England Coach Thomas Tuchel’s Right‑Back Conundrum: A Professional Assessment

Jamie Carragher believes England’s coach Thomas Tuchel bears responsibility for the team’s right‑back issue at the World Cup.

The former England defender has criticised Tuchel’s “bizarre decision” to select Trevoh Chalobah as cover for the injured Tino Livramento.

With Reece James and Jarell Quansah facing serious injury concerns ahead of Monday’s last‑16 clash against Mexico, Tuchel confronts a selection headache at right‑back after Djed Spence’s underwhelming display in the round‑of‑32 victory over DR Congo, which saw Declan Rice finish the match in that position.

Carragher argues that Rice should remain in his natural midfield role and proposes moving Ezri Konsa to right‑back, with John Stones partnering Marc Guehi in central defence.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Carragher added:

“I wouldn’t start Declan Rice at right‑back. I think England have got a slim chance of going all the way in the World Cup, but I don’t think playing Rice at right‑back from now to the end of the tournament would be the solution.

“I think you’d leave yourself so empty in midfield. I thought Elliot Anderson, in the one game Declan Rice wasn’t in there, found it tough dealing with the opposition’s counter‑attacks – and that was against moderate opposition as well. So, for me, Declan Rice would be in midfield.

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Carragher maintains that Rice should remain in midfield and suggests an alternative defensive setup: moving Ezri Konsa to right‑back while pairing John Stones with Marc Guehi in centre‑back.

In comments to Sky Sports News, he added:

“I wouldn’t start Declan Rice at right‑back. I think England have got a slim chance of going all the way in the World Cup, but I don’t think playing Rice at right‑back from now to the end of the tournament would be the solution.

“I think you’d leave yourself so empty in midfield. I thought Elliot Anderson, in the one game Declan Rice wasn’t in there, found it tough dealing with the opposition’s counter‑attacks – and that was against moderate opposition as well. So, for me, Declan Rice would be in midfield.

‘Wingers look better when they don’t play’

Anthony Gordon entered the game as a substitute and set up both goals for Harry Kane in the 2-1 victory over DR Congo on Wednesday.

Marcus Rashford and You Maduek began the match but were replaced by Gordon and Bukayo Saka in the second half, as the introductions of the substitutes sparked an English comeback.

Carragher observed: “When assessing Thomas Tuchel’s approach, it becomes clear how he structures his side. He favours genuine wide players who stay glued to the touchline. The emphasis is not on finding talent between the lines or in the pockets; had that been the case, players such as Phil Foden or Cole Palmer would likely have been selected.

He continues: “Therefore, I cannot envision Tuchel deploying a player like Morgan Rogers in a wide role. The issue with the four wide options he has used thus far is that they all perform better when they are not on the pitch. Consequently, whenever any of them is benched, their performance improves, suggesting the player on the field is underperforming, leading to a rotation of the wide positions.

Given the limited pool of world‑class talent in those areas, the only player who truly matches that standard is Bukayo Saka, yet even he appears not fully fit at present.

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In assessing the wide‑player options, Tuchel’s preference for traditional wingers who cling to the touchline becomes evident. Consequently, any substitution among the current quartet tends to improve their performance, indicating that the on‑field player is underperforming and prompting a rotation.

Among the available talents, Bukayo Saka represents the closest approximation to world‑class ability, although recent observations suggest he is not yet at peak fitness, despite his consistent high‑level performances for Arsenal over the past several seasons.

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