Tuchel is still rearranging the deck chairs

England won Group L, but nobody is celebrating. The 2-0 victory over Panama on June 27 looked comfortable on paper, but the performance on the pitch tells a much more concerning story. Thomas Tuchel is currently facing a structural emergency at the worst possible time.

In his recent column for BBC Sport, Alan Shearer warned that England's search for solutions out wide is far from finished. The former captain noted that a settled side is not something England can boast of at this tournament. He is spot on; England's group stage was a series of tactical compromises.

Look at the Ghana match on June 23. England finished with 68% possession but managed a miserable 0.08 expected goals (xG) from open play because the starting wingers were glued to the touchlines. They refused to attack the space behind Ghana's wing-backs, playing in front of the defensive block rather than through it.

The wing conundrum and Shearer's critique

Tuchel started Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon in that goalless draw against Ghana. According to tracking data, both players took the easy option, completing 88% of their passes but failing to attempt a single dribble inside the penalty box. They lacked the directness needed to stretch a compact opponent.

As Shearer explained, the starting wingers were not positive enough. They simply did not attack their defender enough when England got the ball out to them. The service into Harry Kane was virtually non-existent, leaving the captain isolated and dropping deep just to touch the football.

They didn't attack their defender enough when we got the ball out to them out wide.

Tuchel reacted against Panama, making five changes and starting Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford out wide. This adjustment paid off with second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. It was a needed win, but the underlying issues remain unresolved.

Saka and Rashford offered more directness, but Panama's low block was incredibly passive, allowing England to dictate the tempo without real physical resistance. The wider issue is that England's attacking play remains sluggish. The passing sequences between John Stones and Declan Rice are slow, taking three or four touches where one touch would suffice.

The right-back crisis is a self-inflicted wound

Now, a structural emergency has arrived as England's right-wing corridor is completely broken. Reece James suffered a hamstring tear against Ghana and is out for the immediate future. The Chelsea captain was supposed to provide the overlapping runs that Tuchel's system demands.

Tuchel turned to Jarell Quansah as a stopgap right-back against Panama. That experiment ended in the 74th minute when Quansah twisted his ankle and limped off. With Tino Livramento already back home due to a calf injury, Tuchel has zero fit specialist right-backs left in his squad.

This is where Tuchel's squad selection looks like pure arrogance. He chose to leave Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the 26-man roster, preferring to bring center-back Trevoh Chalobah. It is a decision that has stripped England of their most creative passer when they need him most.

Without Alexander-Arnold's line-breaking passing, England lacks verticality from deep. Against Panama, Chalobah played as a traditional right-back after Quansah's exit, but he completed only three forward passes in 20 minutes. He is a central defender playing out of position, and DR Congo will know it.

DR Congo's defensive block will target the weak link

On Wednesday, England faces DR Congo in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Round of 32. DR Congo will not play like Panama; they will actively target England's right-sided vulnerability. They are a physical, disciplined side that excels in transition moments.

Expect DR Congo manager Sรฉbastien Desabre to deploy his side in a compact 4-1-4-1 block. They will invite England's center-backs to carry the ball forward, then trigger a mid-block press the moment the ball goes wide. They want to trap England against the touchline.

If Chalobah starts at right-back, DR Congo will target him immediately. Their left winger, Yoane Wissa, is elite at pressing transition moments. Wissa has registered 18 ball recoveries in the opponent's half during the group stage and will look to pick Chalobah's pocket.

Tuchel must adapt. His signature system at Chelsea was a 3-4-2-1 that relied on dynamic wing-backs to stretch the pitch. Without specialist right-backs, he is forced to transition to a back three, pulling Saka back into a wing-back role.

This means Bukayo Saka must play as a right wing-back. Saka has the defensive discipline, but pulling him back 30 yards reduces his attacking threat. He won't be able to combine with Bellingham in the half-spaces as effectively, leaving England's right flank toothless.

The tactical blueprint for an ugly victory

When Saka plays as a wing-back, his touches in the opposition penalty area drop from 6.8 per 90 minutes to just 2.1. This change heavily centralizes England's attacking threat, playing right into DR Congo's hands. The Congolese block will easily pack the middle of the pitch.

Central midfielders Samuel Moutoussamy and Charles Pickel are brilliant at clogging the passing lanes. They will squeeze the space between the lines where Bellingham operates. England will be forced into a U-shaped passing pattern, circulating the ball harmlessly around the back.

An England victory on Wednesday will not look pretty. Tuchel will rely on defensive solidity and a moment of individual brilliance to grind out a result. Fortunately, John Stones and Marc Guรฉhi have formed a rock-solid partnership, conceding only two goals in the tournament so far.

England allowed only 1.2 expected goals against (xGA) across three group games. That defensive platform is their only saving grace. They will keep DR Congo at arm's length, restricting them to long-range efforts and speculative crosses.

My prediction is a grueling, tactical battle that England wins 1-0 in Atlanta, with Harry Kane deciding the match in the second half from a set-piece or a penalty. Do not expect a free-flowing display. England will advance, but the right-back crisis will continue to haunt Tuchel's tournament campaign.