World Cup 2026: Why did England struggle against DR Congo?

How a team defends is not done in isolation. In possession, tactics affect how well a team defends too.

With England having longer spells of possession in the second half, they were able to minimise the impact of DR Congo’s build-up play.

This will be a more difficult ask, playing in what is an away game against Mexico.

But, more measured possession in a similar fashion to how DR Congo started the game against England might be a tactic Tuchel’s side could look to borrow for their next match.

On the ball, England struggled at times to put together free-flowing attacks against DR Congo’s 4-4-2. This followed a pattern set in the group stage in their matches against Ghana and Panama.

Despite this, they did have some reliable methods of attack on which to fall back.

Prior to the tournament, Tuchel was set on attacking down the flanks with what he termed “wide units” – a triangle of full-back, attacking midfielder and winger to rotate between themselves, pulling opponents out of position, before attacking the space that movement opened up.

The idea was to stick to Plan A, hence Tuchel picked like-for-like profiles across the pitch rather than opting for players who change the style of the team.

The only England player who perhaps offers a different dynamic is Eberechi Eze, who came on following a key hydration break.

Acknowledging injuries to his full-backs as well as the underwhelming form of his wide units, Tuchel has attempted to introduce alternative methods of attack in recent games.

This includes attacking through the middle as well as changing who forms the wide units in the hopes of finding relationships that work well.

And he may have stumbled upon combinations that clicked towards the end of Wednesday’s game.