Should Tuchel pair Konsa and Guehi instead of starting Stones?

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Tuchel should pair Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi instead of starting John Stones, Chris Sutton argues

Former England striker Chris Sutton believes England coach Thomas Tuchel should start a central defence pairing of Konsa and Guehi rather than John Stones. Sutton said Konsa and Guehi have stronger one-against-one attributes than Stones and that there will be moments in matches where the two younger defenders face top-class opponents in isolated situations.
Sutton’s reasoning focuses on one-against-one matchups
Sutton told the BBC that Konsa and Guehi have better attributes in one-against-one situations than Stones. He added that games often produce periods where those defenders can be left isolated against players of the highest class.
Tuchel’s selection debate is framed around central defence experience
The discussion centres on whether Marc Guehi should replace Konsa in central defence, with the Villa defender described as a favourite under Tuchel. The broader context includes England’s defensive concerns, including a lack of experience and an injury record, alongside the head coach previously leaving several experienced players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire at home.
England’s defensive context includes multiple World Cup debuts in defence
Against Croatia, three members of the back four made World Cup debuts: Reece James, Ezri Konsa, and 21-year-old Nico O’Reilly. England’s 26-man defensive group was also described as having 191 total caps among nine defenders, with 90 of those belonging to John Stones.
The team is preparing for knockout qualification scenarios
England were attempting to secure a place in the knockouts after their 4-2 win over Croatia, with the next match against Ghana in Boston. England would go through to the last 32 as Group L winners if they beat Ghana and Panama fail to beat Croatia, with Tuchel’s defensive choices set to be tested again.

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Should Tuchel pair Konsa and Guehi instead of starting Stones?

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