Alan Shearer has criticised Thomas Tuchel and demanded that the England manager drop Djed Spence, Marcus Rashford, and Noni Madueke for Sunday's World Cup Round of 16 clash against Mexico. The match will be played at the iconic Azteca Stadium, where England face a formidable Mexican side that has won all four of their tournament matches without conceding a goal.
Shearer's Suggested Lineup Changes
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer proposed replacing Spence with John Stones, bringing Anthony Gordon in for Rashford, and starting Bukayo Saka on the right wing in place of Madueke. He also suggested Ezri Konsa at right-back and Nico O'Reilly at left-back, with Marc Guehi partnering Stones in central defence. The midfield would feature Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, and Jude Bellingham, with Harry Kane leading the line.
Shearer said: "I would make changes to the England side against Mexico. I would perhaps put Konsa at right back and I'd play John Stones in the middle. Konsa right back, O'Reilly left back, Guehi and Stones at centre-half. Rice, Anderson, Bellingham, Kane, Gordon, Saka."
Criticism of Tuchel's Tactics
Shearer was critical of Tuchel's starting wingers, noting that substitutes have had a greater impact. He highlighted Anthony Gordon's contribution off the bench in England's 2-1 win over DR Congo in the Round of 32, saying: "I think Anthony Gordon more than played his part in both goals. So, when the manager puts you on as a sub, he's asking you to go on and impact the game. And Anthony Gordon certainly did that. So, I think he deserves again to start."
He added: "Whoever Tuchel has started on the wings haven’t affected the game the same way as the subs have and again, he switched those around, which tells you whatever he's done hasn't worked."
Formidable Mexican Opposition
Mexico are a daunting opponent at home, having lost only two competitive matches at the Azteca since 1966. The match will be played at high altitude (2,240m above sea level) in front of over 80,000 Mexican fans. England defender Marc Guehi acknowledged the challenge, saying: "We know they're a good team and they've got the fans on their side, so it'll be going into the cauldron. But it'll be a fun test. I'd say they're kind of favourites. They're at home and they know the environment a lot better. They haven't conceded so far and have got a perfect record."
England are marginal favourites according to bookmakers, but Guehi's comments reflect the difficulty of the tie. The Three Lions will need to improve significantly from their performance against DR Congo to progress past a Mexican side that has been flawless in the tournament so far.
