Shearer: Tuchel Still Searching for Solutions on the Flanks, and Our Defense is Very Unsettled

There's plenty of reason for optimism regarding England's World Cup performance so far, but a settled squad isn't one of them.

The initial goal was to win the group, and that's been achieved. However, it feels like Thomas Tuchel is still searching for solutions, even after three matches.

It's not essential to have all the answers at this stage of the tournament, as injuries and suspensions always force teams to adapt their strategies and lineups. But Tuchel has quite a few issues to iron out before Wednesday's match against DR Congo in Atlanta.

He's clearly trying to find the best full-back and winger combinations for both flanks – we've already seen nine different pairings across 270 minutes, involving eight different players.

The reason Tuchel has experimented so much is that he hasn't yet found the right formula. Obviously, injuries to Reece James and Jarell Quansah at right-back haven't helped, and Bukayo Saka not being 100% fit is also a factor.

But for one reason or another, the team hasn't managed to create a consistent threat down the wings, and the constant changes in the back four haven't contributed to defensive stability either. We've looked vulnerable every time opponents have attacked, which is concerning.

At the same time, however, a few players have truly stepped up.

Elliot Anderson was absolutely superb against Panama, while Jude Bellingham was deservedly Man of the Match, and Harry Kane once again found the back of the net.

Along with Jordan Pickford and Declan Rice, they form the backbone of the team, and you know you can rely on them when it matters most.

Perhaps we haven't seen as much as we'd like from every part of Tuchel's squad, but we still know we can count on the big stars to deliver and create something brilliant to change the course of a game.

Ideally, we wouldn't be relying on someone to conjure a goal out of nothing, as Jude Bellingham did when he met Saka's corner against Panama.

I'd prefer our system to provide a platform for creating numerous chances from open play, but in every match, there will be moments when things aren't clicking.

It's not that we looked dangerous before scoring, but we already knew how crucial set-pieces are, and it's certainly not a bad thing to have big players you can rely on to deliver such a magical moment when the team needs it.

It wasn't even a particularly good cross, but Bellingham made it one. Say what you will about Panama's defense, but it was still impressive how he got to the ball, showcasing strength, balance, and skill. Once he scored, there was only one possible winner.

DR Congo will likely approach the game like Ghana and Panama, defending deep with many players and looking to hit us on the counter-attack. The challenge will again be to break them down – and this is a chance to show what we've learned.

Part of that could be something as simple as how we get the ball into the opponent's penalty area.

As I said while commentating on the Panama match for Radio 5 Live, our wingers – Marcus Rashford and Saka – were cutting inside to cross with their weaker foot – Rashford with his right from the left, and vice versa with Saka from the left – which is easier for defenders to clear.

We look more dangerous when they go wide and then cross, as Bellingham did for Kane's goal. That way, the striker can make their run, knowing the ball is coming, and attack it.

We haven't seen the best of this England team in attack yet, but my biggest concern so far is how many times we've been exposed defensively.

This has happened in all three matches – we were defensively weak in the first half against Croatia and conceded two goals, but we got away with it against Ghana and Panama, despite being shaky and giving them chances.

Significant improvements are needed because the further we progress in this tournament, the better opponents we'll face. These better players will punish us if we keep making the same mistakes, and it will also be harder to recover from those errors.

In past tournaments, even if it could be argued that our defense was our strongest asset, it was at least always quite settled.

However, it seems we'll see a different back four again against DR Congo. It's possible Spence could return at right-back, or Ezri Konsa might be moved from central defense. In that case, John Stones is likely to partner Marc Guehi, if the latter is fit.

Some of the changes Tuchel has made so far were by choice, but others were forced upon him. As I mentioned, injuries affect everyone, but he took a huge risk with some of the players selected, as they have a history of frequent injuries.

Whoever he chooses in the back four against DR Congo, let's hope the decision proves successful and carries us through at least the next few rounds.

I'm confident my next question will be how England will fare against Mexico or Ecuador. But if we want to go far in this World Cup, we'll need to stop the constant rotations and find defensive stability.

Alan Shearer in conversation with Chris Bevan of BBC Sport