Former England footballer Wayne Rooney has expressed his concerns regarding Thomas Tuchel’s choice to include Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah in England’s World Cup squad, highlighting the defensive options as his primary concern for the tournament.
James was selected when Tuchel announced his 26-man squad last month and participated in every minute of England’s initial Group L matches against Croatia and Ghana.
However, James had to sit out the Three Lions’ 2-0 win over Panama due to a hamstring injury, which adds to a series of injuries that the Chelsea captain has faced in recent years.
The 26-year-old right-back is also expected to miss the upcoming round of 32 match against DR Congo, raising concerns about his fitness for a potential return in the later stages of the tournament, should Tuchel’s team advance.
Before England’s campaign commenced, Tuchel also lost Tino Livramento to injury, leading to Chalobah’s call-up to replace the versatile Newcastle full-back.
Tottenham’s Djed Spence is anticipated to start on the right side of England’s defense tomorrow evening, in a back-four that may include Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, and Nico O’Reilly.
“Are you surprised that Reece James is injured? That was a concern with the squad he picked,” Rooney, the former England and Manchester United captain, remarked on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show.
“You have Reece James, who is unreliable, John Stones, who is also unreliable, and Tino Livramento was injured prior to the tournament.
“The unexpected choice was Trevoh Chalobah being brought in when
