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England remain on course – not only in terms of securing a hard-earned top spot that could yet take them to the Azteca Stadium.

There was also the manner in which they laboured to confirm it. Thomas Tuchel’s men once again relied on Jude Bellingham’s creativity, a well-worked set piece, and a record-breaking Harry Kane. The captain became England’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with his 11th strike, sealing a 2-0 victory over Panama.

It’s less about the beautiful game that fans in pubs enjoy now, and more about what seems to come straight out of coaching manuals – though Bellingham’s flair still elevates it.

Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham combined to guide England through a tricky contest with Panama.

Yet, if one growing concern is that England have stopped generating space around the opposition box, they are simultaneously leaving far too much around their own.

This gives Tuchel two pressing problems to address as the World Cup enters its decisive stage. England now prepare for a last-32 clash in Atlanta against either Senegal or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Plenty of tactical refinement will be needed in the interim. The current side appears to have vulnerabilities across multiple areas, especially in defence and, at least for now, midfield. England sorely missed Declan Rice against a disciplined Panama outfit. The transitions were disjointed, with Kane largely isolated until the opening goal, and even Elliot Anderson was left more exposed than usual.

England endured a frustrating first half in New Jersey, with Kane effectively nullified.

Panama managed to find gaps at one end while staying compact at the other.

This underlines why Tuchel felt compelled to rest Rice initially – because he will be indispensable in the knockout stages. The midfielder might even be less replaceable than Kane or Reece James at this point.

There is, however, another interpretation of Tuchel’s approach and the concerns arising from this win. His system increasingly appears tailored for transition-heavy matches against elite opponents.

That explains why Kane remains so pivotal – not just as a finisher but as a playmaker whose sweeping passes are meant to unleash pace on the flanks. England could find this strategy more effective against teams that prefer to control possession.

That reasoning aligns with the popular notion that England’s true test will come when they face their first top-tier opponent. Yet, the bigger challenge might be simply getting to that stage.

Tuchel’s side have struggled through two matches they were expected to dominate. While they held most of the control, they failed to convert it into meaningful combinations or attacking fluency.

That’s the real concern. Tuchel has often spoken about building an electrifying, high-intensity attack with fluid forward movement, but none of that was on display here. Instead, attacks repeatedly broke down due to poor decisions or misplaced passes.

As early as the 15th second, Tuchel was seen shouting at his captain for sending one such pass straight out of play.

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford, both restored to the starting XI, struggled to link effectively with their teammates. Rashford at least brought urgency, and his runs injected some tempo before Bellingham’s decisive goal.

Before that, Bellingham himself looked frustrated, while Morgan Rogers – filling in for Rice but deployed as a No. 10 – failed to influence proceedings.

Ezri Konsa was again left exposed.

The situation at right-back is another key issue. With Jarell Quansah replacing Reece James ahead of Djed Spence, England lacked mobility down that flank. The team’s shape felt overly flat.

Consequently, they turned to a set piece for inspiration. In the 62nd minute, Saka’s corner was met by Bellingham, who finished smartly. The surprise was that it came from his foot rather than his head – perhaps inevitable against such a physically strong Panama defence.

After a long spell where Thomas Christiansen’s side looked far more imposing and robust, they were suddenly undone. Bellingham’s clever turn and finish provided the touch of finesse England had been missing.

With Panama’s resolve broken, Kane soon headed in Bellingham’s cross to double the lead. The momentum returned, even if it never reached the heights of that electric 15-minute spell against Croatia.

Whether England can rediscover that rhythm may depend on their next opponents.

Bellingham continued to drive forward, with Tomas Rodriguez chasing hard.

Perhaps this more sluggish style of play isn’t something to be overly alarmed about.

Maybe it’s part of a gradual build-up to peak performance.

But that’s only if England make it that far. Before a possible quarter-final against Brazil in Miami, they’ll likely face more grind-it-out contests like this one.

England appear to be a team built for battles they must endure just to advance.

They remain on track, but the path ahead looks far more complex than anticipated.