Thomas Tuchel made some second half changes as England looked to complete a turnaround against DR Congo in the World Cup round of 32 clash.22:50, 01 Jul 2026England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that it was assistant manager Anthony Barry’s idea to move Declan Rice to the right-back position for the closing section of the game vs DR Congo.‌The position has been a talking point for fans and pundits in recent days, with injuries to Reece James and Jarrell Quansah leaving Tuchel short on options. Djed Spence got the nod to start, but struggled to contain the lively Brian Cipenga, who scored the opening goal.‌Just minutes after drawing level through Harry Kane, Spence was replaced by Eberechi Eze as England went searching for a winner. The change saw Rice moved to right-back, where he has previously filled in for Arsenal on occasion.‌JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook pageSpeaking to ITV Sport after full-time, Tuchel explained how it was assistant manager Barry, who has become known for his honest half time assessments, who came up with the suggestion.“I think Anthony Barry had a brilliant idea in the end when we were discussing it, to put Declan there.”‌When asked why he moved Rice to right-back, he said: “To have his quality from the side to maybe get more difficult crosses in there and it makes it more difficult to defend and maybe more crosses in there."The out-swingers and have a bit more support for Bukayo [Saka], we had a bit more connection and help on the right hand side that opened it up. So, full credit to my assistant coach.”‌It, however, seems that a lengthy stint at right-back is not something that Rice would be too keen on. “It was probably the hardest 12 minutes of the game, that stint at right-back”, he told BBC Sport.“I’ve played there two or three times this season. I know the role.“It’s obviously not my biggest strength, but to do anything for this team and for the manager. He asked me and I said ‘of course, there’s 12 minutes left and I’ll give it my best.’‌“And, yeah, I’ve done well there and, I don’t know, let’s just see what happens next game, but hopefully I don’t have to be at right back.”The winner came from Kane with four minutes of normal time remaining. The 2-1 win saw England book a place to take on co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in the early hours of Monday morning.Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!Article continues belowJoin our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.