England are through to the last 16 of the World Cup. Nobody will remember that they flirted with disaster in the round of 32 if they go on and lift the trophy. But Thomas Tuchel will be aware of the need for improvement if they are to go the distance.
The England boss has issues to resolve and solutions to find ahead of Monday’s tie with Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. Who plays at right-back is chief among them. Remarkably, the position has now been occupied by five players in four World Cup games.
Reece James, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa are the five in question. Two of them are now injured in James and Quansah, while the others are makeshift options, none of whom count the role as their natural position.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s omission looms large over England’s World Cup campaign but Tuchel can only choose from the players he has selected, so who should he go for against Mexico? On the evidence of his stint there against DR Congo, it might be Rice.
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A look at how fans in Manchester, Brighton and London celebrated Harry Kane’s winner for England against DR Congo
He helped tilt the game in England’s favour after moving into the role following Spence’s withdrawal for Eberechi Eze in the 70th minute, making the driving run into the DR Congo box that led to the equalising goal and providing some much-needed thrust.
Tuchel felt he also added cohesion alongside two Arsenal team-mates. Speaking after the game, he revealed the idea to move him came from his assistant Anthony Barry.
“We were discussing it and he said to put Declan there,” he told ITV.
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Anthony Gordon was full of praise for England captain Harry Kane after his two goals saw them past DR Congo in the Round-of-32 game.
“To have his quality from the side to put the crosses in there makes it more difficult to defend, more dangerous with the outswingers, and gives a bit more support for Bukayo [Saka] and Ebs [Eberechi Eze]. We had a bit more connection to help on the right side.”
Rice’s impact shows why Tuchel values versatility so highly and it came after an awkward afternoon for Spence, who was dragged out of position for DR Congo’s opening goal, leaving Brian Cipenga with space to score, and seemingly struggled to recover.
England’s Djed Spence in action against DR Congo
Cipenga continued to cause him problems and the Spurs defender was also wasteful in possession. According to Opta, he lost possession 17 times, the most by any England player in the game. And that despite sitting out the last 20 minutes plus stoppage time.
Spence, in his defence, was playing at right-back having featured predominantly as a left-back across the last two seasons with his club. It is a significant adjustment.
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Thomas Tuchel has urged parents to allow their kids to stay up and watch England’s clash with Mexico at 1am on Monday.
Rice handled his own adjustment much more smoothly, despite having only played at right-back on a handful of occasions for Arsenal, the most recent of which was short-lived.
“He went to right-back for Arsenal in a game at West Ham and at the time, I thought it was the wrong decision from Mikel Arteta, but England were crying out for it in the second half to put him there,” said Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville on ITV.
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England manager Thomas Tuchel reflects on England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo
Rice was moved back into midfield by Arteta in that game at West Ham, not because of his performance at right-back but because of what Arsenal lost without him in the centre.
Tuchel now faces a similar conundrum.
Elliot Anderson played the holding role on his own when Rice was rested for England’s final group game, but their midfield set-up without him, featuring Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers as No 8s, allowed Panama to cut through them in transition.
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Carlton Cole gives his England player ratings after Thomas Tuchel’s team beat DR Congo to progress to the World Cup last 16.
Tuchel will need to ensure the same vulnerabilities are not exposed against Mexico, a team ranked 35 and 32 places higher than Panama and DR Congo respectively in the FIFA rankings.
But as he ponders his defensive options, the circumstances, and what is at stake against Mexico, he may well resolve that Rice at right-back is the best solution to a problem position.
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