Michael Owen believes Thomas Tuchel should consider ‘one or two’ changes to his England side for their World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
England are on the verge of reaching their first World Cup final in 60 years if they can get past defending champions Argentina on Wednesday evening.
The Three Lions were not at their best in the previous round, but battled their way past Norway courtesy of another brace from the talismanic Jude Bellingham.
Tuchel’s side will now take on Argentina in Atlanta after the South American side beat Switzerland 3-1 in extra-time to keep alive their hopes of becoming just the third nation to win successive World Cups.
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And former England striker Owen believes both sides have plenty of room for improvement ahead of their first fixture of any form in over 20 years.
‘I don’t think either team have played to their potential throughout the tournament,’ Owen told Metro.
‘Against Norway, we didn’t play particularly well. In fact, Norway probably played better than us. So we’re definitely going to have to find a better performance to win in the semi-final and to win the tournament.
‘But the same can be said for Argentina. I wouldn’t say they’ve had a bye, but, on paper, they’ve made very hard work of an easy passage into the semi-finals. So two teams that will both think that they can win; it’s pretty evenly poised.’
England have been boosted in the build-up to their semi-final, with Tuchel set to have an almost fully fit squad to choose from, with the exception of the injured Jordan Henderson and the suspended Jarell Quansah.
And while Owen does not expect the German to ring the changes on Wednesday, he believes the German tactician should give Bukayo Saka the chance to impress from the start instead of Noni Madueke after his encouraging performance off the bench against Norway.
‘I probably think he’d make one or two changes,’ Owen mused. ‘It’s been quite a settled team throughout the tournament. I don’t think he’s going to change much now.
‘I think the right-wing position is where he should look to change. Both Saka and Madueke like to run at their defender and beat their man.
‘Obviously, Saka is coming back from an injury and just building his way back into the tournament, but my inkling would be that Saka would start in this one. It feels too big a game to not have him starting.’
Elsewhere, Reece James will be pushing for a start after coming off the bench against Norway.
Owen: ‘England-Argentina rivalry will be put to one side’
England and Argentina’s bitter rivalry extends well beyond the confines of a football pitch, but Owen believes Tuchel has no need to invoke those emotions for a game of this magnitude.
‘That rivalry is not irrelevant, but it’s put to the side when it’s a World Cup semi-final,’ he insisted.
‘If it was a friendly, we’d be saying, remember this and remember that and whatever, because you’re trying to stoke something up. Whereas, forget rivalry, this is the World Cup semi-final and that is going to proceed or overtake anything in terms of importance.
‘Thomas Tuchel was that bothered about what happened 50, 60 years ago either, to be honest. I can’t imagine any of the team talk is going to be on the rivalry. He’ll be saying we’ve got bigger fish to fry and a real chance to win the World Cup.’
The Chelsea captain missed England’s last two games prior to the quarter-final, but Owen, a UK ambassador for Casino.org, who are known for helping players compare trusted British online casino brands, can see the upside of taking a risk with the 26-year-old, insisting: ‘When he’s fit, Reece James is certainly one of the best right-backs in the world.
‘When you look at world players in their position and say, right, is this player one of the best in the world in his position, then you would say that Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are, but Reece James is also in that category.
‘So with that in mind, you’d have to consider starting him. It’s not like he’s been out for a month or two months. So if he’s fit, then I would be tempted.’
A mouthwatering final against either Spain or France would await England if they emerge victorious, but Owen is under no illusion that it would be a tall order for the Three Lions.
‘I think as an English fan, we can definitely get to the final,’ he said. ‘I think we’d have more chance against Spain than France. But both of those teams would be favourites against us.
‘I’m thinking we’re going to get to the final and we’re going to lose in the final. That’s how I sort of see it. Of course, my heart says England, but my head says France are better than us; Spain are probably better than us.’
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