Former England captain Wayne Rooney has questioned Thomas Tuchel’s squad decisions for the World Cup, insisting that concerns over England’s defensive options were evident even before the tournament began.
Rooney’s comments come after Chelsea captain Reece James suffered another injury setback during England’s campaign, reigniting debate about the reliability of some of the players selected by Tuchel for the competition.
James was included in Tuchel’s 26-man squad and featured throughout England’s opening Group L fixtures against Croatia and Ghana. However, the right-back missed England’s 2-0 victory over Panama after sustaining a hamstring injury.
The latest setback has cast doubt over his availability for England’s round of 32 clash against DR Congo and raised fresh concerns about whether he will be fit enough to play a meaningful role should the Three Lions progress further in the tournament.
England’s defensive plans had already been disrupted before the competition got underway. Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento was ruled out through injury, prompting Tuchel to call up Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah as a replacement.
With James unavailable, Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence is widely expected to start at right-back in England’s next match. The defensive line could also feature Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United striker said he was not surprised to see James sidelined again and suggested the warning signs were clear before the squad was announced.
“Are you surprised that Reece James is injured? That was a concern with the squad he picked,” Rooney said.
“You have Reece James, who is unreliable, John Stones, who is also unreliable, and Tino Livramento was injured prior to the tournament.”
Rooney also questioned Tuchel’s decision to bring Chalobah into the squad after Livramento’s withdrawal, arguing that England needed a different balance in defence.
“The unexpected choice was Trevoh Chalobah being brought in when Livramento was ruled out. I believe having a balance with Luke Shaw or Lewis Hall is essential,” he said.
The England legend went on to explain that defensive reliability worried him more than the absence of some of England’s attacking talents.
“The issue with the last match, whether he will do it tomorrow against DR Congo, is that if Djed Spence is there, he must be played at right-back. I don’t think Jarell Quansah performed well.
“So the defence was a big worry for me, more so than Phil Foden and Cole Palmer not going. I think the defence, just in terms of reliability, was a concern.”
Rooney was particularly critical of the decision to depend on James, despite the defender’s well-documented injury struggles over recent seasons.
“Reece James is a good player but we knew before the tournament that you cannot rely on him. He hasn’t been reliable for the last two years,” Rooney added.
“It would be interesting to look at James’ injury record when Thomas Tuchel was at Chelsea.
“I think everyone knew that was the situation and with the John Stones situation.”
James remains one of England’s most talented defenders when fully fit, but recurring injury problems have repeatedly interrupted his career at both club and international level. His latest absence has once again sparked debate about whether England took a major risk by relying on him for a demanding World Cup campaign.
As England prepare for their knockout clash with DR Congo, Tuchel will be hoping his defensive unit can withstand further setbacks and keep the team’s World Cup ambitions on track despite growing concerns over fitness and squad depth at the back
