‘Not good enough’ – Jamie Carragher points out a ‘trouble’ spot in England team
Jamie Carragher shared his thoughts on one of Thomas Tuchel’s biggest challenges with the England team. The Three Lions made it to the last 16 of the World Cup thanks to another amazing performance from Harry Kane, who scored twice in the second half to help England come back and beat DR Congo on Wednesday.
Kane’s goals set up an exciting match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. There was a lot of talk about the kick-off time for this game. It was originally set for 6pm local time on Sunday (1am BST), but there were worries about flooding and thunderstorms. So, FIFA suggested moving the game six hours earlier to noon (7pm BST). However, after the FA raised concerns about fans who planned to attend in Mexico City, FIFA decided to keep the original kick-off time.
Both teams are now preparing for the match, while Tuchel faces some tough decisions about his lineup. Reece James might be available again after missing two games with an injury, and Jarell Quansah could return after twisting his ankle against Panama. In their absence, Djed Spence played against DR Congo but struggled a bit and was taken off in the 70th minute, with Declan Rice filling in at right-back.
Tuchel playing Rice at right-back shows this spot has been a real headache for him. It’s not the only area causing issues, as he has also swapped players a lot on the wings. Usually, in a tournament, having a steady lineup helps. But Tuchel has been rotating players on the right and left sides frequently. Arsenal’s Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka have both played on the right, with Madueke starting last game. On the left, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon have shared time.
Rashford didn’t have a great game against DR Congo and was subbed off after an hour for Gordon. Gordon made an immediate difference, helping Kane score both goals. Despite Gordon’s impact, Jamie Carragher isn’t sure any of Tuchel’s wide players are good enough yet and thinks it’s a weak spot for England.
“The problem with the wide players he’s used is that they seem to do better when they’re on the bench,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “So when one plays, you want to switch him out, but then the one you put in doesn’t really deliver either. I think this will keep happening as long as England are in the tournament. The wide players haven’t really done enough to settle the spot.”
If you compare England’s wingers to teams like France, it’s clear they have some catching up to do. Sadly, not having top-class players on the wings might hurt England’s chances of going all the way.