SHABAB CHOWDHURY

England got the job done, but they will not earn extra points for style after a grafting 2-0 victory over Panama in their final Group L match at the FIFA World Cup in New Jersey yesterday.

Jude Bellingham starred with a goal and an assist for Harry Kane, whose strike took him past Gary Lineker’s 11 goals to become England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer. England finished top of the group and will face DR Congo in the Round of 32 on Wednesday.

It was a vintage tournament-England -- proof that, sometimes, the ends really do justify the means.

Fresh from a frustrating goalless draw against Ghana, England laboured for more than an hour before Bellingham finally broke the deadlock from a corner in the 62nd minute.

It was hardly the worst performance from Thomas Tuchel’s troops, but it carried familiar echoes of the Ghana game. England monopolised possession against another compact low block, and yet again looked vulnerable whenever Panama hit them on the counter. And that is becoming a concerning pattern.

Tuchel, however, insists his side will grow into the tournament.

“The bigger the games get, the bigger we will get,” he said.

He may prove right. But England’s displays suggest they have two unresolved problems -- breaking down disciplined low blocks and coping with transitions after losing possession.

Against both Ghana and Panama, England dominated the ball yet still allowed high-quality counter-attacking opportunities. Add the two goals conceded against Croatia and it is fair to say England have ridden their luck defensively despite conceding only twice.

Their attacking fluency has also faded after the exhilarating display against Croatia. Against Panama, Kane failed to register a first-half shot for the first time in seven World Cup appearances since England’s opening match against Iran in Qatar 2022. Ultimately, it took a set piece and some generous defending to unlock the Canal Men.

“We did what was needed,” Tuchel said. “It was what we expected: a tough match against a physical opponent. They are a difficult team to score against and we were the only team to create this amount of chances and score twice.”

Is Tuchel’s take actually true? If so, is he not inadvertently admitting England’s problem of finding a way past low-block sides?

England have progressed with two wins and a draw, but it would be stretching the truth to call their group campaign convincing. Style has rarely defined England at major tournaments, although their opening victory over Croatia hinted that Tuchel’s side might be different.

Instead, defensive uncertainty has come out as a big concern.

For all of Tuchel’s optimism, it is difficult to ignore the feeling that stronger opponents will punish England if they continue to defend with such uncertainty -- making changes at the back almost every match and yet not finding a solid combination. Better forwards than Panama’s are unlikely to be so forgiving.

The next challenge promises to look remarkably familiar. DR Congo are also likely to defend deep, stay compact and attack on the break, precisely the type of opponent that has troubled England throughout the group stage.

If Tuchel’s side cannot find a more convincing answer to that tactical puzzle, their World Cup journey may end long before the biggest games arrive.