Harry Kane is a “target man” now? He is an intelligent, classy, clinical finisher, not a player whose primary feature is his physicality, ability in aerial duels and bringing teammates into play after a goal kick.
The 90s had Duncan Ferguson, Mark Hately, John Fashanu, Lee Chapman, Alan Shearer...
Ollie Watkins, Tammy Abraham, Harry Kane? Target men?
If you look at the highlights of these guys’ careers, it isn’t winning flick ons from goal kicks and physically battling hardened central defenders to win a 50/50 ball. That isn’t their skill set. Their attributes and their goals come from pace, clever positioning, precise finishing, not bashing Ruben Dias out of the way to win a header and make things awkward and ugly for the opposition back 4.
Kieffer Moore, Jonson Clarke Harris and Dominic Calvert Lewin definitely have some overlapping traits with the old fashioned big physical number 9s, but they also have other attributes that make them relevant/dominant in the modern game - namely pace, technical and finishing ability. They are not just big hoof ball merchant forwards, they can play and excel at football on the deck as well. Look at Calvert Lewin’s first goal v West Ham in the Carabao Cup, the positioning to beat the offside, the pace to burn Declan Rice in a sprint, the exquisite first touch on his weaker foot, the composed right foot finish. That isn’t a player just on the pitch to launch high balls at when you want to change tactics - he’s an England level footballer who just happens to be big and excellent at heading as well.
If we can find a striker who is as good in the air as those three, as physically strong, but also as quick, clever, and as good at finishing - my guess is that player will be Argyle’s starting number 9 and not our 4th choice striker. My point is if all those players could do was win flick ons and take down a goal kick, they wouldn’t be at those clubs. They are much better, more rounded technical players than that, and offer the team far more than headers and hold up play that some are suggesting is what we need.