England’s 5-0 win over the Republic of Ireland marked a successful end to an eventful 2024 with focus now switching to next year and what a new era under Thomas Tuchel may bring.
The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager has kept his distance since being appointed Gareth Southgate’s successor last month but will officially begin work on New Year’s Day ahead of the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March.
Tuchel has been bullish about his ambition to “add a second gold star” to England’s shirt and an 18-month contract proves that the FA have brought him in with the sole intention of winning the World Cup in the US. It’s win or bust.
During his unveiling, Tuchel said that the Three Lions have the “ingredients” of a trophy-winning team; the challenge is combining them to make a perfect dish.
Southgate came closer than anyone else has to ending England’s 58 years of hurt, but his team struggled for cohesion when reaching the Euro 2024 final.
England are a Rubik’s Cube that Tuchel will need to solve quickly.
Is there a way of fitting Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer into the same starting line-up when they are all their best as No 10s? Is Harry Kane still the first name on the teamsheet? Who will play at left-back? Which of Lee Carsley’s fledglings have caught the eye?
Here’s how Tuchel may set England up for his first game in March:
Back three or four?
Tuchel favoured a three-man defence during his time at Chelsea, notably using a 3-4-2-1 formation to beat Pep Guardiola and Manchester City in the 2020-21 Champions League final. However, he is less wedded to that shape than some of his contemporaries like Antonio Conte.
At Bayern Munich, he almost exclusively picked a back four, doing so in 32 of their 34 Bundesliga games last season. Some of the core principles remain the same, like instructing the full-backs or wing-backs to provide width and push high up the pitch, but he adapts to the players he is given.
England have gravitated away from playing a back three in recent times and it seems likely that Tuchel will follow that blueprint and stick with a four. John Stones is their only world-class centre-back and is a lock in the middle. Marc Guehi has supplanted Harry Maguire in the hierarchy and has arguably been England’s most consistent performer this year. It’s his shirt to lose although the left-footed Levi Colwill is bound to provide competition.
The full-back positions are interesting. Tuchel loves Reece James from their time together at Chelsea and will monitor his latest return from injury with keen interest. James was a firm favourite of Tuchel’s at Stamford Bridge, due to his dual ability to play as an attacking wing-back or a defensive wide centre-back.
James’ international ambitions are on hold for now, though, until he can build up his form and fitness over a prolonged period. In Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker, who he tried to sign for Bayern, Tuchel has two very different right-backs who can alternate depending upon the strengths of England’s opponents.
Luke Shaw remains England’s best left-back by far and will start as long as he is fit. The 29-year-old is back in full training with Manchester United. Lewis Hall, whom Tuchel will be aware of from his Chelsea days, is promising but not yet ready to become a permanent starter despite a promising debut against the Irish.
Midfield balance
Declan Rice has been a permanent fixture at the base of midfield over the past five years but has his detractors after a disappointing Euros campaign. Crucially, though, he has a fan in Tuchel: Bayern Munich were in the mix to sign him from West Ham in 2023 but were outbid by Arsenal.
It will be interesting to see how Tuchel uses him. Rice has blossomed into an all-action box-to-box midfielder at club level over the past few years, but has tended to play as a pivot for his country due to a lack of viable alternatives.
Tuchel likes energetic, hard-working midfielders – he had N’Golo Kante at Chelsea and Konrad Laimer at Bayern – and may want to use Rice higher up the pitch.
Alternatively, Rice could remain in position in front of the back four with someone else tasked with providing the dynamism from deep. Conor Gallagher, another with Chelsea connections, has enjoyed a solid start to his career in Spain with Atletico Madrid and stood out in the win over Ireland.
However, Curtis Jones may have just played his way into Tuchel’s thinking with his performances in England’s final two games under Carsley.
The 23-year-old scored a sublime backheel on his debut in Athens and provides guile, a silky touch and driving runs from that position. He could be Carsley’s perfect parting gift.
Kane at risk?
Will Tuchel build England’s attack around Kane as Southgate did? Or will he follow Carsley in picking and choosing his moments to play him? Considering how lethal Kane was under Tuchel during their year together at Bayern Munich it would be a surprise if he tried to faze the 31-year-old out.
Kane flourished in his late Spurs era as a hybrid No 9/No 10, but Tuchel simplified his role in Bavaria, instructing him to stay more in the penalty area and taper down his involvement in the build-up phase. It worked. Kane scored 36 Bundesliga goals in 32 matches, earning him a maiden European Golden Shoe.
If Kane is to remain a fixture up front he needs to be surrounded by pace.
Bukayo Saka has produced far more in an England shirt than Foden has and deserves to start on the right wing.
The pair have each accumulated 43 caps but the difference in their goalscoring records is stark: Saka has scored 12 times for his country, compared to Foden’s four.
Noni Madueke’s emergence during the Carsley era means there is even greater depth on the right wing. If he is able to keep his starting place at Chelsea – which will be tricky with Pedro Neto knocking on the door – he will be in the mix.
Bellingham has the edge over Foden in the No 10 role too having produced more big moments for the Three Lions but a needless booking against Ireland means he will miss Tuchel’s first game.
Palmer is undoubtedly the most in-form No 10 that England have and has earned a shot at playing in his best position when the World Cup qualifiers begin. A return of 29 goals and 16 assists in 44 Premier League games for Chelsea is phenomenal.
On the left, Anthony Gordon may retain his place after becoming a regular under Carsley. The Newcastle winger has started all but one of England’s games this season and has the pace and directness to stretch the play. He is the most likely fall guy when Bellingham returns from suspension, however.
England’s potential team for Tuchel’s first game (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Colwill, Shaw; Rice, Jones; Saka, Palmer, Gordon; Kane.
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