England face DR Congo within the final 32 of the World Cup with a number of key points for Thomas Tuchel forward of his first knockout sport as boss.
Reece James’ harm presents a variety dilemma at right-back, whereas England’s lack of finish product in opposition to low blocks can even be on the forefront of Tuchel’s pondering. Are doubts additionally creeping in concerning Jordan Pickford’s kind in objective?
Right here, Sky Sports activities analyses the important thing speaking factors forward of the assembly in Atlanta…
Who ought to play right-back?
Proper-back has all of the sudden turn into an issue place for Tuchel after he misplaced first James with a hamstring harm following the draw with Ghana after which Jarell Quansah – who got here in for the Chelsea man in opposition to Panama – with a badly-twisted ankle in that last group sport.
So the England boss is now down to only Djed Spence, presumably Trevoh Chalobah – referred to as up after the harm curse first struck to rule out Tino Livramento with a calf challenge in the course of the build-up to the event – and in an actual emergency, versatile centre-back Ezri Konsa.
Spence performed the final 10 minutes of the opening win in opposition to Croatia, however as a left-back – the place he was primarily used at Tottenham final season – then 66 minutes of the goalless draw with Ghana, once more on the left-hand facet of the defence, earlier than being rested on Saturday.
Gary Neville believes Tuchel was defending the participant, with so few different choices for the function.
“Tuchel has got Spence, who he rested the other day,” the previous England right-back instructed Sky Sports activities. “I hope that’s because he needs to play the rest of the games. But we are very thin on the ground.”
And with Konsa prone to begin within the centre of defence and Chalobah but to have any sport time on the event, Spence – who has impressed when he has been referred to as upon within the warm-ups and group contests – ought to be the person entrusted with the function on Wednesday.
Wealthy Morgan
Not the sport for Kane to drop deep?
A key ingredient of England’s plan to get the very best from Harry Kane was permitting him to play to his strengths – they usually embody dropping deep with runners past. It has formed Tuchel’s pondering in prioritising pure tempo over trickery on the wings.
However in opposition to Panama, who provided so little area in behind their defence, Kane’s affect got here in a extra standard method – nodding in a cross from shut vary. It highlighted that he might be that field presence and that’s what may be required once more.
DR Congo have had a number of the lowest possession numbers at this World Cup so don’t anticipate the wingers to be racing into vacant area behind the full-backs too usually. Kane’s passing vary, such a terrific weapon, might have to attend. England want his ending.
Adam Bate
Thomas Tuchel speaks along with his England gamers throughout a hydration break in opposition to Panama
Bellingham function upon Rice return?
Jude Bellingham was the participant of the match in England’s win over Panama however is prone to see his function switched for this sport because of the return of Declan Rice in midfield. The duty is to proceed getting the very best from him in no matter place he’s assigned.
On the face of it, Rice’s absence required Bellingham to play deeper – however the formation has at all times been a bit extra nuanced than that. Whereas Rice is usually described as enjoying alongside Elliot Anderson, he has in actuality usually been deployed upfront of him within the left channel.
Jude Bellingham’s contact maps in England’s three group stage video games on the World Cup
These are the positions that Bellingham continuously took up within the 2-0 win in opposition to Panama – scoring one and establishing the opposite – having beforehand performed from the fitting. His contact maps present that he was capable of get on the ball rather more final outing.
He truly had extra touches within the opposition field on this sport in addition to showcasing his tackling skills as soon as once more. Bellingham is at his greatest when he is ready to go the place the motion is and affect issues. It will likely be attention-grabbing the way it performs out with Rice again.
Adam Bate
Who begins on the wings?
Tuchel modified each wingers for the ultimate group sport in opposition to Panama as Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford changed Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon. The pair shall be assured of maintaining their locations within the beginning line-up in opposition to DR Congo.
Rashford was erratic in opposition to Panama, solely hitting the goal with one in every of his 5 photographs and never finishing any of his six crosses. However he provided significantly extra attacking risk than Gordon, whereas Saka seems to have overcome his health points.
Bukayo Saka has been nursing ache in his Achilles
Rashford and Saka have averaged greater than twice as many photographs per 90 minutes as Madueke and Gordon on the event to date. They’ve additionally averaged significantly extra touches and passes, reflecting their higher involvement typically.
Saka has been fastidiously managed by Tuchel, showing instead in opposition to Croatia and Ghana earlier than coming off within the 62nd minute in opposition to Panama. Now that the knockouts have arrived, although, he ought to be in a greater situation to ship his greatest. His set-piece supply is one other invaluable asset.
Nick Wright
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A reporter asks Noni Madueke how critically England are taking penalties because the facet transfer to the knockout stage of the World Cup – going through DR Congo on Wednesday.
Are doubts creeping in about Pickford?
Jordan Pickford stays England’s first-choice goalkeeper, as he ought to with credit score within the financial institution after three main tournaments, however doubts are starting to creep in.
It was a shaky efficiency in opposition to Croatia, kicking off the event with two targets conceded.
His exhibiting in opposition to Ghana then compounded these fears. He was a bystander for a lot of it with no save to make. However his problem on Prince Adu exterior the world was rash and will have very simply value England the sport.
Photographs confronted by Jordan Pickford for England on the World Cup
Racing out from his space, lacking the ball and taking the participant together with him: goalkeepers are sometimes measured on the transient moments all through a fixture when they’re referred to as upon. Pickford failed that check.
He additionally presently sits thirty ninth in targets prevented for goalkeepers throughout the event (-1.39), a metric that measures efficiency based mostly on the standard of photographs they’ve confronted in comparison with the targets conceded.
If England are to face an opportunity because the event progresses, they want Pickford to return to the dependable presence between the sticks that he has been for nearly a decade now.
Patrick Rowe
How a lot of a priority is health?
England’s most prevalent harm worries have come at right-back, which has been mentioned intimately above. Tuchel won’t have foreseen this, however is now coping with the results.
In the meantime, after an Achilles challenge, Saka was eased in via the group phases, however although Tuchel says he’s “not a problem”, Sky Sports activities‘ Neville has weighed in, saying Saka “doesn’t look right at all”.
Talking on Follow Soccer, he stated: “He’s usually the boy that’s bubbling and smiling, he’s got that competitive edge to him, but he’s not right and that’s a concern to us.”
Then there’s Anderson, who retained his spot within the beginning XI in opposition to Panama, and performed 84 minutes, regardless of reported muscle tightness.
However Rice won’t have performed for eight days by the point of the DR Congo encounter, having sat out England’s last group sport after a calf criticism, and to have him again in midfield will present an enormous increase.
The vast majority of the issues seem manageable, and that is how England want them to remain if they’re to go deep.
Dan Lengthy
How England can break DR Congo’s low block
DR Congo continuously sit in a low-to-mid block out of possession – England’s challenge at this World Cup has not been creating photographs in opposition to deep defences. It has been turning that strain into clear possibilities and targets.
In response to FIFA knowledge, DR Congo have spent greater than half of their out-of-possession time in a low-to-mid block. The sample is evident: they’re comfortable to retreat into form, shield central areas and invite opponents to discover a manner via.
DR Congo continuously sit in a low-to-mid block out of possession
Senegal, France, Germany and Canada have every scored twice throughout phases when opponents have been sitting deep. France and Senegal have mixed that of entirety with shot quantity, producing between seven and eight photographs per 10 minutes in that sport state.
England have but to attain in opposition to a low block at this World Cup, however their shot fee is much like France and Senegal. That means the issue is just not merely getting efforts away.
It’s extra probably about likelihood high quality, shot location and the pace of England’s attacking play as soon as they attain the ultimate third.
On the different finish of the size, Uruguay, Turkey and Belgium have produced loads of photographs in opposition to deep defences however did not convert them, both via poor ending or lower-quality makes an attempt.
Spain, in the meantime, have struggled to search out the identical stage of attacking quantity, failing to attain in opposition to deep opposition and managing solely round 4 photographs per 10 low-block minutes.
The information factors in direction of the profile of groups who’ve brought on low blocks probably the most issues. France and Senegal haven’t simply circulated possession in entrance of defenders; they’ve threatened with tempo, direct operating and particular person high quality in one-vs-one conditions.
England are creating photographs however the subsequent step is creating higher ones.
Adam Smith
