Thomas Tuchel has explained his decision not to use strikers Ivan Toney or Ollie Watkins during England's frustrating 0-0 draw with Ghana in the World Cup on Tuesday. Despite a lack of goals, Tuchel kept captain Harry Kane on the pitch for the entire match and brought on attacking options such as Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, and Marcus Rashford.
England Struggles Against Ghana's Low Block
Ghana employed a deep, aggressive defensive setup that stifled England's attacking play. The constant fouls and stoppages prevented England from building momentum, with players like Elliott Anderson and Jude Bellingham frequently fouled. Tuchel's side failed to find a breakthrough, managing few clear chances.
When asked why he did not turn to Toney or Watkins, Tuchel dismissed the idea of substituting Kane. "Change Harry Kane in a game that is stuck and 0-0?!" he said. "Taking Harry off, no?"
Tuchel Defends Reliance on Kane
Tuchel elaborated on his trust in Kane, noting that despite the striker's lack of involvement, he remains the team's primary goal threat. "Everyone is pushing and I think we had three different goalscorers in the first match and to rely on Harry is just a natural thing because he loves responsibility and he takes it," Tuchel said.
He added, "He was not involved as much as we like to, it was just so, so narrow. Our two central defenders were responsible for the build up and then it was basically eight against 10. It was difficult to find space. The little moments that he had was just unlucky and the last one is normally a clear goal and that would have got us a deserved win."
Tuchel insisted that England do not over-rely on Kane, saying, "We rely on Harry because we can, because he's our forward, but we don't over rely on him."
No Strikers Used in Previous Game Either
Neither Toney nor Watkins were used against Croatia in England's opening match, though Tuchel noted the dynamics were different. Looking ahead to the next group game against Panama, Tuchel remained non-committal about potential changes. "I have no idea. Panama is in four days," he said bluntly.
