England faces a significant challenge at right-back, as Reece James and Jarell Quansah are unavailable due to injury, leaving the team without quality options. This situation has intensified scrutiny over Tuchel's decision to call up Trevoh Chalobah, primarily a center-back, as a replacement for the injured Tino Livramento before the 2026 World Cup. The controversy is further fueled by the omission of Trent Alexander-Arnold, a natural right-back similar to Livramento.

"Tuchel made illogical choices from the outset, especially in selecting injury-prone players for the right-back position," Carragher commented on Sky Sports News. "The addition of Chalobah also fails to address the problem because he is not a true right-back."

Coach Thomas Tuchel instructs the England team, with Djed Spence (far right) and Declan Rice (left), during their 2-1 victory over DR Congo in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US on 1/7. *Photo: Reuters*

In the round of 16 match against DR Congo, Djed Spence started at right-back but delivered a disappointing performance. Towards the end of the second half, midfielder Declan Rice was compelled to drop back into the right-back role. Carragher, however, strongly opposes this solution for the upcoming match against Mexico. "He must play in midfield. If we pull Rice out of the midfield for the rest of the tournament, the team will weaken itself," the former Liverpool defender emphasized.

Carragher also highlighted that the issues extend beyond the right-back position to England's overall defensive system. In the 7th minute of the DR Congo match, Brian Cipenga comfortably scored from inside the box, giving DR Congo an early lead. "There were many problems in the first 20 to 30 minutes, as opponents easily accessed the defense. That's not solely the fault of the defensive line," Carragher added.

The 48-year-old former player proposed an alternative solution: deploying Ezri Konsa at right-back, while pairing John Stones with Marc Guehi at center-back. This adjustment aims to enhance defensive stability and experience.

Key moments from England's 2-1 win over DR Congo.

Beyond the right-back dilemma, Carragher identified another challenge for Tuchel on the wings, where England's attacking options have lacked consistency. He noted that England relies on pure wingers, but their effectiveness has been unstable. This inconsistency makes Tuchel's decision not to call up creative, free-playing talents like Cole Palmer or Phil Foden even more contentious.

"The current wingers often perform better when they are not starting. When they come on as substitutes, they shine because the starters are not performing their duties well," Carragher analyzed.

According to Carragher, Bukayo Saka is a prominent player, but he has not reached his peak physical condition. Meanwhile, options like Marcus Rashford and Noni Madueke have yet to make a clear impact in the tournament. Carragher concluded that England will continue to face constant changes on both wings if they do not soon establish a stable formula for their attacking system.

By Hong Duy (via Sky Sports)