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Thomas Tuchel has a selection dilemma on his hands, and for the next 48 hours it is yours too. England reached the last 32 of the World Cup topping their group, but the reward is a knot of a fixture: a DR Congo side that has conceded once in three matches and knocked out on Yoane Wissa’s 88th-minute header against Saudi Arabia. Tuchel must now pick a team to break down the tournament’s most stubborn low block. So which XI would you send out? Before you commit, weigh what England are actually up against.
The problem DR Congo pose
This is not the opponent the bracket promised. DR Congo lost their opener to Mexico, then dug in for a goalless draw with Croatia in which they had just 38% of the ball yet fashioned the game’s clearest chance. They finished the job with a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia, both goals arriving from set pieces. That is the template: sit deep, stay narrow, absorb pressure and strike from dead balls or on the counter through Wissa’s runs in behind.
Chancel Mbemba marshals a back line that rarely breaks shape, while Arthur Masuaku pushes high from left wing-back. That is the one seam in the structure. When Masuaku advances, the channel outside DR Congo’s left-sided centre-back opens, and it is precisely where England’s wide forwards can do damage. The selection question, then, is less about star names and more about who best exploits width against a team that dares you to play through the middle.
- Do you pick two orthodox wingers to stretch the block and attack Masuaku’s vacated flank?
- Or a false nine and overloads to pull centre-backs out of position?
- How much midfield control do you sacrifice for creativity against a side that will cede possession anyway?
Picking your England XI
Start at the back. Tuchel’s right-back options have been thinned by injury, forcing a genuine choice rather than a rubber stamp…
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Written byAhmad AliSports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
351 articles published
