Owen’s proposal would see England treat their attacking positions as a single rotation unit, rather than rely on the same forwards from start to finish. He believes leading players should be limited to roughly 45 minutes, with replacements arriving before fatigue becomes a decisive factor.
“If a player scored a hat-trick in the first game,” Owen argued, he would still take him off at half-time and “put on the next three”.
It is an extreme approach, particularly in a group stage where every point can shape the route through the knockout rounds. Yet the logic is clear: a tournament is not won in the opening fixture, and heavy workloads can catch up with teams when the pressure rises.
The challenge for Tuchel will be knowing when theory must give way to circumstance. If England are level or behind against Croatia, removing an in-form attacker could look reckless. If they are comfortable, however, rotation could protect key players for the next test.
The presence of Harry Kane also complicates the plan. His finishing and leadership make him difficult to manage, while the players supporting him may offer greater scope for shared minutes. Owen has suggested England are strong enough to split attacking duties across six players, introducing fresh threats as opponents tire.
“What's going to win this tournament is freshness,” Owen said. “What's going to kill us is the heat, tiredness, fatigue.”
The conditions in the United States and the demands of a long club season make workload a genuine concern. Tuchel will need to preserve energy without sacrificing early momentum.
England’s opening team selection against Croatia will reveal whether Owen’s warning has influenced the thinking. The bigger test may come later, when the knockout rounds expose which teams managed their players best.