England toiled against Ghana at the World Cup, with Jamie Carragher suggesting that Thomas Tuchel's selection decisions will be scrutinized as a result of the lack of excitement
23:04, 23 Jun 2026Updated 23:07, 23 Jun 2026
Liverpool legend and prominent pundit Jamie Carragher.
Liverpool legend and prominent pundit Jamie Carragher.(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
There have been some truly great games at the World Cup so far. Tuesday's England vs Ghana fixture was certainly not one of them.
The Three Lions had the bulk of the possession and the chances — one especially big one was blazed over by Bayern Munich star Harry Kane — and Ghana's resilience at the back should be admired, but the frustration was palpable. England, unsurprisingly, given that it has happened so often in the last couple of decades, was lacking a spark. The match mercifully ended in a goalless draw.
Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze were thrown on in the second half — so too, rather too late in the day, was Manchester United's Marcus Rashford — but the pattern of the game was already set. Set-pieces looked the most likely avenue.
"When Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice play between the lines against a defense set-up like this, you either need a bit of magic from them outside the box, or the wingers to deliver far more than they are currently doing," Jamie Carragher wrote for The Telegraph at half-time.
"That’s England’s problem here. The longer this goes on, the more we must look to the bench and ask who can come on and make a difference?
"Rice and Bellingham are all about power and energy; they aren’t magicians in the spaces between the lines.
"If this continues, the debate will start regarding Cole Palmer’s absence, and we’ve seen so many games like this in major tournaments.
Thomas Tuchel speaks to his players during the hydration break
Thomas Tuchel speaks to his players during the hydration break(Image: (Bradley Collyer/PA Wire))
"Those who championed Palmer’s inclusion foresaw tactical conundrums like this — which is why some of us thought it better to have him as an option."
Palmer is not the only one. There are other flair players — the likes of Adam Wharton and Trent Alexander-Arnold — who have been left at home too, with both calls raising eyebrows.
Of course, Tuchel's reasoning for his selection was about balance. The best players do not necessarily make the best team when put together.
It felt inevitable, though, that England would be the ones to produce a dire performance at some point. Ghana sat in, yes, but there has been plenty of entertainment on show at this tournament regardless.
On paper, England should have attacking players capable of exciting. Kane and Bellingham are as good as anyone. In reality, though, Anthony Gordon was muted and Noni Madueke repeatedly lacked quality.
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Contrast that with Spain, say, who had the likes of Nico Williams and Ferran Torres in reserve against Saudi Arabia, even with Victor Munoz nursing an injury.
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For France, Didier Deschamps has been using a front four of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele, with Rayan Cherki and Desire Doue as alternatives.
If Tuchel can somehow get England over the line playing like this, it will all be worth it from a Three Lions perspective. Having made some bold decisions on his squad, however, the German left himself open to criticism.
England likely will get through to the knockout phase. Going all the way, though, on this evidence, looks unlikely.