“Saka must start!”
The Three Lions had to work hard in the Round of 16 match against DR Congo, eventually winning 2-1 to book their place in the Round of 16. However, the performance left much to be desired, especially on the flanks, where England looked disjointed and devoid of ideas.
Asked what changes Tuchel should make, Richards said
How do Madueke’s stats compare to Saki’s?
In terms of numbers, Madueke has 15 England caps to his name, as well as one goal and four assists at international level. During this World Cup, he made three starts and one substitute appearance, and also scored against Croatia in England’s opening group stage match.
Saka, on the other hand, boasts much more international experience, with 53 caps to his name, 14 goals and 11 assists for the Three Lions. He has started only once in the tournament so far, coming on as a substitute in three other matches, but still managed to score two goals – against Croatia and Panama.
Barry’s “Bright Idea”
Tuchel said assistant coach Anthony Barry’s “brilliant idea” to replace Declan Rice at right-back sparked England’s dramatic comeback win over DR Congo. A 70th-minute change to bring on Eberechi Eze for Jed Spence quickly paid off as Kane scored twice to secure a 2-1 win.
“Anthony Barry had the brilliant idea of putting Declan there.”
Next test in Mexico
England are now preparing for a big showdown with tournament hosts Mexico at the fearsome Estadio Azteca. The game will be played at altitude, which Tuchel admits gives Mexico an advantage over his team.
The German coach added: “The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we physically won’t be able to adapt to it. It just takes too long. We only have three days between these matches. It’s just physically impossible to adapt to the altitude.”