England fans have had plenty to worry about during this tournament, but Thomas Tuchel has given them something to smile about ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Norway. The England manager says he expects Reece James to be available for the tie, which is the kind of news that makes the whole squad feel a bit more settled going into a big game.
James is one of those players who genuinely changes how a team functions. When he is on the pitch, England have more width, more threat going forward, and a defensive solidity down the right that is hard to replace. Tuchel clearly knows what he has got in the Chelsea captain, and the fact he is talking publicly about expecting him to feature suggests this is not just cautious optimism — he actually believes the lad will be ready to go.
Norway are no pushovers, it has to be said. They have got genuine quality up front and will fancy their chances of causing problems if England are not at their best. That makes James's potential return even more important, because a fully fit and firing Reece James is exactly the sort of player who can handle a direct threat and still contribute going forward in the same breath. Not many right backs in the world can do both as well as he can.
From a neutral standpoint, and yes even from a Manchester United fan who has spent years watching James make United's right backs look ordinary by comparison, you have to appreciate the quality the bloke brings. He is one of the best in the world in his position when fit, and England genuinely are a better side with him in it. That is just the honest truth.
If Tuchel gets his wish and James steps out on that pitch on Saturday, England will feel far more balanced and confident going into what is shaping up to be a cracking knockout tie. Norway will be ready, but so should England be if the team picks itself.
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