England faces defensive concerns ahead of Norway quarter-final clash
Defensive challenges for England
England is facing several defensive concerns as they prepare for their World Cup quarter-final match against Norway on Saturday. Among the key worries is the fitness of defender Marc Guehi, who is set to undergo assessment on Friday due to a hamstring injury. This injury follows England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16 at the Azteca Stadium. Initially, it was hoped that Guehi was experiencing muscular fatigue, but he is now understood to have a hamstring strain.
If Guehi is unable to train with the squad on Friday, his inclusion against Norway will be significantly doubted. While the issue is not considered serious, England head coach Thomas Tuchel may be hesitant to take risks with defenders, especially with Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals, posing a threat for Norway. Other central defensive options available include John Stones, Dan Burn, and Trevoh Chalobah.
Right-back dilemmas and injury updates
The right-back position continues to be a challenging area for England. Reece James, who is considered the first-choice right-back, returned to training on Thursday after suffering a hamstring injury during a goalless draw with Ghana. Although he did not complete the entire session, he is expected to be available for the match against Norway, provided he experiences no adverse effects from Thursday’s training.
However, James has not trained for a fortnight due to his hamstring strain, and playing him for the full 90 minutes could risk his recovery or lead to a relapse. Another right-back option, Djed Spence, is also nursing a minor injury and missed some training sessions leading up to the last 16 tie. His recovery in the coming days will be crucial for his availability to start on Saturday.
Adding to the right-back issues, Jarell Quansah is suspended for two games after receiving a red card against Mexico. This leaves England with limited natural right-back options. Tino Livramento was injured before the tournament, and Chalobah was called up as his replacement. In the event that neither James nor Spence is fit to start, Ezri Konsa, who can cover at right-back, might be deployed there. Konsa played in this position in a back five against Mexico, with John Stones moving to centre-back.
Midfielder Declan Rice also missed a second consecutive day of training due to a sickness bug. Rice has been dealing with a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, which has been exacerbated by his illness. England has implemented measures to prevent the spread of the bug within the squad. Veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson, despite being ruled out for the remainder of the tournament due to a broken arm, has returned to the team hotel and will remain with the squad to provide a positive influence.
The team had two days off after their victory against Mexico to recover physically and mentally. The players spent time relaxing with friends and family before regrouping for training. England conducted a training session on Thursday and is scheduled to fly to Miami on Friday for their final preparations ahead of the quarter-final match.
The defensive resilience shown by England in the second half against Mexico, playing with 10 men for 47 minutes and conceding minimal non-penalty expected goals on target, was notable. However, the upcoming match against Norway is expected to be a more significant test for England’s defence, which is currently more stretched than at any other point in the tournament.
The attention now shifts from recovery to the impending battle with Norway and Erling Haaland on Saturday.
Source: bbc.com
