England vs Congo DR: Robinson questions England’s body language

Paul Robinson did not hold back on England's opening spell against Congo DR. Speaking on BBC, the former England keeper said he was not liking what he saw from Jude Bellingham, the manager and the rest of the side after B. Cipenga scored inside seven minutes.

Tuchel's right-back calls came under pressure

Thomas Tuchel picked injury-prone Valentino Livramento and Reece James at right-back, with Trevoh Chalobah called up to replace Livramento. That selection was always going to draw attention if England started slowly, and the early goal put it straight under the microscope.

Robinson's line was the sharpest of the night. "I'm not enjoying the body language of the England players. I saw a shot of Jude Bellingham after that misplaced pass. I'm not liking the body language of the players and the manager at the moment," he said.

The crowd reacted too. The first-half hydration break was met by boos from vast numbers of England fans, which fitted the mood around a side that had not settled after the opener. England’s 0.89 xG efficiency also points to an attack that has been below average in the tournament sample cited here, while Jude Bellingham's 6.49 rating against Ghana and Harry Kane's 6.34 suggest the front end has not been as sharp as England need.

Congo DR made the start England did not want

England vs Congo DR was always likely to hinge on control, and Congo DR got it early. Their 62.71-second average ball recovery time shows the pressure they can place on opponents, and they had conceded only three goals in the tournament before this tie. Sébastien Desabre's side also forced England into uncomfortable moments, including Djed Spence being dragged central to cover a run into the box while Noni Madueke failed to track back and Elliot Anderson was caught ball watching.

There was still a warning sign for Congo DR as well, with Yoane Wissa missing a sitter to make it 2-0 and Harry Kane denied a penalty. But the story of the opening phase was the same: England looked hurried, the crowd sounded unhappy, and Tuchel's right side did not settle fast enough.

That leaves England with a problem they cannot ignore heading into the rest of the tournament. The next match will not be decided by body language alone, but this one showed how quickly a compact, aggressive opponent can turn pressure back on them.