Mexico v England: How Thomas Tuchel could change tactics to win World Cup tie
However, England do not need to completely remove direct play from their games.
By managing the space and pace of the game, they are able to pick the moments to release the likes of Noni Madueke, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham.
If England choose to play more slowly, they will also be hoping that these ‘boring’ spells of play will silence the Mexican fans.
The decision to select a squad of similar profiles may be one of the wisest decisions Tuchel has made for this match as England boss.
If you have a tactical plan in mind, making five substitutions that don’t drastically change the dynamic of the game, but instead reinforce the plan with freshness and energy when Mexico starts to tire, can make the difference.
This could really be a match full of mini-games, and picking the moments that will change things will be crucial.
Tuchel has the ability to get the mid-game adjustments right, as we have seen throughout his club career and most recently in the match against DR Congo, but the many variables of the game against Mexico make this one of his toughest challenges yet.
