Tuchel: James and Quansah training individually & We are fully prepared for penalties

Tuchel discussed England's injury situation in an interview and stated that the Democratic Republic of Congo is a tough opponent.

Tuchel said the team is in top form, and so are the players. James and Quansah are still training individually; both have trained separately, but "time is running out, and it will be very tight." He added that other players "will definitely be available."

When asked if it would be more difficult for the two of them, Tuchel said: "It will be more difficult, but not impossible." Speaking about whether this World Cup group is one of the toughest, he said: "Yes, it's difficult. Very difficult."

Regarding whether England will become tougher in the knockout stages, Tuchel said that if the team correctly understands its situation and knows where it comes from and where it is going, it will enter another phase. He said the team has now reached the round of 16, and if it continues to advance to the quarterfinals, the matches will no longer be "glamorous," but rather about getting results and winning, because this is what the players demand of themselves.

Tuchel believes the next opponents will be very tough, "almost like the first two: very strong physically, happy to defend, very disciplined, and defending with fighting spirit."

Speaking about the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tuchel said: "They have a unique story. As a nation, this is only their second World Cup." He believes the team's journey so far, especially the comeback in their last match, is something to be very proud of, but also "very dangerous."

Tuchel stated that the Democratic Republic of Congo will defend as a unit, "ready to do anything to make our lives on the pitch very difficult." He said England is facing this kind of opponent and must match their intensity.

When asked what preparations the team has made against low-block defenses, Tuchel said the team has been refining its routines rather than learning new things. "Now is not the time to invent new tricks or pull out magic to break through a back five or back six." He believes individual players need to step up, especially the five attacking players, to show individual ability in critical moments and details, turning half-chances into real chances and goals.

Tuchel said the team needs more precise passes and should look for opportunities to create problems and win penalties. "Now is the time to do decisive things, because it matters." He also emphasized that the opponent is a team that rarely gives up chances and rarely concedes goals.

Speaking about Bellingham's evolving role, Tuchel said that Declan Rice will play. Regarding whether Bellingham will continue in a slightly different role, he said: "You'll have to wait until the match to see. But we will have attacking players on the pitch who are in good form. Bellingham is one of them; he is ready to decide the game in the details, and we need more players to do that."

When asked why 5 of Bellingham's 8 England goals came in crucial moments of major tournaments, Tuchel said: "He likes it that way; that's his trajectory. That's when he plays his best." As for whether this surprised him, Tuchel replied: "Not at all. You can't be surprised by the level Bellingham can play at. I'm just happy he's willing to integrate into the team and add his abilities."

When pressed on what "integrating into the team" meant, Tuchel said that Bellingham has done everything necessary to be a strong teammate.

Speaking about how many star players in this tournament have stepped up, Tuchel said the first requirement is commitment and unity, and England has been at the highest level for the past four weeks. "I mean, everyone accepts this, and the top stars accept this. That's how we got here. We came here as a team."

He went on to say that individual players need to create moments of magic in key details, turning less obvious chances into opportunities or scoring difficult goals. He also stated that defensive players must support the attack from behind, build stability, and provide a foundation for the team to attack freely. "Of course, the responsibility ultimately lies with the players, and I believe they will take it on."

Regarding the fact that England has not conceded a goal in five and a half consecutive halves, but outsiders still believe the defense is too open, Tuchel said he understands and agrees. "I even agree. We play a very bold style. We were a bit overcommitted; we didn't drop players back, and our high press was excessive. I think we are the only team that continuously presses the opponent's goalkeeper, which puts us at a numerical disadvantage sometimes because we press so high."

Tuchel said the team now needs to choose when to press better, protect themselves more carefully, and avoid losing balance in unexpected situations such as losing challenges or slipping. "We will do that. We are addressing this issue and will build a solid foundation to get through the knockout stages."

When asked whether the team "finds the strongest lineup first" or "discovers the strongest lineup during the game," Tuchel said it's both. He stated he already knows 15 to 16 players capable of starting at the highest level and completely trusts them, but he remains open to surprises, and anyone can step up at any time. "This can happen at any moment, at any stage. So everyone must continue to push and stay committed."

Speaking about the team now entering a critical area of English football psychology – penalty shootouts – Tuchel said the team has been preparing for this for years. "We respect this process and have always followed it. The plan has been ready for a long time. Winning a tournament typically involves one or two penalty shootouts on average. This is a very special part of football requiring special abilities, and we are fully prepared to win with it if necessary."

Tuchel was then asked who besides Harry Kane has participated in every major tournament for England since 2018. He replied: "Jordan Pickford." After confirmation, Tuchel said this is very important in a penalty shootout.

Speaking about Pickford, Tuchel said he has worked with many excellent goalkeepers, including Buffon and Neuer, and good goalkeepers like Navas, but Pickford is "very unique." "He is very emotional and expressive on the pitch, but off the pitch he is very calm and friendly. It's interesting to watch him; he's a very nice person."

Tuchel concluded by saying England's goalkeeper group is very strong overall, the goalkeeper coach is excellent, and the atmosphere, values, and mutual motivation among the goalkeepers are all very good. "Pickford is currently the number one goalkeeper, and he must do everything to keep this position."

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com