Tottenham will exercise caution with Harry Kane against Watford

By Rucker Haringey | Apr 8, 2017

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: An injured Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur talks to Mauricio Pochettino manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur before he leaves the pitch during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall at White Hart Lane on March 12, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images) /

Tottenham are likely going to leave Kane on the bench

Just because Harry Kane is healthy enough to start for Tottenham today, it doesn’t mean it’s the right decision. Expect Mauricio Pochettino to start either Vincent Janssen or Son Heung-Min against Watford. Ideally, Spurs would like to buy their talisman a few extra days of rest.

Pochettino has already revealed that Kane is going to make the match day squad against the Hornets. The Argentine gaffer plans to test his star striker before the match to determine whether or not he’ll be a member of the starting XI.

Discretion could be the better part of valor for Pochettino in this case. The recent success of both Son Heung-Min and Vincent Janssen gives him legitimate options heading into today’s match. The same couldn’t be said when Kane first limped off against Millwall with his ankle injury.

Fortunately, Son and Janssen both improved their stock in his absence. Son has chipped in with a few timely goals, and Janssen has looked like a quality Premier League front man. More specifically, his ability to hold the ball up has helped his club see off several matches in Kane’s absence.

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That’s precisely why Pochettino will play it a bit safer than usual with Kane tomorrow. A home match against Watford isn’t the trickiest fixture left on the schedule. Furthermore, the Hornets are facing a defensive injury crisis that will likely leave them quite exposed. It’s not a match where Spurs should need Harry Kane to lead the line.

As a result, the smart move by Pochettino would be to leave Kane on the bench. Ideally, he won’t have to enter the match. Tottenham would like to earn a strong early lead and see the match out comfortably.

Of course, having Kane on the bench to save the day isn’t a backup plan. If his ankle is fully recovered, he’d be best deployed in a short burst by Pochettino. There’s no way he can be at full fitness. Kane would be most effective in a 15 or 20 minute cameo against Watford.

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Tottenham fans can take comfort in today’s return of Harry Kane to the lineup, but they shouldn’t want to see him on the pitch. A few extra days rest is what all Spurs fans should be expecting for their star front man.

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