England go start dia World Cup campaign with surprise for defence. John Stones, wey dey leave Manchester City as free transfer after ten years, go get nod ahead of Marc Guehi for starting line-up against Croatia for Dallas on Wednesday night. Mirror chief football reporter don confirm say Stones and Aston Villa‘s Ezri Konsa go be di starting centre-backs.
Guehi fit dey wonder whether Thomas Tuchel, wey let am go from Chelsea, really fancy am. Tuchel first game for England, Guehi no start, and dat still dey for im mind. On surface, e look like strange call, but if you check Opta statistics and data model, different picture emerge. No sentimentality dey, just tactical decision based on Tuchel twin wants: set piece supremacy and high pressure for opponent half.
According to Machine Football, Stones rank for top 1% globally for heading ability. Not just defenders, but all players across planet. Guehi dey closer to average, for 48th percentile for defensive headers among centre-backs. Dat na big difference, especially as Stones just two inches taller. For high-pressing team wey Tuchel want, England go force opponents go long and dominate set pieces. Stones be big winner for dat area.
For attack, England get elite set-piece takers: Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. Rice rank top 5% globally for crossing, Saka top 2%. Question na who dem go target. With Harry Maguire left out, Stones be different proposition to Guehi. Tuchel know am.
Guehi get tremendous pace, better all-round game, ability to be aggressive for all parts of pitch, and good on ball. Guehi rank top 5% globally for creativity and passing accuracy, exceptional numbers for defender. E score higher for tackling, ball recoveries, and defensive actions. Stones dey more stand offish for open play, using positioning to nullify threats. Across league campaign, Guehi be better option, especially as Stones suffer from fitness issues.
But for knockout tournament, with Stones back to full fitness, Tuchel choose team to win now. Dat mean Stones alongside Konsa, wey Tuchel love for pace and tenacity. Main concern na Stones availability. Last season, e make only nine league appearances compared to Guehi 35. Prospect of am breaking down worry for tournament wey England go play seven games for one month, and dem don lose Tino Livramento. But Tuchel and staff know am well, dey watch am every day for training. If Tuchel dey start Stones, e mean dem believe e fit do di job.
City fans wey see Stones since January fit say Guehi be better defender right now. But dat no be question Tuchel dey answer. England get elite set-piece takers, go dominate possession and territory, so set pieces for attack and defensive aerial duels become inevitable. Heading ability matter. Dat why Stones go start against Croatia. Not out of sentiment or reputation, but because Tuchel believe e be right man for job.
