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It’s quite clear to me that this team is built to maximise the quality of Harry Kane. This is a smart approach by Thomas Tuchel. Kane is England’s only player who is consistently operating at a world class level, and Tuchel has built a squad, particularly an attack, around his strengths.

Kane scored twice from seven shots in England’s opener, seeing three of those efforts find the target. One of those efforts was from the penalty spot, and a few more came from set pieces - including Kane’s second goal, which was a nice header from Declan Rice’s corner, one of many deliveries that looked very dangerous from the Arsenal man.

Kane scored eight goals across eight starts for England during qualifying. He managed 16 shots on target across those games (2.11 per 90) and will definitely be a real threat to this Ghana side, who lack defensive quality. 

Semenyo will be Ghana’s main attacking threat in this game and should feel encouraged by what he saw from England against Croatia at times.

I didn’t like the partnership of John Stones and Ezri Konsa. I think Marc Guehi has to play beside one of those players for England to be at their best defensively, though I did feel secure with Reece James and Nico O’Reilly as the full backs - they looked quite solid.

Semenyo had two shots in Ghana’s opener against Panama and isn’t afraid to take on speculative efforts. He averaged 2.33 shots per 90 across his 37 starts for Bournemouth and Manchester City in the Premier League during the 25/26 campaign, and we need him just to get one effort away here. 

Semenyo registered efforts against Germany and Austria back in March for Ghana and should have enough individual quality to have at least one shot in this encounter. 

I expected Jordan Pickford to be more regularly tested at this World Cup compared to England’s qualifying campaign, where he was a bystander for most of the matches, with England keeping a clean sheet in all eight.

That streak was broken in the first game of the tournament, with England shipping two goals to Croatia, and Pickford called into action on three occasions to keep England in the game. He’s going to have to perform that role often for England if the Three Lions want to go deep. I’m not set on the quality of the backline, so Pickford will likely play a pivotal role. 

Pickford is more than familiar with having to keep his focus through periods of the game where the ball is nowhere near him, but quickly clicks back into gear when he is needed to produce important stops. We’re just looking for the one save from the England keeper here, which could easily come from a speculative Ghana effort. 

I took this for England’s opener against Croatia, and it sailed in with England registering eight corners. It’s clear that Tuchel wants corners and set pieces more widely to be a real weapon of this England side, and it’s easy to see why when you’ve got the quality of someone like Declan Rice managing them.

England averaged 7.50 corners per game during qualifying, winning 5+ corners in 88% of those games. I think they rack up the corner count again here against a side that will be more willing to tighten up central areas and sit deep than Croatia were - suggesting that it could take England a bit of time to break down this Ghana side, and it may not be the free-flowing football we saw in the opener.

Bellingham was fouled once in England’s opener against Croatia, but I expect him to be more routinely targeted by an aggressive Ghanaian midfield who will be well aware of his individual quality.

Bellingham has always been a very strong player when it comes to winning fouls. His large frame and power allow him to shield the ball really effectively, and this shows in his underlying numbers. Bellingham won 10 fouls across just four starts during qualifying (2.54 per 90) and also averaged 2.56 fouls won per 90 across his 22 starts in La Liga during the 25/26 campaign. 

Bellingham will be up against Caleb Yirenkyi and Elisha Owusu, who combine to commit 3.53 fouls per 90 for their club sides and should offer a stubborn block to Bellingham as he looks to build on his performance in the opening game. 

Declan Rice is going to be a very important player for England if they are to go deep in this tournament, mainly due to his role on set pieces for the Three Lions.

Rice was priced as high as 1.91 to create 2+ shots in England’s opening game, he’s now dropped down to 1.2 for that outcome after creating four chances and registering an assist against Croatia last time out.

Rice set up four goals across seven starts for England during qualifying, so Tuchel has been nurturing Rice in this role for some time and chas learly been working on set piece situations, to the point where England look like scoring every time they win a corner.

I took this angle pretty regularly with Semenyo during the 25/26 campaign, mainly when he was at Bournemouth, as he’s quite prolific in front of goal - but also doesn’t shy away from challenges, making him a good option for a caution.

Semenyo scored 17 goals and picked up seven yellow cards during the 25/26 campaign.

I think he could easily get frustrated here against an England side that will dominate the ball, and his expected direct opponents in Reece James (1.01 fouls won per 90) and Noni Madueke (1.11 fouls won per 90) will not make it an easy assignment for the winger.

This is another angle I took for England’s opener, and I’m still willing to back it at this price, given the threat Nico O’Reilly carries in the final third for England, which he’s demonstrated over the last year for Manchester City as well.

Tuchel wants O’Reilly in the box as an extra body. Kane sometimes drops quite deep, encouraging Bellingham to push up into a more advanced role - but O’Reilly is also instructed to get into the box to act as an extra threat when deliveries come in from Madueke or James from the opposite side.

O’Reilly managed a shot on target in the opener from a corner, which is another avenue where his effort could come from. Ghana will set quite deep, so I expect England to fire in quite a few crosses, and O’Reilly should be on hand to benefit.

Caleb Yirenkyi was shown a card in Ghana’s opener against Panama and will have a very tough assignment up against Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham in the middle of the park.

Yirenkyi plays his club football for Nordsjaelland and featured regularly throughout the 25/26 campaign. He committed 48 fouls across 30 starts (1.65 per 90), suggesting that the talent in England’s midfield is bound to cause him problems.

Anderson and Bellingham drew three fouls between them in England’s opener, with the Three Lions drawing 12 fouls from Croatia overall. During qualifying, the duo combined to win 4.49 fouls per 90 - so Yirenkyi and the rest of the Ghanaian midfield will have quite a lot of work to get through in central areas.