A Reality Check in English Pubs? Rooney Expects Lineup Changes and Improved Play

After their second outing – a goalless draw against Ghana in Foxborough, USA – it's fair to say those same fans quickly sobered up.

Instead of a goal-fest, a harsh reality check arrived from an organized African opponent. Ghana's resilience, physical strength, and tactical discipline formed an impenetrable barrier. However, according to Declan Rice, nothing drastically negative occurred. England still leads Group L and has a clear path to the Round of 16, especially with Panama as their final group stage opponent.

"No panic. We still have a great chance to win the group after the Panama game, so let's maintain a positive attitude at all levels," Rice told BBC Sport.

While the opening clash against Croatia was entertaining for both England's players and fans, Ghana forced them to be on high alert. The players were compelled to do the unglamorous dirty work, which ultimately didn't yield any goals.

England boasted nearly 80% possession and 19 shots, but only three were on target. The "Three Lions" also hit the woodwork (the crossbar from Nico O'Reilly's header) and earned 9 corner kicks. Yet, they failed to score a single goal.

Ghana defended in a deep block, content to let England have the ball. However, England's players couldn't control it effectively enough to break down their well-organized opponent's defense. Ghana's astute coach, Carlos Queiroz, repeatedly suggested after the match that England lacked offensive solutions.

"It's tough to find a way through when someone plays 4-5-1 and sits extremely deep. Moreover, they are determined to give their all and celebrate a 0-0 draw like a victory. You could see two different approaches, and credit to the opponent for executing their strategy very well. But we mustn't lose our heads just because we didn't score in one game," assessed England manager Thomas Tuchel.

When Bukayo Saka replaced Anthony Gordon with 25 minutes remaining, he at least forced a superb late save from Ghanaian goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. It shouldn't be long before Saka, who was recovering from an Achilles injury, and Marcus Rashford, reclaim starting positions on the wings.

"Regarding the lineup for Saturday night against Panama, I expect changes. I believe manager Tuchel and his staff will look at the minor details in the game that can be improved," former England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport. "When an opponent plays from a low block, you have to cross. It's very difficult to defend against. I don't think we crossed enough in 90 minutes," Rooney added.

England captain Harry Kane was closely marked this time. In the first half, he had only two touches in the opponent's box, and later in the game, he had one chance but shot over the bar. Two missing playmakers – Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Phil Foden of Manchester City – could have also helped break down Ghana's solid wall, but their club form wasn't strong enough for World Cup inclusion. However, hindsight is 20/20.

"They were very compact, playing a 5-4-1 system without the ball, and didn't give us enough space to make an impact. Credit to Ghana for their system and sticking to it. On the other hand, we can do more with the ball than we did in this match," Rice concluded.

The Arsenal and England midfielder added that four points from two games is not a bad interim result. "We still have one group game left to win again, so we need to stay positive. Even some better teams than us struggled initially and only drew their first matches. We have four points from two games, so there's no reason to be negative or pessimistic," Rice added.