England have spent the better part of a week hearing about what went wrong against Ghana. The 0-0 draw that felt flat, the Pickford incident that probably should have been a red card, the Anthony Gordon performance that had people quietly wondering why Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold were watching from home, and the Marcus Rashford situation that has now reached the point where a former Spain international is publicly pleading Tuchel‘s case for the Manchester United forward.
The Ghana noise has been loud and some of it has been fair. Tonight, against Panama, England have the opportunity to put all of it to rest with one convincing performance that rebuilds momentum before the knockout rounds begin.
Panama is already eliminated. They have lost both their group games, 1-0 to Croatia, 1-0 to Ghana, without scoring a single goal. On paper this is the most comfortable match England will play at this tournament. On paper, England should win it by a comfortable margin. On paper, the three lions should be walking out onto the pitch tonight with the kind of freedom that comes from facing opponents ranked significantly below them.
The Ghana game proved that paper means very little when a disciplined, organised side parks behind the ball and dares England to find a way through. Panama have now watched that blueprint work. The only question is whether they adopt it or come out with more ambition given they have nothing to lose.
Why Panama might actually be more dangerous than Ghana
The counterintuitive argument about this match is that an eliminated Panama side playing with complete freedom could give England more problems than a Ghana side that was fighting for points and therefore had a tactical reason for being disciplined and conservative. When a team has nothing to lose, they tend to play with an openness that creates a more fluid, unpredictable game. Panama might actually attack England more than Ghana did, which sounds alarming given the Ghana result but actually suits England’s counter-attacking tendencies considerably better than a deep defensive block.
Panama have shown enough quality in both their defeats to suggest they are not simply going to roll over. They created chances against both Croatia and Ghana, were arguably unfortunate not to take points from either game, and their players will want to go home having contributed something meaningful rather than exiting without a goal, a point or a performance to remember. That competitive pride is worth factoring into England’s preparation even if it does not fundamentally change the balance of the match.
The Ghana blueprint is also there for them to study if they choose to use it. Sit deep, defend in a low block, make England move the ball sideways for 80 minutes, deny Kane service, and wait for the counter. England could not break that down. Panama watching that footage and replicating it for 90 minutes is a legitimate concern even if the quality differential makes it less sustainable for them than it was for Ghana.
The Rashford question that refuses to go away
Gaizka Mendieta, the former Spain midfielder who watched Marcus Rashford play regularly for Barcelona last season, has been unequivocal this week. Rashford bagged fourteen goals and fourteen assists in forty-nine appearances for Barcelona. He played in multiple positions, showed flexibility and adaptability, contributed in every tactical context Hansi Flick asked of him. He is, according to Mendieta, considerably better than the highlights-only view of him suggests.
The England squad appears to agree. Teddy Sheringham has joined the chorus of voices urging Tuchel to give Rashford a start. The leaked teamsheet heading into this game suggests he may finally get one. And the case for it is straightforward: Anthony Gordon has been poor across both games, looking exactly like the player critics said he was before Barcelona paid £70 million for him, busy without being effective, unable to beat his man in a one-on-one, making sideways and backward passes rather than driving at defenders with the directness the left side desperately needs.
Rashford is the opposite profile. His ten minutes against Ghana were more impactful than Gordon’s combined 130 minutes in the tournament. He pings crosses. He drives at defenders. He arrives late at the box. The 28-year-old has the pace and directness to punish Panama’s right side in ways that Gordon simply cannot. If Tuchel does not start him tonight against the most accessible opposition England will face at this tournament, the window for giving him meaningful minutes to build momentum before the knockouts becomes dangerously narrow.
The Mainoo situation is similarly pressing. Kobbie Mainoo has been outstanding for Manchester United this season, has shown in tournament football before that he can step up on the biggest stage, and offers exactly the ball-progression quality through tight spaces that England’s midfield has been missing.
The creative void between the defensive work of Rice, who is carrying a fitness concern and may need managing, and the attacking output of Bellingham has been visible in both group games. Mainoo has the technical ability and the football intelligence to bridge that gap in a way that neither Anderson nor Rogers has fully demonstrated.
The left side problem that has been there for years for England
Here is the uncomfortable truth about England’s left side: it has been a problem for approximately four years and nothing that has happened at this World Cup has come close to solving it. Jed Spence at left back was not effective against Ghana. Anthony Gordon on the left wing has been poor in both games. Morgan Rogers has had limited time to make an impact when he has come on. Eze has not really clicked when introduced from the bench.
The structural issue is that England want their left back to push forward and provide width and delivery while the left winger comes inside onto his right foot to combine with Kane and Bellingham.
For that to work, the left winger needs to be dangerous enough in one-on-one situations to keep the opposing right back honest and prevent them from doubling up on Bellingham centrally. Gordon cannot do that. He is not a player who beats defenders in one-on-one situations. He works hard, runs the channels, and presses diligently, all qualities that are enormously valuable in certain contexts but not the qualities England need to unlock a low-block defence.
Rashford can do it. His pace and his direct running means defenders have to commit to tracking him, which opens space for Bellingham and Kane. Nico O’Reilly at left back alongside Rashford on the left wing is a combination that at least addresses the structural problem rather than perpetuating it for a third consecutive game.
What Tuchel needs to address
3 fundamental questions have emerged from two group games and they all need answers before England face Ecuador in the Round of 32. The first is the left side, who plays there and what exactly they are supposed to do. The second is the midfield creative void, who bridges the gap between Rice’s defensive work and Bellingham’s attacking output. The third is the backup plan when opponents sit deep and refuse to engage, what does England do differently when Plan A of direct counter-attacking football is taken away?
Tonight against Panama is the safest possible environment to test answers to all three. If Tuchel starts Rashford, gives Mainoo genuine minutes from the beginning rather than the end, and finds a way to make the front four click in a way that produces goals and builds confidence, England go into the knockouts with momentum and clarity. If he tinkerers without direction and produces another flat performance, the questions become considerably louder in the context of a Round of 32 against a very capable Ecuador side.
England vs Panama: Match Prediction
England win, comfortably in the end even if the first half is tighter than the scoreline eventually suggests. Panama will try to keep it competitive; they have pride at stake and will not sit passively in a low block when there is nothing to play for tactically, but England’s quality advantage is too significant to be absorbed for 90 minutes without it telling on the scoreboard.
Saka on the right, Rashford on the left, and a Kane goal to silence the noise from the Ghana week. England 3-0 Panama, the group is won, and Tuchel goes into the Round of 32 with the momentum he desperately needs and the settled lineup that has been searching for definition since the tournament began.
Frequently Asked Questions
Harry Kane is expected to lead England’s attack, although there is debate over whether he should be rested before the knockout rounds.
No. Panama have already been eliminated after losing their opening two group-stage matches.
A victory over Panama would likely see England qualify as Group L winners and set up a Round of 32 clash based on the final group standings.
Yes. England remain one of the tournament favourites, but they need a stronger attacking performance against Panama to restore confidence before the knockout rounds.
England are expected to feature Rashford, Kane and Bukayo Saka in attack, with Kobbie Mainoo pushing for a place in midfield.
Amar Pal Singh Bhalla is a sports writer covering cricket, football and tennis.
Based in India, he has followed the game for the last few years and writes
match analysis, previews and features for Beyond The Score
