Former England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport he now expects Thomas Tuchel to make changes for Saturday night’s game against Panama.
He said England probed, but there were small details throughout the match that Tuchel will review with the team and look to improve.
Against a deep defensive block, he argued, crossing is vital and difficult to defend, and he felt England didn’t put enough balls into the box over the 90 minutes.
England captain Harry Kane was tightly contained, limited to just two first-half touches in Ghana’s area, and he later sent a late chance over the bar.
The Three Lions’ midfield looked one-dimensional, prompting questions over whether a creator like Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White or Adam Wharton’s intelligent passing could have made a difference.
Omitted playmakers Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Manchester City’s Phil Foden might also have helped unlock a stubborn Ghana side, though their club form hadn’t made a compelling case at the time—easy judgments in hindsight.
Tuchel, however, insists Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson will provide the midfield platform, though England undeniably lacked ideas and variety for long spells.
Rice told BBC Sport that Ghana were very compact in a 5-4-1 without the ball, leaving little space to play through, and acknowledged England could have done more in possession.
He credited Ghana’s quality and competitiveness, saying it was never going to be straightforward. With one group game left to finish top, he urged positivity.
He added that plenty of top nations draw their openers, so there’s no reason to be negative. The team will stay positive.