England 0 Ghana 0

Excellent defensive performance from Ghana and I did enjoy the game on Tuesday night.  I have only just got around to writing about it because I had other things to say. 

But, and it is a big but, England first half looked like the old Southgate team back again, slow, yawn, hurry move lads, do something.   Bellingham got a bit stroppy at half time which he does when he gets frustrated with play and we see that side of him and he apparently said some choice words to Quieroz and Queiroz should have just ignored it but he drew attention to it later at the Press conference so it all got a bit silly and oh, just grow up, at 73  give the boy a chance and don't make a song and dance about it.  *Brings back memories of Beckham and Keane getting in a few scraps wtih him too now I come to think about it.

Ghana 4 5 1 and that was their defensive block and it was effective.

DJed Spence and Anthony Gordon could not get behind it. 

Quieroz did a good job as Ghana's coach.  You may remember him as Alex Ferguson's assistant once upon a time - Fergie seemed to get on ok with him but I don't remember the boys at Man U liking him much, see above*. 

Yep, I did enjoy it and although I wanted England to win I couldn't help but enjoy watching Ghana because as well as the defence being solid it was also fluid and Ghana tactically moved correctly, and fast. 

Kane touched the ball 6 times in 45 minutes.  

Then after 56 minutes  England did  get behind the defence, but the Ghana centre midfielder and centre sprinted back and covered again and again so nothing happened. 

England will qualify and this match was a bit of a hiccough and it doesn't mean England are out or anything but it is a bit of downer that we still see the selection problems and Rashford not brought on soon enough in that game and why didn't he start the game?  and the two changes in back two with Gordon and Spence  that Tuchel made were probably well thought out but they didn't really work.   Rashford coming on is not mentioned in many reports and yet he made an instant impact.  Yes, I know it was minor and late but it was still an impact.   And then Rice who is so important to the team is nursing a nagging injury.  With a yellow card on top he should not play against Panama.

And further, although not much was said when I was watching on tv,  Ghana should have had a penalty near the end when Ezri Konsa  made a wild tackle from behind  on Prince  and didn't touch the ball and yet the ref waved play on and in the studio Shearer and the other guy said absolutely nothing like "oh we'll just ignore that England fouled Ghana there and why isn't VAR going to take a look?"The joke doing the rounds is that VAR had gone for coffee.  There was an offside flag but that was after the tackle.  Lucky England. 

And finally, whenever I watch Pickford running around on the pitch miles from his goal I always think that one day he is going to cost England a match. 

Saturday is the final group stage game against Panama and no doubt the defence will change again and O'Reilly will be back and Djed Spence on the bench.  Will Rashford start?  I doubt it.  Will Saka start?  Only Tuchel has the answers. 

My chart shows that Panama have been beaten by Ghana and Croatia and England should make that three and also beat them.  They are ranked 40th in the world by FIFA.  England are currently ranked 4th which sounds very generously high.   

Rashford to score and England to win 3-0.