Madueke 'played himself out' of England's XI as Rashford tipped to start vs Argentina

Noni Madueke has played himself out of Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI for England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina, according to former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor, who instead wants to see Marcus Rashford handed a start on the right flank.

The Arsenal winger was withdrawn at half-time during England’s quarter-final victory over Norway after a frustrating 45 minutes in which he struggled to make an impact with the ball at his feet. Madueke has started four of England’s six matches at the tournament, sitting out the bench against Panama and not featuring against Mexico, generally alternating with Bukayo Saka, who has been managing an Achilles issue throughout the competition.

“The hard thing about the last game for Madueke was he wasn’t great at all,” Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT. “He had two or three opportunities and when he took on a defender on the outside, his crosses were a bit wild on his weaker foot. And these sorts of games — how hard it was to break Norway down in that first half — you might only get three chances to take your full-back on. And that’s what he’s been judged on — dragged at half-time.”

Rather than turning to Saka as the natural replacement, Agbonlahor would prefer Tuchel to hand Rashford, who did not get off the bench against Norway, an opportunity to exploit Argentina’s full-backs from the off. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Rashford on that side,” he said. “I just think sometimes, you look at the Argentinian full-backs — they’re there for the taking. Rashford didn’t get on last game. Why can’t you play Rashford off that right-hand side, mix it up a bit? And then you bring him off maybe for Saka on 60 minutes, if Saka can’t start games. But I think Madueke has played himself out of a starting spot.”

Former England striker Darren Bent echoed those concerns, pointing to specific moments where the 24-year-old’s decision-making let him down. “When you put in that level of performance that Noni did, where you’re offside in positions where you should never be offside — he’s getting that wrong,” Bent said, also on talkSPORT. “He goes past his full-back; he hits the ball out of play for a goal kick. Then all of a sudden he’s scared to take his full-back on.”

With a place in the World Cup final at stake, Tuchel faces a decision on the right wing that could prove pivotal against an Argentina side who will present an entirely different defensive challenge to Norway.