England's World Cup Attack Shines While Defence Faces Challenges
England’s attack has arrived at this World Cup. Their defence is still looking for its passport.
Thomas Tuchel’s side opened with a 4-2 win over Croatia in Arlington, Texas – a scoreline that flatters the forwards and exposes the back line in equal measure. England were slick, ruthless and, at times, irresistible in the final third. Behind them, though, the foundations shook.
Twice in the first half they were dragged back by an experienced, if ageing, Croatia side. The response was emphatic: the tempo went up, the combinations clicked, and England simply ran away from their opponents after the break. For a curtain-raiser, it was a statement.
But not the kind that silences doubts.
Attack purrs, alarms ring
On paper, England should feel secure. They sailed through qualifying without conceding a single goal in eight matches, a record that would usually calm any talk of fragility.
The reality in Texas told a different story. Croatia found space, found gaps, and found encouragement. This was not Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal or Lionel Messi running at them. The thought of France, Spain or Argentina exploiting the same channels will not sit easily with Tuchel or his staff.
Former England defender Gary Neville, watching on in his Sky Sports role, did not disguise the unease that first half produced.
He argued that what happened against Croatia will force Tuchel into a rethink for the next games – not just about personnel, but about how he protects a back line still learning the rhythms of tournament football.
The pressure is immediate. Next up are Ghana in Boston. Beat the African side and, if Panama fail to defeat Croatia, England will march into the last 32 as Group L winners. One more win, and the path opens up.
The question is whether this defence is ready for what lies beyond that door.
Experience left at home
Tuchel knew what he was doing when he named this squad. He also knew what he was leaving behind.
Three players with deep tournament experience stayed at home: Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and the Manchester United pair Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire. Between them, they have ridden the turbulence of major finals and penalty shootouts, the kind of battle scars that can steady a team when the pressure spikes.
Then came another blow. Before England had even kicked a competitive ball, Tino Livramento was ruled out injured. Tuchel turned to Trevoh Chalobah, who arrived with just one cap to his name. It was a pragmatic choice, but it added another rookie to a group already light on international miles.
The numbers are stark. The nine defenders in this 26-man squad share 191 caps. John Stones owns 90 of them.
Strip Stones out, and what remains is a talented but raw group. That inexperience showed in flashes against Croatia: hesitancy in duels, a half-second delay in stepping up, the odd nervous touch under pressure.
Three members of the back four in Arlington – Reece James, Ezri Konsa and 21-year-old Nico O’Reilly – were making their World Cup debuts. James, brilliant when fit, carries an injury history that always lingers in the background. Konsa and O’Reilly are learning on the job, in the harshest spotlight the sport offers.
The Stones question
This is where the debate sharpens. Does Tuchel lean on Stones’ experience, or does he back the athleticism of the younger pair?
Stones started just five Premier League matches for Manchester City last season before leaving the club, but Tuchel clearly values what he brings: calm on the ball, positional sense, the ability to knit together a back line that might otherwise fray under stress.
Yet not everyone is convinced he should be the automatic pick.
Former England striker Chris Sutton has pushed a different view. For him, the future – and perhaps the present – belongs to Konsa and Marc Guehi. Sutton believes that in pure one-on-one situations, those two are better equipped than Stones to cope with the elite attackers who lie in wait.
He pointed out that there will be moments in this tournament when England’s defenders are left alone, isolated against players of the very highest class. In those duels, he argued, Konsa and Guehi offer more speed and agility than the veteran.
Tuchel, though, has shown considerable faith in Konsa already, and Guehi remains on the edge of the starting XI. The decision to pair or rotate them with Stones may define how far England travel in this World Cup.
Belief from the front
Inside the camp, the mood is far more relaxed. Forwards tend to see the game differently. They trust what they can do to opponents more than they fear what opponents can do to them.
Ollie Watkins, speaking at England’s base in Kansas City, brushed away the concerns swirling around the back four. He pointed to medals and big nights, to defenders who have already won major trophies and operated at the highest level of the club game.
Yes, he admitted, the team started nervously against Croatia. That was clear enough. But once the tension drained from their legs, the transformation was dramatic. In the second half, England didn’t just beat Croatia. They blew them away.
That is the version of England Watkins sees: a side whose attacking power will overwhelm most teams, whose defenders simply need a little time to settle into the tournament.
Ghana, and the bigger picture
Boston brings a different kind of test. Ghana will not play with the same rhythm as Croatia, but they will bring energy, physicality and direct running. They will challenge England’s defenders in the air and on the turn. They will not care about reputations or Premier League pedigrees.
Win, and England likely stroll into the last 32 with a game to spare and a sense of momentum building. The attack looks ready for anyone. The midfield, under Tuchel’s guidance, has control and craft.
But the World Cup always finds your weak point. For this England side, everyone can see where opponents will aim.
Tuchel must now decide: double down on experience with Stones, or ride the raw pace of Konsa and Guehi? Protect the back line with a more conservative shape, or keep trusting the front foot that ripped Croatia apart?
The goals are flowing. The questions at the back are not going away.
