Scholes calls for tactical shift
Despite England topping Group L with seven points, Scholes has been far from convinced by the performances under Tuchel. The Three Lions opened with a 4-2 victory over Croatia but struggled in a goalless draw with Ghana and a laboured 2-0 win against Panama. Scholes believes the cautious approach in midfield is holding the team back from reaching the elite level required to win the tournament.
Rice's impact under scrutiny
Rice missed the final group game against Panama due to calf issue, but he is widely expected to return for the round of 32 against DR Congo. However, Scholes questioned whether the Arsenal star provides enough forward momentum for this specific England side.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes said: "England don’t need to play two sitting midfielders in the next game. No disrespect to Congo but in those type of games you play as many attackers as possible. I think it has to be a straight shootout between Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, and I think I would just go with Anderson."
The former Manchester United man added: "I think he [Anderson] will pass it forward a bit more. Think about Rice with Arsenal… look, he’s a great player and a great leader, I get all that, and you’d rather him in your team than not most of the time. But Arsenal didn’t play great football last season either, did they? Rice couldn’t get [Martin] Odegaard in the game, so maybe that’s transferred a bit to England. I don’t think that happens with Anderson."
Comparison to World Cup favourites
Scholes delivered a blunt assessment of England’s overall prospects, suggesting they are currently well behind the defending champions and the side that defeated them in the 2022 final. The lack of fluidity in the group stages has left the legendary playmaker worried about the tougher tests awaiting in the bracket.
"It wasn’t great, was it?" Scholes said of the Panama victory. "Across the three games I don’t think I’ve seen a team that will win the World Cup. It hasn’t been great but look, they could get better and they’re winning games and I do think they’ve got match winners in the team. I just don’t think they’re at the level of France or Argentina yet."
Divided opinions on midfield anchor
While Scholes is advocating for the inclusion of Anderson, who is reportedly close to a massive £116m move to Manchester City, his former teammate Nicky Butt holds a different view. Butt agrees that Tuchel should only use one defensive midfielder but insists that Rice is the one player who cannot be touched.
Butt explained: "You can’t play two sitting midfielders against teams who aren’t going to have any of the possession. I’d definitely play Declan Rice in the next game so I would leave Elliot Anderson out. I think he’s been brilliant and is a top, top, top player which is why Man City have gone and paid £120m for him, [but] I just don’t think you can leave Declan Rice out. He’s one of those players you just don’t leave out."