Paul Scholes Calls for Declan Rice to Be Dropped for England vs DR Congo
Paul Scholes has never been afraid of a bold opinion. This time, his target is one of England’s untouchables.
The former Manchester United midfielder believes Thomas Tuchel should drop Declan Rice for England’s World Cup last‑32 clash with DR Congo in the United States, arguing the Arsenal man is surplus to requirements in a game where England are expected to dominate the ball.
England arrive in the knockouts having topped Group L with seven points from nine, yet without fully convincing. Tuchel’s side exploded into the tournament with a thrilling 4-2 win over Croatia, a statement victory that hinted at something serious building. Since then, the mood has flattened.
A lifeless stalemate against Ghana exposed old problems in breaking down deep defences. The 2-0 win over Panama brought three points but not much excitement, England needing more than an hour to finally prise open limited opposition.
Rice missed that Panama match, his absence explained by a mix of caution and concern. He has been nursing a minor injury and was also a yellow card away from suspension after his booking against Ghana. The expectation is that he walks straight back into the XI against DR Congo.
Scholes would do the opposite.
“England don’t need to play two sitting midfielders in the next game,” he said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. “No disrespect to Congo but in those type of games you play as many attackers as possible. I think it has to be a straight shootout between Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, and I think I would just go with Anderson.
“I think he will pass it forward a bit more. Think about Rice with Arsenal… look, he’s a great player and a great leader, I get all that, and you’d rather him in your team than not most of the time.
“But Arsenal didn’t play great football last season either, did they? Rice couldn’t get [Martin] Odegaard in the game, so maybe that’s transferred a bit to England. I don’t think that happens with Anderson.”
It is a striking criticism of a player widely regarded as one of the most reliable midfielders in the world. Rice has become the heartbeat of Arsenal’s title challenge and a cornerstone of this England era, yet Scholes is unconvinced he is the right fit for a game in which England are likely to spend long spells camped in DR Congo’s half.
Scholes’ broader assessment of England’s group stage was just as blunt.
“It wasn’t great, was it?” he said of the Panama performance. “Across the three games I don’t think I’ve seen a team that will win the World Cup.
“It hasn’t been great but look, they could get better and they’re winning games and I do think they’ve got match winners in the team. I just don’t think they’re at the level of France or Argentina yet.”
The debate around England’s midfield shape will define Tuchel’s preparation this week. Two holding players bring security, structure and protection for a back line that still looks vulnerable in transition. But against opponents happy to sit deep, that safety net can become a straightjacket.
Nicky Butt, another member of that treble‑winning United midfield and a former England teammate of Scholes, agrees on the principle but not the execution. One sitter, not two – but for him, Rice is non‑negotiable.
“You can’t play two sitting midfielders against teams who aren’t going to have any of the possession,” Butt said. “I’d definitely play Declan Rice in the next game so I would leave Elliot Anderson out.
“I think he’s been brilliant and is a top, top, top player which is why Man City have gone and paid £120m for him.
“I just don’t think you can leave Declan Rice out. He’s one of those players you just don’t leave out.”
That tug of war between two respected voices captures England’s dilemma. Anderson, the Nottingham Forest star on the brink of a £116m move to Manchester City, offers more vertical passing, more risk, more incision between the lines. Rice offers control, leadership, defensive balance. Tuchel must decide which currency matters more against DR Congo.
The Africans, for their part, arrive as awkward, dangerous underdogs. They finished third in Group K, a record that doesn’t quite tell the full story: a win over Uzbekistan, a draw with Portugal, and a defeat to Colombia. Unpredictable, energetic, capable of springing forward if England over-commit.
This is the kind of tie where one tactical call can tilt the entire evening. Load the pitch with creators and England might finally click into the attacking rhythm the tournament has yet to see. Strip away too much protection and a loose turnover could invite the kind of counter that punishes complacency.
Tuchel was hired to end 60 years of hurt, to bring a ruthless edge to a nation tired of “nearly” summers. He has already shown he can set up a side to trade blows with heavyweights, as Croatia discovered. Now comes a different test: how brave is he prepared to be when the onus is entirely on England to attack?
Rice or Anderson. Security or spark. In the heat of the American summer, with the knockouts beginning to bite, Tuchel’s answer will tell us a lot about how far this England team truly believes it can go.
