Thomas Tuchel isn’t waiting around to see if things settle. Two games into the World Cup and he’s already made his second defensive swap.
England’s lineup for Friday’s match against Ghana at 5 p.m. local time shows two changes from the side that beat Croatia 4-2 in the opener. Marc Guéhi and Djed Spence get the nod at center back and right back, replacing John Stones and James O’Reilly. That means a completely reworked right side of the defense for a Ghana team that looked dangerous going forward in their first match.
Stones had a decent enough game against Croatia but got caught out a couple times on the counter. O’Reilly, the younger fullback, probably did enough to keep his spot for another week, but Tuchel clearly wants more pace and physicality on that flank against Ghana’s wide attackers. Spence brings that — he’s been aggressive in training and the coaching staff likes his one-on-one defending.
Ghana rolled Panama in their opener and they’re not hiding their intentions. Antoine Semenyo is the guy everyone’s talking about, and he’s in the starting XI alongside Jordan Ayew and Iñaki Williams up top. That’s a front three with real power and the kind of direct running that gave England trouble against Croatia at times.
Thomas Partey makes his World Cup debut after missing the first match. He’s Ghana’s midfield anchor and his presence changes the whole dynamic in the middle of the park. England’s midfield trio — likely Rice, Bellingham, and Foden again — will have a much harder time finding space with Partey sitting in front of the back four.
What’s at stake here
England can practically punch their ticket to the knockout round with a win. Ghana could do the same. The group is shaping up to be tighter than most expected, and neither team wants to leave it to the final matchday.
Tuchel’s changes suggest he’s not afraid to rotate early in a tournament, which is either smart squad management or a sign he’s still figuring out his best XI. Probably both. Guéhi and Spence have a chance to lock down those spots if they perform today.
Kickoff is in a few hours. Fans online have been split on the changes, with some wondering why Stones got dropped after a solid opening performance and others pointing out that Ghana’s speed up front requires a different kind of defender. Either way, we’ll find out pretty quickly if Tuchel guessed right.
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