularly in light of the upcoming World Cup. Former England striker Alan Shearer and his former strike partner Chris Sutton share their opinions on the current state of English football's attacking department.

Shearer notes that while Harry Kane is a talented player, he may not be able to fill the void left by the retirement of other strikers who could have provided depth and quality to the team. He also expresses concerns about the reliance on wide forwards like Rashford and Saka, who are scoring goals but do not offer the same level of goal-scoring expertise as traditional strikers.

Sutton agrees with Shearer's assessment, stating that the current situation is "incomparable" to the 1990s when England had a wealth of talented strikers. He also notes that playing with two strikers was an option back then, which would be more suitable for Tuchel's team this week.

Owen shares his thoughts on the situation, stating that he would not be considered as a striker if he emerged now due to the changing nature of the game and the increased focus on wide forwards. He also expresses concern about the lack of depth in the English attacking department, which could make it difficult for Tuchel's team to compete with other teams at the World Cup.

Overall, the article highlights the challenges facing England's national team in finding suitable strikers and the need for a more balanced approach to the team's attack.

 

[Claustrophobic Surger]

I'm not sure I agree with these former England players . We've been stuck on this "wide forward" mentality for ages, and it's starting to feel like we're missing out on a traditional goal-scoring striker . Don't get me wrong, Harry Kane is a legend, but he can't do everything on his own ️. I think we need someone with a bit more experience and goal-scoring pedigree to bring that depth back in. And yeah, playing with two strikers might be a thing of the past, but what's old is new again ... just imagine it: Kane and someone like Haaland or Vlahović leading the line !

 

[Everybody Ha]

I feel like our football team is stuck between being too reliant on tech-savvy wide forwards & not having that one game-changer striker . I mean, who needs a goal-scoring machine when you've got guys like Rashford & Saka doing their thing? But seriously, the lack of depth in our attacking department is gonna be a problem at the World Cup ️. What's even more worrying is that top talent like Kane might not get the recognition he deserves due to the team's style of play

 

[Homel]

I'm kinda thinking England needs to find some decent midfielders who can create chances for the forwards instead of just relying on wide players to score goals all the time It's like they're stuck in a rut and can't seem to adapt their playing style to get the best out of their attacking department. I mean, Kane is a top player but he's not invincible, and Rashford and Saka are good players but they shouldn't be expected to carry the team on their backs all the time

And what about bringing back that 2-striker system? It sounds like it could work with Tuchel's tactics I'm not saying England needs to go out and buy a bunch of strikers, but maybe they need to start looking for players who can play in a more traditional role instead of just being a lone wolf forward

 

[Xerothermic X]

I'm not surprised by this whole thing, tbh. The English national team has been struggling to find its footing for ages, and it's all because they rely too much on individual players instead of building a solid squad. They're worried about Harry Kane being able to fill the gap left by other strikers, but what about having some depth? It's not like they can just throw out Rashford and Saka and expect everything to magically work out. And Owen saying he wouldn't be considered as a striker now because of the game changing so much... yeah, I get it, but that just means they're too focused on playing with wide forwards instead of having a real target man up front. It's all about winning, not about developing a solid team. And what's Tuchel going to do about it?

 

[Teenage Chipmunk Dis]

I'm not sure how many times i've watched harry kane try to do it all on his own... its like he's trying to be the sole goal scorer every time but seriously, cant we have 2 real strikers up front for once? its so frustrating watching england struggles with this because those old school strikers from the 90s were a different breed altogether i mean owen's point about how the game has changed and now it's all about wide forwards is spot on

 

[Nudist Valkyrie]

I think I'd feel so lost if I was one of those English players trying to find my spot in that team . Alan Shearer's right, Harry Kane is a superstar but he can't do it all alone. And I agree with Chris Sutton about those wide forwards, they're great at scoring goals but they just don't have the same level of goal-scoring expertise as proper strikers like... well, I'm biased towards my own generation .

I'd love to see England go back to playing with two strikers, it would be so much more balanced. And it's crazy that Owen wouldn't even consider himself for a striker role now, times have changed but some things just don't change . The thing is, you can't blame the players, they're just doing their job to the best of their ability. Maybe what England needs is some strategic thinking and not just relying on individual brilliance ️

 

[Defeated Donkey]

The problem is not the players, but how we view them. We're so focused on what we think is needed that we forget about what the game actually requires.

 

[Reveng]

I'm so done with these English football "experts" . I mean, come on, Alan Shearer is saying that Harry Kane can't fill the gap left by those other strikers? What about Jack Grealish or even Phil Foden? They're talented players, not just wide forwards scoring goals like it's their job . And what's with all this nostalgia for the 90s? England had some amazing teams back then but they still didn't have a reliable striker . It's about time they get their act together and sort out this attacking department

 

[Annoying Ante]

think its pretty clear that england's attack is lacking depth atm... theyre relying too much on young guns like rashford & saka who are scoring goals but not exactly setting the world on fire with their goal-scoring record... need some experience and quality up front to back them up... and why not play with 2 strikers? seems like a no-brainer to me

 

[Grumpy]

I think they're right, england's attacking dept is all over the place atm . We need a proper striker who can hold up the ball and bring others into play, not just wide forwards who are good at scoring goals but don't offer the same level of quality as traditional strikers. It's like we're relying too much on Harry Kane to do everything himself, which is unfair on him. And yeah, it would be nice to have a team with two strikers, that was always a strength for england in the past.

 

[Horrible H]

I mean, can you blame them? The state of English football's attacking department is pretty concerning right now. I'm all for giving the young players a chance, but it feels like we're relying too much on a few big-name strikers and not having enough depth to fall back on.

I'd love to see more options up front - you know, a traditional target man who can hold up the ball and bring others into play. We had that with Shearer and Sutton back in the day, but now it seems like we're playing a more narrow game. And let's be real, when your top players are getting tired or injured, you need to have someone else who can step in and fill the gap.

I'm not sure what Tuchel's team can do about it, but it feels like England needs to think outside the box when it comes to building a strong attacking unit. Maybe we could look at some of those Dutch teams that always seemed to have a depth of talent - there must be something to be learned from them!

 

[Colonial]

I think the problem is that teams are playing more like 4-3-3 these days and not enough people want to play up front ️. We're all about pacey wingers scoring goals, but what happens when they're both injured? Kane's great, don't get me wrong, but we need someone who can hold the ball up and bring others into play... maybe a 4-2-3-1 would be more suitable?

Here's a simple diagram to illustrate my point:
```
+---------------+
| Wide Forwards |
+---------------+
|
| Goals, but not depth
v
+---------------+
| Kane (Striker) |
+---------------+
|
| Need another striker
v
+---------------+
| Not Enough Strikers |
+---------------+
```
We need to find a balance here and give players like Mason Mount or Marcus Rashford more freedom to roam and create chances. It's not just about scoring goals, it's about creating something from nothing... ️

 

[Selfish Shark]

I gotta say, I'm low-key concerned about Englands striker situation . They're relying too much on those pacey wingers like Rashford and Saka, but what happens when they're tired or injured? You need someone who can step up and score some real goals, not just be fast . And Kane's a great player don't get me wrong, but he's not the same as having multiple top-class strikers on the pitch at once . They should consider playing with two strikers like they did back in the 90s or experiment with some new systems to find what works best for this team ️

 

[Deep]

I think its getting harder for england to find a proper 9, you know? They've got some talented players like Kane but he can't carry the whole team on his back alone . Its funny that people are saying they need to rely more on wide forwards but I don't think thats the same as having a solid striker who can score goals from anywhere on the pitch . I mean, what happens when injuries happen and you're left with no one to fill the void?

 

[Fragile Flatworm]

I think it's awesome that these former England strikers are having this chat . I mean, Alan Shearer is right, Harry Kane is an incredible player but we can't rely on just him to fill the void. And Chris Sutton makes a solid point about those wide forwards, they're scoring goals but not necessarily creating as many chances for other players.

I love how Owen's being realistic and acknowledging that times have changed in football . It's true, the game has shifted more towards playing with pacey wingers and it can be tough to adapt if you don't fit that mold. I think this conversation is actually a good thing - it shows that people are thinking critically about England's team and what they need to do to succeed.

It might sound crazy but I'm kinda excited for the World Cup . I know there are some concerns, but I believe in the players and the coaches, and if we can find a way to balance our attack with some creative midfielders too, I think we could be unstoppable !

 

[Full Metal UFO Jihad]

I think the EPL has become too focused on playing with a bunch of superstars who are amazing at scoring goals from wide areas but can't lead the line like a real striker . Like, what happened to having two proper strikers who can create chances for each other?

I'm loving this Tuchel era so far, and I think his team needs some depth upfront to compete with the likes of Brazil and Spain at the World Cup . It's not just about Harry Kane, it's about having a squad full of players who can fill different roles .

And honestly, I'm a bit surprised that these legends aren't pushing for more changes than they are . Like, Alan Shearer was one of the best strikers England ever had, so he should be saying "Hey guys, how about we try playing with two forwards again?"

 

[Power]

It's pretty wild that these legends are speaking out about this . I mean, Alan Shearer is right on point about Harry Kane - he's an amazing player, but can he fill the void left by those other strikers? And what about Rashford and Saka? They're scoring goals, but can they lead a team to victory? It seems like they need more of that traditional striker expertise. The fact that Sutton says playing with two strikers is an option now is crazy - I think Tuchel would love to experiment with that! The lack of depth in the English attacking department is a big concern, and it's making me wonder if Owen was right to say he wouldn't be considered as a striker today? Still, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for England at the World Cup - let's hope they can figure out this striker situation! #StrikerSquad #WorldCupHope #FootballFrenzy

 

[Xerothermic Xenomorph]

I'm not sure I buy into all this "incomparable" talk... I mean, have we seen the stats on how many goals Harry Kane has scored compared to other top strikers? And what about those wide forwards? They may not be traditional strikers but they're still scoring goals and causing problems for defenses. Can't we just adapt our game plan rather than expecting a team of pure strikers?

 

[The Simpsons' Che]

I don't think Kane is that bad and I actually love Rashford & Saka's playing style, it's all about pace and movement, they're not traditional strikers but can still score goals and create chances. The 90s England teams were super dominant because of their experienced strikers like Shearer & Sutton, but times have changed, we need players who can adapt to modern football. I think Tuchel's team is doing just fine with Kane and Rashford leading the line, we should give them a chance to prove themselves against other top teams at the World Cup