www.silverguide.site –

Get a grip on Gilberto Mora

One of the question marks over Mexico’s team before this World Cup centred on a shortage of obvious star quality. That accusation does not hold any more. Gilberto Mora does not turn 18 until October but has played with the authority of a veteran since Javier Aguirre answered a nation’s prayers and plunged him into the starting lineup. Against Czechia and Ecuador he made a huge difference, adding depth and daring to Mexico’s previously functional attacking patterns. He was happy to get stuck in against a midfield that included Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo, knowing he had solid backup from the more defensive Érik Lira. Mora has been compared with Andrés Iniesta; he certainly has the former Barcelona player’s quick feet and deftness of touch, and England will have to be wary of his right-sided combinations with Jorge Sánchez and the winger Roberto Alvarado.

So how do England handle Mora? It feels like the kind of assignment Declan Rice, who is capable of smothering the prodigy, should relish. Mora already has 10 caps but, whether for El Tri or his club team Tijuana, is yet to encounter the kind of quality England should present. So far he has looked unfazed by the big occasion and the huge weight of Mexican expectation, but England and Rice will want to deny him further space to thrive.

Stop the supply to Raúl Jiménez

If England must douse the fire of youth in Mora, they must also find a way to make Mexico’s ageing centre-forward wither. Raúl Jiménez has gladiatorial status similar to that of Harry Kane and is in excellent form of his own. There is no sign of him slowing up at 35 and his emphatic finish against Ecuador, his second goal of the tournament, was smashed away with the confidence of a player who is purring. It felt like a trick of the mind earlier in that game when he headed wide after a wonderful cross from Luis Romo. Therein lies the key to quietening Jiménez and, by extension, much of Mexico’s attacking thrust. They love to stretch the play before seeking out their talisman from out wide. Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi have not yet faced a centre-forward with Jiménez’s cunning and battling quality this summer and must steel themselves for a battle. England’s full-backs must also up their game significantly when it comes to preventing crosses.

Dominate in the air

Even if Jiménez poses an aerial threat, Mexico have one of the shortest squads in the tournament. England should sniff an advantage from set pieces, which may be the best way to breach a defence that is yet to concede in this tournament and has rarely looked in significant danger. If Thomas Tuchel’s players are to opt for a relatively conservative, circumspect approach then making use of their corners and free-kicks will be essential. Rice and Bukayo Saka will feel confident of hitting their targets in the box against a team likely to contain only three six-footers. One of them, the giant centre-back César Montes, poses a threat of his own and should have converted at least one of two second-half headers against Ecuador. England, though, need to make this particular advantage count.

Beat the 12th man

The Azteca factor could not be more real. Opponents walking out in Mexico’s vast cauldron of a stadium feel as if they are up against an entire nation. It is an experience like no other and England need to dampen the tide of enthusiasm. It was noticeable in the win over Ecuador that, after Julián Quiñones opened the scoring, Mexico kept going for more. They channelled the energy coursing from the stands and put the game to bed, operating at a roaring tempo for the first 45 minutes.

It might seem anathema to English supporters but Thomas Tuchel’s team should slow the game down and deny Mexico a head of steam. This is not the occasion to be lured into a basketball game, especially given the energy-sapping altitude. A stop-start match would suit England better than the hosts. So would extended spells of possession, even if they come with little obvious end product. If they can nick the first goal it would give Mexico and their following of almost 80,000 the kind of dilemma they rarely face on home soil. England should focus on being the most difficult possible guests.

Stop the transitions

Mexico’s opener against Ecuador was an object lesson in how they might hurt England. They caught their visitors in transition with the left-back Jesús Gallardo clipping a marvellous pass that gave Quiñones, running from his own half, the freedom of the pitch. Their wide attackers, Quiñones and Alvarado, are intelligent movers who need no invitation to exploit space. The quicksilver Quiñones, in particular, loves getting a shot away and has an astonishing goalscoring record for Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League. Gallardo and Sánchez, at right-back, are happy to bomb forward in support. The best chance for England to frustrate Mexico is to sit in, make the hosts play in front of them and look for counterattacks of their own. Committing too many bodies upfield and being exposed would play into the hands of Aguirre, Mexico’s wily head coach.