When it comes to figuring out who will lead England’s attack after Harry Kane, few are better placed to answer than Lee Carsley.

He’s been in the thick of things, managing the senior squad in games without Kane and working closely with Liam Delap—widely seen inside the FA as the long-term striker hopeful.

But Carsley also understands a broader shift happening in English football.

The game is evolving away from classic No 9s toward a more flexible style that relies on attacking midfielders, creative No 10s, and wingers instead of traditional center forwards.

Harry Kane’s Role Remains Key for Now

With Kane turning 32 next month, he’s still the undisputed main man for England’s head coach, Thomas Tuchel, as they look toward the 2026 World Cup.

Behind Kane, players like Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke, Ivan Toney, and Liam Delap are all vying for the understudy role, but they collectively have only 27 senior caps between them, with Watkins holding the majority.

A Lack of Classic Strikers Isn’t New for Carsley

This shortage of emerging pure strikers isn’t unfamiliar territory for Carsley.

When he was in charge, England sometimes played without a traditional striker, like in the 2-1 defeat to Greece last November.

Now, heading to the European Under-21 Championship, Carsley’s squad only has one recognized striker—Jay Stansfield—in the 23-man roster.

He views this as an opportunity to get creative and flexible with the lineup.

This isn’t new for him either—two years ago, England won the Euro Under-21 title using a single striker, Cameron Archer, while emphasizing fluidity elsewhere on the pitch.

Squad Changes and Shifting Commitments

There have also been changes in player availability that impact the striker options.

For example, Folarin Balogun switched allegiance to Team USA just before the Euros, ruling himself out as an England option.

Similarly, Liam Delap’s big-money move to Chelsea shifted his focus from the Euros to the Club World Cup, further limiting England’s traditional striker choices.

Playing to Player Strengths With New Tactics

Carsley explained that the key now is not to try and replace players like-for-like but to adapt tactics to suit the players available.

In a recent friendly against Portugal, he demonstrated this approach by playing two No 10s behind a false nine—using Omari Hutchinson up front with Harvey Elliott and Ethan Nwaneri supporting from wide positions.

The focus was on pace, trickery, and fluid attacking play.

He admits this isn’t his preferred style, but it’s what fits the squad best right now.

“If we want to win big tournaments, we have to get out of our comfort zone,” he said, “and that includes me as a coach.”

Jay Stansfield Offers a Reliable Striker Option

Despite the creativity, Carsley still trusts in Jay Stansfield as a fallback striker.

Having watched Stansfield step down to League One in a big £15 million move to Birmingham and then help them win promotion, Carsley is confident he can handle pressure when called upon.

Stansfield’s versatility is a big plus—he often drifts into wide, attacking pockets rather than sticking rigidly as a number nine, and he’s shown he can perform in multiple roles.

His experience scoring goals and dealing with high expectations at Birmingham is invaluable for England’s squad depth.

Embracing Creativity Over Tradition for England’s Attack

So while England may head into upcoming tournaments without a traditional number nine like Delap, Carsley isn’t worried.

Instead, he’s embracing a more creative and dynamic approach to attack, betting on flexibility and the diverse talents of his players.

For anyone concerned about the future of England’s striker line, Carsley’s approach suggests it’s time to get on board with this new style—one that values adaptability and innovation just as much as classic goal-scoring prowess.