England struggled to find the right point for the press in the first half. They were passed through much too easily in the opening stages, but in the second half their sheer weight of possession pushed DR Congo further and further back. The change of wingers gave new impetus to the attack, and the new players did not stop putting the ball into the box. When Kane sensed the space around him in the 86th minute, Tuchel had the perfect man to win the game for him.
Right-back woes threaten entire campaign
England’s right-back problem has been the issue that threatens to derail the whole show, from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s omission to the injury to Tino Livramento and then Tuchel’s decision not to go back to Alexander-Arnold once the Newcastle man was injured. The man he did select, Jarell Quansah, does not even seem to be third choice. Then Reece James’s injury and now Djed Spence as first choice – a great recovery tackler but under a lot of pressure in this game.
On the side of the pitch for DR Congo, the Croydon-born Aaron Wan-Bissaka, called up to England squads but never capped before he switched allegiance, was playing like Cafu. These things can happen, but how much England would have benefitted from Alexander-Arnold on a day like this when the clear target was balls into the box for Kane to attack.
Gordon replaced the largely ineffectual Marcus Rashford in the 61st minute. Photo / Getty Images
After 70 minutes, Spence was taken off, and Tuchel switched Declan Rice to right-back. The endlessly adaptable Rice broke through to the touchline in the build-up to the goal, and it was his cross that was picked up and chipped back in that Kane finished for the equaliser. Tuchel said he was keen to keep Rice on the pitch because it is the No 4 who takes all the corners – which were critical for England.
By the end, Ezri Konsa was playing right-back. Unless Reece James is fit to play Mexico, it seems that Tuchel will have to give serious consideration to Konsa starting there and picking John Stones from the start.
Madueke and Spence have no answer to overload
The space down England’s right flank was a major problem in the first half when DR Congo had lots of the ball and eventually scored.
It was hard to see what the plan for England was supposed to be. On the face of it, the idea seemed to be that Noni Madueke man-marked the left-back Arthur Masuaku and then Spence went up against Brian Cipenga. When DR Congo overloaded that side, England were simply overwhelmed. In the end, it was Spence who had to come to the centre to cover Yoane Wissa when the ball was crossed, and Cipenga was left to finish on his own.
It was less of a problem once England got hold of possession, but Spence would continue to be a problem right up to his substitution on 70 minutes.
Tuchel faces huge call over selection for Mexico
Tuchel has to decide whom he selects at right-back for the Mexico last-16 match on Sunday – and one suspects that Javier Aguirre, the Mexico coach, will have watched that game with the same idea. England looked very susceptible down their right side, and Mexico will surely try to exploit that as the England players adapt to playing at altitude and the hostility of the home support.
In more advanced positions on the right, Madueke seemed to be preoccupied with staying in a high position, and Spence was left to defend on his own behind him.
Ezri Konsa is an obvious choice at right-back, but that comes with its own attendant issues. It would mean a start for John Stones at centre-back at altitude in Mexico City, having played just five games this calendar year for Manchester City. Tuchel may be tempted to try Rice in that position, but that would remove an essential midfielder from the heart of the England team. Either Kobbie Mainoo or Jordan Henderson would have to start in his place.
There is also a question over the wingers. Gordon began the tournament as first choice and then ceded that to Rashford after the latter finished the Croatia game brightly. Having come on after an hour, Gordon got the assists for both the Kane goals and looked much sharper. On the opposite side, it is clear that Bukayo Saka is not fit. His understudy Madueke is full of running but less effective at getting past his man and supplying crosses.
Tuchel: We did not get our press right
Tuchel admitted that in the early stages of the game his players got the press wrong. Kane and Jude Bellingham were outnumbered when midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy dropped deep between the two centre-halves Axel Tuanzebe and Chancel Mbemba, and DR Congo built possession.
The three of them passed confidently through the first press, and suddenly England felt exposed in midfield. “We didn’t get our press right in the first 20 minutes,” Tuchel said. “We were a bit like over-invested in our press. They found, excellently, the wall passes and the open spaces to accelerate the game and to create problems. After 20 minutes, I saw us as the stronger team.”
Tuchel barks instructions at full-back Djed Spence. Photo / Getty Images
England cannot afford to start slowly against Mexico. The co-hosts began at a ferocious pace against Ecuador in their Round-of-32 tie. They were two goals ahead within 31 minutes. If England are to exert any semblance of control, Tuchel will have to make sure that his system – 4-4-2 out of possession – is not outnumbered the same way. That might mean a winger coming in to help the forward pair in closing down defenders.
High altitude will push England to their limits
The England manager said he was so exhausted he went to bed at 10pm local time in Atlanta and was unable to watch Mexico’s demolition of Ecuador at Azteca Stadium. He would have seen a Mexico team fully adapted to playing intense football 7220ft above sea level.
“Altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it,” Tuchel said. “And in four days, it’s just impossible. More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that.”
The vibes are good at the moment, but the tournament has reached a stage at which even the huge resources of the Football Association’s sports science and performance departments cannot realistically solve the problem of playing at altitude. England simply do not have the time.
Noni Madueke often left Spence exposed at right-back. Photo / Getty Images
In 1970, England spent a fortnight in Mexico City preparing, followed by eight days in Colombia and Ecuador and one week in Guadalajara before their first World Cup group game against Romania. That was with a much smaller medical resource base than they have now, but with time on their side.
In 1986, the England World Cup squad trained at altitude in Colorado in the United States before moving on to the base in the Sierra Madre mountains outside Monterrey. This time they have no option but to take the opposite approach and spend as little time as they can in the thin air of Mexico City. It will be a monumental challenge against a host nation buoyed up on patriotic fervour.
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