England international Harry Kane is a strange kind of striker — and that is exactly what makes him so valuable to Bayern Munich.
Kane can play as the traditional No. 9, occupying center-backs, attacking crosses, and finishing chances with remarkable consistency. Unlike many elite strikers, though, Kane does not need to remain in the penalty area to influence a game. Kane routinely drops into the space between the opposition’s midfield and defense, essentially becoming a No. 9.5 or even a temporary
No. 10.
That little wrinkle in his game creates a nightmare for defenders. Follow Kane into midfield and you can open a huge gap behind you for Bayern Munich’s wingers and attacking midfielders to exploit. Stay home, and Kane has the time and vision to turn, pick out a runner, or play a defense-splitting pass.
Kane’s passing range is particularly unusual for a center-forward. Kane can combine with teammates in tight spaces, play quick one-touch football, switch the field with long diagonals and then arrive in the box to finish the move himself. Kane’s evolution at Bayern Munich has even included more defensive responsibility, with Kane occasionally dropping extraordinarily deep to help Bayern Munich build or defend.
The remarkable part is that none of this comes at the expense of his goalscoring. Kane can function as a playmaker for stretches of a match and still possess the instincts of an elite predator inside the box.
That is what makes Kane so unique. Kane is not simply a striker who scores goals — he can create the attack, connect the attack, and finish the attack — sometimes all within the same sequence.
Below is a video from the BBC where Kane goes in detail about his philosophy on playing striker and why he is willing to go into areas that other center-forwards might abhor.
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