Who should start alongside Guéhi for England at World Cup? | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel faces not only the tricky task of naming England’s 26-man World Cup squad, but fielding a lineup capable of then going all the way.

The depth in squad that the German has at his disposal makes the Three Lions a force to be reckoned with in June, yet the abundance of options creates difficult tactical decisions.

Several will not be popular among fans and players alike, with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire “shocked and gutted” to have been omitted, missing his first major tournament since 2018 where he was available for selection.

England’s defence is one of the key areas to get right for Tuchel, particularly his centre-back pairing, with a number of high-level options for this role that boast different attributes in and out of possession.

In the 12 games under the helm of Tuchel, England have conceded in just three of those games, all of which were in friendlies, and it is the former Chelsea boss’ job to ensure England are just as impenetrable in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Marc Guéhi looks to be nailed on as the starting left-centre back after impressing at Euro 2024 and ever since his move to Manchester City in January.

With Maguire’s omission and some other talented players to choose from, the question now is which one will regularly start alongside him.

What makes Guéhi a no-brainer?

Guéhi is an ideal centre half profile for Tuchel to have at his fingertips: progressive, composed and tactically disciplined. The 6ft defender is an exemplary modern day defender with his adaptability to a back three and four making him an easy selection.

In the Premier League this season, Guéhi has recorded an 89.67% successful pass completion rate and ranks highly among centre-backs for chances created, averaging 0.51 per 90 and 0.14 for big chances created per match.

This highlights his comfort in being the ball playing centre-back, as well as having the ability to break the lines.

His relationship with Declan Rice this summer when advancing the ball into midfield is likely to mirror the connection he had at Crystal Palace with Adam Wharton, who is set to miss out on the World Cup, and now Bernardo Silva at Manchester City.

The right-footed left centre-back has often played alongside more physical centre-backs such as Chris Richards and Maxence Lacroix whose aerial presence complements his playing style, allowing him to act as the possession-oriented defender.

At Manchester City however, Guéhi has exemplified his versatility playing alongside Abdukodir Khusanov, whose pace and intelligence of the game is key to Manchester City’s high-line playing style.

This allows Guéhi to drop deeper and be the covering defender for the Citizens, with his reading of the game invaluable to Pep Guardiola.

Guéhi has often benefited from a partner that allows him to operate aggressively on the front foot through aerial threat and recovery qualities, so the ideal partner for the 25-year-old may be one to possess these individual qualities.

Here are the potential options.

Ezri Konsa

Konsa has grown exponentially in recent years and has become one of the first names on the teamsheet for Aston Villa. Now a Europa League winner, the 28-year-old has every chance of being the partner to Guéhi for the upcoming tournament.

The Villa centre back received his first-team England call up in November in 2023 and from there on in, he has become a trusted option when Stones or Maguire have been unavailable.

Since the appointment of Tuchel in October 2024, he has played the third most minutes (727) under the German, only behind Jordan Pickford’s 740 and Harry Kane’s 810. These numbers speak for itself implying that Konsa is clearly a favourite of Tuchel’s and has impressed in the Three Lions shirt since his arrival.

Similar to Guéhi, he is a centre-back who is comfortable on the ball with a 95.5% passing accuracy in the league this season as well as 61% long ball accuracy, which could be valuable to the way in which Tuchel is looking to control games.

Konsa’s statistics defensively this season however highlight a weaker part of his game, only averaging 0.95 aerial duels won per game and 2.96 for duels won – with these recorded as weaker statistics compared to other centre-backs in the league this season.

Both Guéhi and Konsa have great composure on the ball and both possess pace for recovery, but are there profiles too similar to work together?

That said, in tournament football against transition-heavy opponents, the recovery pace of both defenders could give England greater flexibility when defending large spaces.

Konsa has barely put a foot wrong since his debut against Brazil two years ago, with nine clean sheets in his last 10 starts. There is every chance Tuchel maintains his faith in the 28-year-old and chooses him as the partner to Guéhi.

John Stones

A true leader at the back for England during past tournaments, John Stones is admired by Tuchel but whether or not he starts might not be a matter of the quality he still possesses.

The Manchester City defender has often been first choice over the years, but with just 4 Premier League starts this season major questions surround his availability for the summer have risen.

In England’s most recent major tournament in Germany, Stones attempted (556) and completed (526) more passes than any other player at the tournament which shows his involvement in building attacks and his ability to retain possession.

Stones’ ability to dictate build-up play could allow Guéhi to cover the space in the defensive line, with this proving effective in years gone by when Stones has played alongside Maguire.

Stones would be a valuable starter included with his composure and calm nature at the back but is his international career coming to an end with Konsa looking to be the one to come into the fold?

Guardiola has insisted that he will be fit for the World Cup, and if so presents a very promising option for Tuchel to go for.

Dan Burn

Now that Harry Maguire is confirmed to miss out on the squad, it appears the place on the plane will go to Dan Burn. There was talk of Levi Colwill set to be included but David Ornstein has confirmed he will not make the cut despite his return from injury in recent weeks.

The boy from Blythe, standing at 6ft 7 tall, gives England an aerial presence in both boxes as well as a calmness and stability at the back. He could be the perfect contrast to Marc Guéhi to cover all attributes in the centre half positions.

Burn unsurprisingly has one of the best aerial dual win rates per 90 in the league this season, averaging 4.09 per game for Newcastle, a player who likes to get stuck in and isn’t scared of a tackle, with a 6.21 dual win average per 90 in the league this season.

His overall aggression and dominance in the air could be what Tuchel is looking for in the backline and the Geordie has had quite the rise, making his international debut at 32-years-old.

The fairytale may live on for Burn if he is included in Tuchel’s fold and partners Marc Guéhi this summer and it would be well deserved after his revival in recent years playing for his boyhood club.

Ultimately, all three options are more than solid choices for Tuchel and it may be a matter of selection based on opponent and fitness. The strength in depth should be utilised and Konsa, Stones and Burn all have arguments for why they should be starting this summer.

Some will prefer a more physical defender to partner Guéhi whilst others would prefer two ball-playing centre-backs. It comes down to a matter of opinion and that will lie in the hands of Tuchel this summer.

Signs from Tuchel indicate Konsa could be the favourite to start but a fully fit Stones and the physical presence of Burn certainly make his decision a tough one.

Thomas Tuchel’s official 26-man World Cup squad will be announced at 9.35am tomorrow, with live reaction courtesy of the FromTheSpot team.