Marc Guehi is back in the England selection debate after John Stones and Ezri Konsa started at centre-back against Croatia and were questioned over the defending that led to Croatia’s two goals. Thomas Tuchel now has a straightforward choice before Tuesday’s game against Ghana: stick with the pair or move to a different combination.
Guehi and the bench call
Guehi had seemed set to be one of England’s first-choice centre-backs at the World Cup, but he was benched against Croatia. The decision left Stones and Konsa to handle the middle of the back four, and the first game of the tournament quickly turned into a test of whether that partnership could hold up under pressure.
Gary Neville asked at half-time, “Is Konsa and Stones a partnership that can win us the World Cup?” He also said, “[Midfielders Declan] Rice and [Elliot] Anderson are going to have to be outstanding and protect our defence rather more than they have in that first half,” which put the burden on England’s midfield as well as the central defenders.
Carragher backs Stones, Guehi
Jamie Carragher moved the discussion on by naming the change he would make. “For me, the first player in the back four would've been Marc Guehi,” he said. “I was surprised that he didn't play.”
He added that he would keep Stones in the starting XI, but alongside Guehi against Ghana. “I was worried about John Stones and the amount of football he's had. Not even just in the last few weeks, it's over the last few years. I mean, to expect someone to come into a game like that and perform at his absolute best, I'm not quite sure about that one,” Carragher said.
That position is not a blanket rejection of Stones. “He gives something different than the others who do, probably more out-and-out defenders. Stones has great experience as well. You're bringing him to play. There's no point in bringing him to sit on the bench. But for me, Marc Guehi would be playing,” he said. Carragher also said, “I'd probably give Stones another go and try and get up to speed. Hopefully by the time you get to the really big games in the knockout stages, he's had two or three 90 minutes under his belt and he looks a lot better.”
England’s back four choice
Stones finished with one tackle, one clearance, and won four of his seven duels in 87 minutes. Konsa won three of his eight duels, one of his five aerial duels, and did not make a tackle or interception. Those numbers sit behind the criticism: England’s attack caught fire against Croatia, but the defense in Dallas was far less convincing, and the build-up play from deep looked jittery against Croatia’s high press.
Carragher summed up the concern the next morning, saying, “We probably lack something defensively to go all the way,” and that is where the selection call lands for Tuchel. England go into Ghana with a live question over whether Guehi returns at centre-back, or whether Stones and Konsa get another chance to answer the doubts.
