England’s World Cup prep just got a little less stressful. Bukayo Saka was back on the training pitch Sunday, and that’s probably the best thing Thomas Tuchel could have hoped for heading into Tuesday’s group-stage matchup against Ghana.
Saka has been dealing with an Achilles issue that nagged him through the end of Arsenal’s season. It’s the kind of thing that can derail a player’s tournament if you push too hard too fast. Saturday he went through an individual program. Sunday he joined the group. Step by step.
Tuchel isn’t planning on starting him against Ghana. The manager said he expects Saka to be ready to go from the opening whistle in the final Group L game against Panama. But having him available off the bench against an athletic Ghana side? That’s not nothing.
Tuchel not panicking about Saka’s minutes
“I’m not in the physio department, but he hasn’t missed a day of training, so I think that’s a good thing,” Tuchel said. The coach clearly doesn’t want to rush things. But he also knows what Saka brings.
“He’s a top quality player and he brings quality to the pitch, for Arsenal and England. I think he’s very important, as everyone can see.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Saka has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers for years now. He’s the kind of player who can unlock a defense that’s sitting deep, or track back and help out when things get stretched. England will need all of that if they want to make a run.
The injury management game
Tuchel talked about managing these little issues early in a competition. It’s the kind of long-view thinking that tends to pay off in the knockout rounds. “You need important players like him to be ready to play and step up when called upon,” he said.
That’s coach-speak for: we’re being careful now so he’s healthy when it really matters. And it makes sense. You don’t want to burn out a key guy in the group stage only to watch him limp through a quarterfinal.
England faces Ghana in Boston on Tuesday. A win would lock up a spot in the knockout rounds. Ghana opened Group L with a 1-0 win over Panama, so they’re not a team to sleep on. They’re physical, they’re organized, and they’ll be motivated.
Saka probably won’t start. But if England needs a spark in the second half, he might be the guy Tuchel turns to. And that’s a better situation than the alternative.
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