In a World Cup campaign that's been marked by some worrying trends, England's right-back woes have just taken a major blow – or rather, several of them. Jarell Quansah and Reece James, two key players in the position, are both struggling to get back on the pitch, leaving manager Thomas Tuchel with a massive headache ahead of Wednesday's showdown with DR Congo.
Quansah's twisted ankle picked up during Saturday's 2-0 win over Panama is just the latest injury concern for England. The Bayer Leverkusen defender was forced to watch the final stages from the sidelines, replaced by Djed Spence in the 63rd minute – and his absence has sparked fresh fears about Tuchel's defensive depth.
Reece James, meanwhile, hasn't even been spotted at training since suffering a hamstring injury against Ghana. Despite hints that he might just make it back for the DR Congo game, the chances of him playing seem to be slipping away by the minute – and it's got fans wondering: what's going on behind closed doors?
Questions about Tuchel's squad composition have been doing the rounds for a while now. Was bringing in Trevoh Chalobah as defensive cover at the last minute a clever move, or just a gamble that didn't pay off? And will we see more of Djed Spence, who's already shown his mettle by playing in multiple positions?
Spence, currently shining at Tottenham, has been the go-to guy for England in a crisis. He started out at left-back against Ghana before shifting to right-back when Quansah went down – and now he might just be needed again to plug that gaping hole at right-back.
Tuchel's got options on the table, though. Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa is waiting in the wings, having earned his stripes under Tuchel since January 2025. The 28-year-old has been a regular starter and even made his England debut against Brazil last year – impressing everyone with his performance against Vinicius Jr.
But will it be enough? Can Tuchel sort out the right-back conundrum, or are we in for a baptism by fire against DR Congo? The clock's ticking, and Tuchel needs to get this one right if England want to keep their World Cup dreams alive.