Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has criticized England manager Thomas Tuchel for omitting Cole Palmer from the squad, stating that the team lacks a magician to break down Ghana in Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 game.
Tuchel left Palmer at home due to his club form and fitness. With Palmer unavailable, England’s bench relies heavily on power and energy rather than creative wizardry.
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Coming off the back of an emphatic 4-2 victory over Croatia, the Three Lions were aiming to defeat the Black Stars and confirm their progression to the Round of 32 as Group L winners.
However, England found it difficult to penetrate a well-organized and stubborn Ghana defence, which largely maintained their 4-1-4-1 shape and restricted Tuchel’s team to minimal clear-cut chances.
Reacting after the game, Carragher, in a chat with Sky Sports, stated that Palmer would have made a huge difference if he had been included in the England squad.
“That’s England’s problem here. The longer this goes on, the more we must look to the bench and ask who can come on and make a difference?
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“Rice and Bellingham are all about power and energy; they aren’t magicians in the spaces between the lines. If this continues, the debate will start regarding Cole Palmer’s absence. We’ve seen so many games like this in major tournaments.
“Those who championed Palmer’s inclusion foresaw tactical conundrums like this – which is why some of us thought it better to have him as an option.”
