Carragher: England Must Exploit Messi's Weakness Against Argentina
Jamie Carragher believes England’s best chance of reaching the World Cup final might come from turning Lionel Messi into a problem for Argentina, not just for themselves.
The 39-year-old has dominated the tournament, with eight goals and two assists, dragging Argentina to the brink of a second straight final. Every team has tried to solve the Messi puzzle. None have managed it.
Carragher doesn’t pretend England will suddenly find the magic formula. He does, however, think they can turn one of Messi’s great luxuries into a weakness.
‘You can exploit Messi’
“It’s nothing new with Messi. He’s been around for 20 years and no one has found the answer,” Carragher said, laying out the reality that Thomas Tuchel and his players face.
“There has to be a plan. I don't think it will be a man-marking job, but they need a plan. The players will be expecting that. It's not admitting defeat in any way. You're coming up against arguably the greatest player of all time. He's shown that in this tournament too.”
Then came the twist.
“Also, they should be thinking about how they can exploit Lionel Messi as well. He walks about when the opposition have got the ball, so that doesn't mean England's left-back should stand next to him for the whole of the game.
“They can exploit the fact that Argentina only defend with nine outfield players.”
That is the fault line Carragher wants England to attack. When Argentina lose the ball, Messi often stays high, conserving energy, waiting for the next counter. It gives him the platform to decide games. It also leaves space.
If England are brave enough, that space can become their route to Sunday.
Echoes of Croatia?
Carragher expects the semi-final in Atlanta to feel very different to the grind of some of England’s earlier games, and more like the opening win over Croatia.
“I don't think there's too much between the teams. I'm hoping that this game has got elements of the Croatia game in it, where you're playing against a side who fancy themselves as a good team,” he said.
“I certainly don't think they'll be getting everybody behind the ball. They'll try to tackle us, and will that leave space for ourselves to attack? Their full-backs like to go high and wide, but they don't really play with wingers, so maybe that's something we can exploit.”
It is a clear picture: Argentina on the front foot, full-backs pushing on, Messi drifting, and England trying to punch into the gaps left behind.
Carragher wants a change of tempo from Tuchel’s men.
“I'm hoping that it's a different type of game than what we've seen from the majority of England games throughout this competition. I still don't think England have been anywhere near the best in performance-wise.”
Tuchel’s honesty defended
Tuchel’s own assessment after the quarter-final against Norway caused a stir. He criticised England’s quality on the ball and suggested they had almost thrown the tie away. In the heat of Miami, with temperatures above 33C and humidity pushing the feel closer to 40C, Jude Bellingham bristled at those comments, hinting the manager did not fully grasp the physical toll.
Carragher sees no crisis, no fracture in the camp.
“I didn't think there was anything wrong at all with Tuchel's comments,” he said. “He's probably a little bit emotional after the game. England didn't play particularly well and could have easily lost that game against Norway.
“I totally understand Tuchel. We know what he was like at Chelsea. That's one of his plus points. He tells you straight. You've seen him against [Djed] Spence in this tournament.
“In a World Cup, a manager's got to be decisive. He's got to make big decisions, he's got to tell people straight. You can't wait. Things need to happen right away. I thought the interview from the manager was brilliant.”
Bellingham’s reaction, Carragher insists, was just as human.
“Jude, again, he's emotional after the game. He's just scored a couple of goals, and then he's realised how hard it was on the pitch, and the conditions as well. I could understand that, but Thomas Tuchel will be absolutely fine with that.”
Honest manager, honest player, high stakes. Carragher sees that as the mark of a live, competitive dressing room, not a fractured one.
Saka over Madueke
Selection-wise, Tuchel’s options are narrowing. Declan Rice is fit. Reece James returned from the bench against Norway. The real debate sits on the right flank.
Noni Madueke has started four times this summer. Bukayo Saka, his Arsenal team-mate, has started three and has battled fitness issues throughout the tournament. Form and fitness pull in different directions.
Carragher is clear which way he would go.
“I think Madueke's had a lot of chances in this tournament,” he said. “It hasn't quite happened for him. Saka certainly hasn't been at his best, but as we know, he's not 100 per cent fit.
“I'm just hoping with each minute or longer he's on the pitch and other appearances, we start to see a little bit of what we know of Bukayo Saka.
“These are the games you take a chance in. If he's right, or you think you can get something from him, you've got to pick him. There's no worrying about what comes after that. I know it's a World Cup final after that, but this game is too important.”
No holding back, no saving legs for a stage you might never reach. For Carragher, Argentina is the final before the final.
And if England are bold enough to chase Messi’s shadow and attack the space he leaves behind, this might just be the night that 60 years of waiting finally meets its reckoning.
