England player ratings: Negativity flows from teamsheet to pitch in goalless Ghana draw
In accordance with tradition, England remain pathologically allergic to collecting nine points from a major tournament group stage and have followed up a hugely encouraging opening victory with a spirit-sapping, joyless stodge of a draw in their second game.
It’s now four tournaments in a row where England have followed that blueprint, with three of those draws goalless affairs against teams firmly in Expect To Beat territory as Ghana join Scotland and the USA on that particular list.
Ghana were magnificent in sticking to the plan laid out for them in a Carlos Queiroz Masterclass, but England alarmingly short of ideas about how to set about breaking down a side whose set-up and approach surely cannot have been a surprise to anyone.
It would all have ended differently had Harry Kane not blazed over from close range late on, but it’s hard to say England deserved any more than a point from one of the most reality-checking of any of the great many reality checks all England teams are apparently required to be served by law at this stage of tournament proceedings.
The other necessary reality check, of course, is in the other direction with it vital to note that nothing is f*cked. England are (basically) through to the knockout stage and remain overwhelming favourites to win the group after a game that will have precious little bearing on knockout clashes to come against teams with far greater intent.
We are as ever confident that will be reflected in reaction to tonight’s absolutely real but ultimately minor setback.
Jordan Pickford
No real save of note to make in the match, but did have to come flying out of his area more than once with mixed results. Was perhaps fortunate to win a free-kick on one such foray and isn’t currently exactly inspiring full confidence.
Reece James
Struggled. Most notably when all too easily shoved off the ball by Antoine Semenyo in a rare first-half Ghana attack. Could have easily been the one to make way for O’Reilly in the second half with Spence switched to his preferred flank. All that time in midfield appears to have slightly affected his right-back mojo, because he’s not been anywhere near his usual standards in the first two games here.
Ezri Konsa
Could easily have conceded a penalty with a desperate off-the-ground lunge during a late Ghana counter-attack that, in fairness, did begin from an unspotted foul on Eberechi Eze. But that’s not really an ideal reason to be searching for to defend a tackle of that nature.
Given how little attacking intent Ghana brought to this game, the number of alarming moments across England’s various defensive players was, well, alarming.
Marc Guehi
Surprisingly left out of the opener having been a cornerstone of England’s defence in qualification, but back here in place of John Stones – who looked old and tired against a Croatia team that itself looked old and tired.
There had been talk that Thomas Tuchel was unconvinced by Guehi’s physicality, and coming off second best in one early tussle with Jordan Ayew raised eyebrows. But while Ayew did a good deal of Putting Himself About A Bit, Guehi stood tall.
Played a great long pass for Bellingham late in a first half that had been short on that kind of intent from England to get in behind a stubborn Ghana low block.
But hard to say he truly made a compelling case that Tuchel had been wrong to leave him out of the opening game.
Djed Spence
Came in for O’Reilly at left-back after an eye-catching cameo on the right against Croatia when his pace was very much in evidence – and surprisingly so in attacking situations. But while his deployment here was surely in part to utilise that pace to minimise Ghana’s main/only threat on the counter-attack, there was little doubt it came at serious cost to England’s attacking efforts and shape.
There was one early moment in particular when Elliot Anderson made his displeasure visibly clear after Spence opted to go backwards when a simple forward pass into Anderson would’ve allowed him to complete the sort of neat triangle England lacked all night and play in Anthony Gordon down the left.
There were a couple of times when Spence’s recovery pace was useful to thwart nascent Ghana counters, but it still felt very much like England lost more than they gained in the round.
Declan Rice
Set-piece delivery way off its usual mark on a day when England could really have done with a cheap chance or two from that route against an unapologetically physical and resolute Ghana defence. A difficult game for Rice, which is especially frustrating given it’s the sort of opposition performance he’s spent much of the last year or two coming up against with Arsenal. It shouldn’t really have surprised him as much as it appeared to.
Elliot Anderson
Couldn’t influence the game as he did against Croatia with Ghana so deep and passive, especially in the first half. Grew visibly frustrated with Spence’s lack of progressive intent on more than one occasion.
Nevertheless seemed an odd choice for him to make way for Eze for the final 15 minutes. It wasn’t exactly a desperate, panicked attempt to conjure something from nothing, but it wasn’t not that either.
Noni Madueke
England’s obvious plan to use Madueke to maximise the width of the pitch on the right was slightly scuppered by his preference for cutting inside and the lack of decent service England managed to get out to him. Looked threatening on the rare occasions he did take that outside route rather than cutting inside, and also in his brief spell on the left before being replaced.
But if Saka is fit enough to start against Panama, Saka surely starts against Panama.
Jude Bellingham
Never really got into the game, with his standout contribution a Bobby Moore-esque tackle on Antoine Semenyo when tracking back to help out when Reece James became stranded upfield. Speaks to the skillset he possesses and the occasionally doubted team ethic, but even if he hadn’t promptly given the ball away when trying to look calm bringing it out, it still isn’t really the thing you want to be Bellingham’s most memorable contribution to any game of football.
Anthony Gordon
Another largely anonymous display from the Barcelona man on the England left, with Thomas Tuchel frequently berating him and Djed Spence for an apparent lack of urgency and interaction on that flank. Did finally put a move together just before the hour mark shortly after another blast from the manager.
Were both replaced just as they showed tentative signs of grasping the job at hand. Neither seems likely to start against Panama.
Harry Kane
Frustrating night in which he got no service from his team and no change from the Ghana defence before blazing The One Chance He’d Been Waiting For high over the bar when it seemed easier to score. Gone early with your actual dream job of kicker for the New England Patriots there, Harry.
Barring one raking pass out to Madueke, also conspicuously failed to influence the game on any of the occasions where he made one of those drops into midfield of which he is so rightly fond.
That miss, though. It really was a shocker and, weirdly, he never really looked like scoring it.
SUBSTITUTES
Bukayo Saka (for Gordon, 66)
Became the first England player to force Benjamin Asare into a meaningful save. It took him less than 20 minutes, but England 85.
Nico O’Reilly (for Spence, 66)
Showed both why he could’ve started but also why Spence did with England’s attack far livelier once he was involved but also a visible increase in England’s vulnerability to Ghanaian counter-attacks. But surely should have started: England and Tuchel had to back themselves, and didn’t.
Morgan Rogers (for Bellingham, 73)
Couple of lively moments as he tried to do what Bellingham could not and spark some life into England.
Eberechi Eze (for Anderson, 73)
Most telling contribution was an unpunished foul on him that might have ended up with a Ghana penalty.
Marcus Rashford (for Madueke, 83)
England looked much better after Rashford came on, but the fact he did so at least 20 minutes too late ended up rivalling the ‘safety-first pick of a right-back at left-back’ for the Most Southgate Moment award.