Thomas Tuchel admits he is “worried” about England’s right-back crisis after Jarell Quansah became the latest player to succumb to injury, limping off during the 2-0 win over Panama that sealed top spot in Group L. The Bayer Leverkusen defender, who had started in place of the injured Reece James, went down in the second half after a foul on Jose Luis Rodriguez, earning a yellow card before immediately signalling for the physios. He was replaced by Djed Spence and headed straight down the tunnel for treatment.
“A classic ankle twist and he is in pain,” Tuchel said after the game. “He said he had it before and it is a matter of days. He has his leg up high and in ice.” With England’s last-32 tie against an as-yet-unknown opponent in Atlanta just four days away, the prognosis is uncertain. “Naturally of course [I am worried about the right-back situation] — we have another injury in the position,” Tuchel added. “It will be a tight race for Reece James and a tight race for Jarell Quansah but it is our job to find solutions and we will do.”
“England manager Thomas Tuchel admits he is 'worried' after Jarell Quansah limps off with a right-back injury ahead of the World Cup last-32 tie.”
James is already a major doubt with a hamstring injury, while Tino Livramento was forced to leave the squad with a calf issue before getting on the pitch in the United States. When Livramento pulled out, Tuchel opted to call up Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah rather than a natural right-back such as Trent Alexander-Arnold. That decision now leaves the England manager with only Spence — more regularly used on the left — and Ezri Konsa, a centre-back who has started all three of England’s group games at centre-half, as his remaining options on the right.
Gary Neville, speaking before Quansah’s injury, had already expressed concerns about the situation. “The one position I think I am pretty qualified to speak on is right-back,” the former England defender said. “If you had said to me a couple of months ago that Quansah would be playing right-back for England in a tournament, I would say something has gone badly wrong. He’s picked Reece James and Livramento, players who are injury prone. He’s not brought Trent Alexander-Arnold, who obviously is someone with world class quality, for what reasons we can only imagine. … Djed Spence is the only real option at right-back. Quansah is not an option going into the games further into the tournament.”
Tuchel, however, remains defiant. “The thinking of calling Chalobah to free up Quansah on the right full-back position for us,” he explained earlier. “I saw him playing very strongly there playing for Liverpool and he played enough in a back three — which is not so far from the position — in Leverkusen. And we have Djed Spence.” With just one full-back available, Tuchel’s faith in his makeshift defence will be tested in the knockout stages.