Thomas Tuchel says England will need others beyond Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to step up with big moments in the World Cup knockouts.
Of the team’s six goals during the group stage, five were scored by his leading pair. It was Bellingham who broke the deadlock in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Panama before he teed up Kane for the second.
There is a danger England become over-reliant on the attacking duo and when they do not produce, such as the goalless draw with Ghana, the team suffers.
Tuchel’s side will now face DR Congo in the last 32 on Wednesday, and the head coach said: ‘On a certain level, we want these guys in a key moment to show up. Harry did it. Jude did it.
‘I am convinced that Nico O’Reilly almost did it against Ghana (header against crossbar). I am sure Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka will do it when the time is there, and we need that.’
Tuchel, though, still believes the attacking unit has to work to create those opportunities for Bellingham perhaps more so than anyone else.
Thomas Tuchel says England will need others beyond Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to step up with big moments in the World Cup knockouts
Tuchel praised the duo and said he believes other attacking stars will soon have their moments
‘If you look carefully, sometimes it’s just a run from someone else to open the space up for Jude so that he can shine,’ he added. ‘They work in units. Nico O’Reilly took an opponent out to create space for Jude in the first half.
‘We have to work in patterns to have a higher amount of attacking threat. If we all just play freestyle, no one knows what the other one is thinking. Jude is a part of it.
‘We want to be consistently finding players in these spaces, and then they should take advantage with their quality. That is what we need and what we demand.’
Tuchel now faces the dilemma of where to start Bellingham against DR Congo.
With Declan Rice rested, he moved to a No.8 position versus Panama. Rice will likely return in Atlanta, meaning Bellingham reverts to No.10.
Jarrell Quansah (ankle) and Reece James (hamstring) remain doubtful.
But what is no longer in doubt is that the Real Madrid star is the first name on the team-sheet, and that was not a given coming into the tournament.
Tuchel’s management of Bellingham over the past year has been one of his biggest achievements as England boss.
‘This is what we want from Jude,’ he said. ‘He was very positive from the first day in camp. He buys fully into all the things we demand as a team player, and then he brings his own individual quality to decide football games.
‘That’s what you see in World Cups now, and what you see from other teams and other big players. We have it in him and he’s a key player. He buys fully into all the things we demand of him as a team player. So well done until now. He needs to keep going.’
