Breaking down Thomas Tuchel’s first games with England: 5 key insights

Thomas Tuchel revealed before his first match in charge of England against Albania that he wanted his team to bring ‘excitement’ to the field. 

However, it would be difficult to argue that the Three Lions were remotely thrilling in either of their opening two World Cup qualifying games. 

Still, Tuchel retains the trust of the faithful England fans, as it’ll be a long process to get the team to World Cup glory in the Americas next summer. But, what were some of the biggest takeaways from the German’s first two matches in charge?

Routes Back Into The Squad

Tuchel was largely fair in his selection process when naming his squad for the March internationals. However, eyebrows were raised following Jordan Henderson’s inclusion. 

The additions of Reece James and Marcus Rashford were also signs that Tuchel is willing to take recent form into consideration. It indicates that he would rip up the template, followed by Gareth Southgate, that relied heavily on selecting players that he trusted. 

James’ chances of future selections were enhanced based on his strong showing against Latvia, which included a picture-perfect free-kick from long range. However, the jury remains out whether Rashford did enough to merit his starting place in both qualifiers. 

New Full-Back Option Emerges

England appeared to have an abundance of options in the full-back areas prior to the EUROs last Summer. Those options seem to have diminished based on the form of stars like Kyle Walker, and the lack of fitness for Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall. 

The shining light from Tuchel’s first matches was Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The teenager could make the left-back position his own over the next 12 months, and he scored an excellent goal on his international debut against Albania. Lewis-Skelly will likely face competition when Shaw and Hall return, but his credentials already appear to be strong. 

Issues in the Heart of Defence

England’s major issues could come in the heart of the defence, with a limited number of options available for the March internationals. John Stones doesn’t appear to be a player that the Three Lions can rely on, while there looks to be a long road back to selection for stalwart Harry Maguire. 

Ezri Konsa enhanced his claims with two solid displays, albeit against extremely weak opposition. Dan Burn’s excellent performances were rewarded with a first start against Albania. The giant defender was fantastic for an hour before his lack of pace was exposed by Armando Broja. 

Marc Guehi started the second game, but his mishap with Jordan Pickford nearly resulted in an early shock lead for Latvia at Wembley. Assessing defensive options will be key for Tuchel over the next 12 months. A strong central defensive partnership is necessary if the English are to land World Cup glory. 

Wingers Struggle to Take a Chance

One obvious point from Tuchel’s first fixture in charge was that he didn’t throw all England’s attackers into the mix without a game plan. Phil Foden was played as a right-winger, ensuring that the squad didn’t fall into the same traps as they did throughout last Summer. 

Rashford’s pace could be a key factor in his selection, but his end product was lacking in both encounters. Foden’s attacking output was also limited, but it’s unlikely that Tuchel will opt to play him in the number ten role. Building around Jude Bellingham looks to be the plan. 

The one attacking bright spark came from the bench in Monday’s 3-0 win over Latvia. Eberechi Eze did something that Rashford struggled to achieve in two matches after gliding past his opposing defenders to smash home a third goal. 

Already Planning For The Future

Tuchel’s main aim is winning the World Cup, meaning that it is no surprise he wasted little time with tactics he believes could take the English club to success next Summer. 

The most significant sign of this was that the German deployed inverted full-backs and managed midfield transitions by giving clear instructions to players sent in attacking midfield roles. 

The box-midfield indicates that he is already planning for next term, making sure the Three Lions won’t be overrun when up against counter-attacking sides. 

While the tactical adjustments are unlikely to be visible during the qualifying campaign, it could be vital to work on these plans ahead of the latter stages of the next World Cup. 

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