A warning to Rashford
There is logic to Thomas Tuchel rewarding Marcus Rashford’s encouraging displays since joining Aston Villa by bringing him back into the fold. The forward is devastating on his day and England missed his ability to charge behind defences at Euro 2024. Equally, Rashford has only himself to blame for being cut by Gareth Southgate. The 27-year-old’s resurgence at Villa is not a great look for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United, but his England return came with a warning from Tuchel. Expanding on what he meant about Rashford not falling back into “old routines”, Tuchel stressed the importance of work off the ball.
Concerns over the midfield talent pool
Southgate often spoke about England not producing midfielders similar to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Being out-thought in central areas is an age-old problem. It is why there is a yearning for Adam Wharton or Angel Gomes to fill the void. England have lacked control but Tuchel has gone in a different direction and picked Jordan Henderson, who will turn 36 during the 2026 World Cup. It does not say great things about the state of his midfield. Declan Rice has not had an established partner since the 2022 World Cup.
A squad to win now – with room for youth
Tuchel said there was a balance between a win-at-all-costs approach and the development of young players. Southgate got himself in a muddle by ditching too much experience last summer. Tuchel, who has been criticised for omitting Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson, has recognised that by keeping faith with Kyle Walker and bringing Henderson back. He talked about building a brotherhood and pointed out that Henderson “will help talents to grow”. He challenged the youngsters to force their way into contention. Although he believes the squad “should be built for now”, he added that the door remains open to players of every age. Five of his 26-player squad are over 30.
Kane must be surrounded by pace
Playing to Harry Kane’s strengths will be vital after the striker’s laboured displays at the Euros. “I saw him deeper and deeper and this is not what we want with Harry,” Tuchel said. Positional discipline will be key. Tuchel loves Kane’s playmaking threat but will not have his central striker masquerading as a midfielder. England must be more dynamic. Kane’s habit of pulling back to play as a No 10 will be ineffective if he does not have runners to hit with his defence-splitting passes. It makes Rashford a better option on the left than Phil Foden.
Can you play a direct style in the heat?
Tuchel was adamant England must embrace their identity and draw on the physicality of the Premier League. “I want to have more touches in the opponents’ box, I want to have more ball recoveries in the opponents’ half,” he said. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t play a high press in the next matches.” All well and good but will that work at a World Cup hosted by Canada, Mexico and the USA? Will England be able to overpower teams in sweltering summer temperatures? Or will they wilt in stifling conditions? Tuchel admitted that adapting to different climates would be challenging.
James returns – at right-back
Enzo Maresca sees Reece James as a central midfielder but the Chelsea captain will be in a more familiar role for England after his first call-up in two years. “I still feel he is a player for the full-back and wingback positions,” Tuchel said, although he acknowledged there were questions over whether James is capable of charging up and down the right after a torrid time with injuries. Is the power still there? James was a force of nature for Tuchel’s Chelsea. Maybe his explosiveness has been hidden in Maresca’s tactical setup. Tuchel is keen to find out.
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Limited places in attack
Jack Grealish’s struggles go on. Southgate left him behind last summer and this has been another stop-start campaign for the Manchester City winger. “Lately, he simply has no rhythm,” Tuchel said of his decision to omit Grealish. This was ruthless management. Tuchel showered praise on Grealish – “I love him, I love his personality,” he said – but he can afford to be picky. Callum Hudson-Odoi has excelled for Nottingham Forest, but he has been omitted. James Maddison is out of the picture. “You have to be on your very best level to make it,” Tuchel said.
Lewis-Skelly offers a solution but patience is key
Left-back remains a weakness. Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall are out and Ben Chilwell is rusty. In comes Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has been fast-tracked after his rapid rise at Arsenal. The 18-year-old has starred at left-back for Arsenal and gone straight into England’s senior setup. He has moved at startling speed and Tuchel is aware of the need to protect him. “The talks in the last days and weeks had a kind of parental vibe,” he said. Was Lewis-Skelly better off playing for the under-21s first? In the end Tuchel could not ignore his quality.
Versatility an asset
Tuchel has looked for players who can play in a number of positions. He left the door open to switching between a back four and a back five. Lewis-Skelly is comfortable as a midfielder. James can play on both flanks. Tuchel also likes sturdy players, which explains his decision to call up the Newcastle defender Dan Burn for the first time, and he prizes adaptability. It is not a surprise he has looked at ending Ben White’s exile. The Arsenal defender is just back from a knee injury but he can play at right-back or centre-back. Tuchel will continue to charm him.
Toney given hope
Ivan Toney was out in the cold during Lee Carsley’s caretaker stint. Moving to Saudi Arabia appeared to have cost the striker his international career. Tuchel, though, will keep an open mind. He has not picked Toney – Dominic Solanke got the nod as Kane’s understudy – but intends to fly to Saudi Arabia to watch him. “He was on the list,” Tuchel said. “It was a purely sporting decision for Dominic in the end. It had nothing to do with the fact he plays in Saudi Arabia or that we don’t trust the level there.”
