Can England mend their wounds in time for the World Cup?

There are certain inevitable occurrences that no one can stop from happening in this world - England’s persistent struggle in knock-out tournaments is surely one of them. For someone who has followed the English football team for a long time, it is difficult to fathom the constant failure on their part in the biggest stages of world football.

In the previous two World Cups and European Championships, only the Euros 2012 has turned out to be a decent performance. The fact that the Three Lions lost to Italy in penalties in the quarterfinals in that tournament and it is considered to be their best performance is definitely not a good sign.

The last edition of Euros was an utter disappointment too as the defeat against Iceland in the round of 16 was the latest installment in the series of humiliations that the nation has had to go through. It has long been the case with England in major tournaments as the side often looks insipid and uninspired when a difficult situation comes knocking on the doors.

Of course, the managers are responsible too but how long can this be allowed to continue?

The FIFA World Cup is around the corner and it has made a lot of people ask: Are we going to see the same English team at Russia again? Is the team going to fall apart against stronger oppositions again? Will they again let the weaker teams disgruntle and irritate them during the knockouts? Will the big players step up finally? How strong is the bench of the squad? Can Gareth Southgate propel a decent looking side to greater heights?

The questions seem unending but the answer lies within the squad and is fairly simple.

Harry Kane.

The sole light in the darkness for the Three Lions

It is difficult to imagine how a player who was regarded to be a one-season wonder back in the day has quietly turned out to be one of the best strikers in world football now.

When his dream club Arsenal rejected Kane during his developing years, it was a huge blow to the player’s confidence. Many would have buckled down and left the game. Others would have settled for some lesser club. Kane, however, did not. It was Arsenal's fault that they failed to spot that.

Going back to the training ground, Kane worked on his game and started playing for Arsenal’s local rivals Tottenham Hotspurs. After initially raising doubts over his game and temperament, Kane has now become a legend of sorts for Spurs.

His dazzling footwork, aerial prowess, finishing ability, the strength to hold the ball up and his tendency to link up well with the other forwards have boosted Spurs to greater heights in both English and European football.

It is clearly visible that Kane is not the most gifted player in the world. However, something sets him apart from others of the same age. Harry Kane can be counted on to refuse to budge even after being brought down by a bunch of defenders. A tough player, he has the cojones to step up, put his head down and then bang in a goal to tear apart the opposition.

The confidence and command that Kane exudes during crunch moments is something that England have missed in recent times. He has the unquenchable hunger and desire to score goals and an elite striker is what England has lacked the most.

They have had the service of Wayne Rooney in the past decade or so, but Rooney had always been a shadow of what he was at Manchester United when playing for the National team.

During these big tournaments, Rooney was always niggled by a constant unavoidable disturbance that hampered England’s progress numerous times. In the FIFA World Cup 2010, Rooney’s personal life came under scrutiny. Additionally, his rumored transfer to Chelsea was doing the rounds and there were certain troubles between him and Manchester United that directly influenced his performance during the World Cup in the off-season.

Then, he was suspended for the majority of the games in the Euro 2012. In the European Championship in 2016, Wazza was played out of position for the whole tournament.

Watching Harry Kane develop as a player and as an individual in the past three seasons, then it is fair to suggest that he will raise his game when it matters the most. He has what it takes to succeed in the World Cup. However, can the whole team do the same?

The Rest of the squad:

One of the premier problems that England have carried with them is their over-reliance on specific individuals to win the matches. Earlier it was Michael Owen; and then David Beckham had to do the same thing. Similarly, Rooney had to carry the responsibilities and burden of the nation on his shoulders completely.

If you look at Germany, they have a team functioning for them. Individuals alone do not win big tournaments. It will always be a collective work that brings home the big trophy.

In England, we often see individuals lacking the proper leadership on the field. No one in the current England squad can certainly match the leadership qualities of the likes of the stars of yesteryears such as Steven Gerrard or John Terry.

However, Harry Kane can certainly inspire his teammates to increase the intensity and raise the bar of their games too. Jordan Henderson is someone whom Southgate has trusted upon to lead the side. After a torrid season with Liverpool though, it will be risky to entrust Henderson with such a big responsibility. Gary Cahill too can wear the captain’s armband, but his form at Chelsea has not been inspiring either.

England have always over-relied on certain star players; Beckham was one of them

A captain should be someone who can shove aside his poor form and still drive the team ahead. Harry Kane is the favorite to lead the side in the first game in the World Cup this summer. The Spurs’ man hasn’t undergone a run of poor form yet to judge this aspect of his character. Therefore, the captain’s spot remains a huge matter of concern even now.

There are certain things that are reassuring for the Three Lions ahead of the showpiece tournament, though.

The attacking duo of Dele Alli and Harry Kane has combined to play some exhilarating football for Tottenham in the past few seasons. They generally have a great rapport on and off the pitch and hence their partnership would be prosperous for England too.

With Jamie Vardy looking in fine form as well, their attacking part of the squad is set. It is the midfield that looks bleak - a combination of injuries and a lack of playing time has made a handful of English players look out of touch and out of shape.

English players lacked chemistry between each other in the mid-2000s to the early part of this decade. A part of this was owing to the club rivalries that dominated the international arena at that point in time. It was the primary reason why the likes of Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, and also Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard failed to replicate their talents fruitfully on the pitch.

Hopefully, Southgate will be able to avoid that this time around. England have a good squad this time around, but they always seem to have that - fairly young with a lot of experience, but ultimately failing to make an impact.

Mental weakness and managerial blunders have led to their downfall in the past. Hence, it will be extremely difficult to predict England’s prospects in the World Cup until the tournament actually kicks off.

England have a knack for surprising pundits - more often for bad than good. If they are to turn their tides this time, they need something they didn't have before. Hopefully, it is Harry Kane.