England's World Cup Picture Emerges From Wembley Disappointment
In our weekly analysis series, Mirror Chief Football Writer John Cross delivers his comprehensive England player ratings following Thomas Tuchel's final preparatory friendlies at Wembley Stadium. The matches against Uruguay and Japan did not yield the results the England manager desired, but they have undoubtedly clarified the selection landscape for the upcoming World Cup.
Selection Clarity From Mixed Performances
Thomas Tuchel selected an expanded squad of thirty-five players for these concluding warm-up fixtures. The blunt reality emerging from these games is stark: players absent from this list without compelling justification now appear distant from World Cup contention. This has enabled a more focused assessment of probable squad members, with several notable exceptions influencing the final calculations.
Reece James, currently sidelined through injury, remains a firm favourite of Tuchel's. The Chelsea defender's place seems assured provided he regains fitness, likely securing the starting right-back position. Meanwhile, the central defensive hierarchy became transparent during these matches. Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, and the injured Trevoh Chalobah currently stand ahead of Harry Maguire in the pecking order. This is despite Maguire delivering an excellent performance against Uruguay, showcasing the reliability and personality of an experienced campaigner who arguably deserves greater consideration.
Winners and Losers From the Camp
The friendlies served as critical auditions for several squad hopefuls. Ben White marked his first England appearance in over three years with a tumultuous display against Uruguay, experiencing both hero and villain moments. He scored, conceded a penalty, endured booing from sections of the crowd, yet demonstrated resilience. Although his performance against Japan was less convincing, White showcased valuable versatility across centre-back and right-back roles, transforming his prospects from negligible to plausible.
Marcus Rashford also emerged as a significant beneficiary, starting against Uruguay and making a tangible impact from the bench against Japan. Lewis Hall impressed in his substitute appearance versus Japan, while James Garner excelled against Uruguay, earning praise from Tuchel who likened him to a "mini Valverde" for his energetic, ball-proficient display.
Conversely, Phil Foden failed to seize his opportunities in either match, being substituted before the hour mark on both occasions. Deployed centrally as a number ten and later as a false nine, neither experiment succeeded, potentially positioning him as the most prominent casualty when the final squad is announced.
Among forwards, Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed a significant chance that could have bolstered his case, while Dom Solanke demonstrated effective hold-up play and link-up ability. Ollie Watkins and the in-form Danny Welbeck remain in contention as potential backups for captain Harry Kane.
Definitive Player Ratings and Squad Prediction
Rather than dissecting each individual performance, we categorize the standout successes and disappointments from the camp.
Notable Winners:
- Harry Kane - England's attack looked disorganized without his leadership.
- Marcus Rashford - Reinforced his value with impactful contributions.
- Harry Maguire - Proved his enduring quality and mentality.
- James Garner - Enhanced his prospects with composed displays.
- Ben White - Revived his international career through adversity.
- Danny Welbeck - His absence reminded observers of his capabilities.
- Jude Bellingham - His world-class influence was sorely missed.
Notable Losers:
- Phil Foden - Squandered a crucial chance to impress.
- Djed Spence - Failed to advance his case significantly.
- Fikayo Tomori - Saw his standing diminish.
Projected World Cup Squad and Starting Lineup
Based on the evidence from Wembley, here is the predicted 26-man squad for the World Cup:
Goalkeepers (3): Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford.
Defenders (8): Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Tino Livramento, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Nico O'Reilly, Lewis Hall.
Midfielders (7): Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice, James Garner, Alex Scott, Kobbie Mainoo.
Forwards (8): Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen.
Projected Starting XI: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
The friendlies may have ended in disappointment, but they have provided Thomas Tuchel with invaluable clarity. The road to the World Cup is now paved with more certainty regarding which players are likely to board the plane.
