Thomas Tuchel has barely had the luxury of naming an unchanged team at this World Cup — and ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway, he faces his most alarming selection headache yet. Jarell Quansah is suspended after his red card against Mexico, Marc Guehi felt a twinge in his hamstring during that game, and Declan Rice missed training with a lower back issue and has been feeling unwell.
Against a Norway side that has already knocked out Ivory Coast and Brazil, scoring 12 goals in five matches, the absence of key defenders could be devastating. Erling Haaland, with seven goals in the tournament, is the obvious danger. But Norway’s threat is more nuanced: from goal-kicks, goalkeeper Orjan Nyland often plays short, setting up with a wide back four and two holding midfielders, creating an overload. When that fails, Nyland goes long to 6ft 5in Alexander Sorloth, deployed as a wide target man on the right.
“England face defensive crisis and Haaland threat in World Cup quarter-final against Norway.”
England’s left-back, Nico O’Reilly, stands 6ft 4in — a far more even match-up than Norway have faced so far. But nullifying Norway’s varied build-up comes with trade-offs. A man-to-man press across the pitch would reduce Norway’s numerical advantage, but leaves someone one-on-one with Haaland down the middle. Dropping off to block space risks being seen as too pragmatic, and Tuchel has built a side that identifies with front-foot football.
Tuchel also faces a choice out wide. “All four of the wingers are competing against each other at the highest level,” he said after the opening game against Croatia. Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka have all started games, but none has played more than 57% of available minutes. Gordon’s display against Mexico was the best of any England winger this tournament, and Saka, though not at his best, provided an assist. The predicted XI sees Gordon and Saka start, with Rice partnering Elliot Anderson in midfield, John Stones and Ezri Konsa at centre-back, and Djed Spence at right-back.
Norway, meanwhile, may hand a first start to Andreas Schjelderup, who assisted Haaland for both goals against Brazil. Solbakken has been more structured with his wingers than Tuchel, but both managers have yet to settle on a first-choice pair.
If England can replicate the control and maturity they showed in the opening half-hour against Mexico — maintaining possession to quieten the crowd and opposition — they will beat Norway, according to one prediction. But with an ever-changing defence and a striker who has scored in every game, the margin for error is razor-thin.