England 3-0 Wales (Rogers 3’, Watkins 11’, Saka 20’)
WEMBLEY – Once more it was the Battle of Britain, although doesn’t everything feel that way now? The fight for the right to scale a lamppost wielding the Union Jack. The internal conflict of whether to spend your Bank Holiday painting flags on the roundabout. The war on Gary Neville.
Wembley can still, on occasion, feel like a sanctuary from the peculiarities of the outside world. The fans inside it nevertheless earned a furious rap from Thomas Tuchel for being “silent” and lacking “energy” against Wales, a scolding which dampened a little of the goodwill felt towards him at full time.
It is worth saying that Wales had made their own problems, not least by agreeing to this fixture in the first place. But it is equally true that in thrashing their neighbours, England looked the best they have in years. Until they took their foot off the gas, which Tuchel again suggested was the supporters’ fault.
“If you hear just Wales fans for half an hour,” he told ITV Sport, “it’s sad, because the team deserved more support today.”
The derby did not totally lack spice. Both national anthems were booed by the other side. Without the bellicosity reserved for Bellamy and co, it might all have seemed an exercise in futility, England going 3-0 up in 20 minutes through Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Bukayo Saka.
His first goal of the season is an ENGLAND goal!
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 9, 2025
Morgan Rogers taps in after a clever bit of play from Guehi#ITVFootbal | @England pic.twitter.com/7pvRBeFirs
Saka’s stunning curler was the pick of the bunch, in the process becoming Arsenal’s highest goalscorer for England with his 13th international strike. His domestic teammate, Declan Rice, looked close to one of the world’s best alongside Elliot Anderson. It has taken years for England to get him there.
For Tuchel, the question is what he is to do with all this information now. Since taking over, he has sometimes unnerved people, largely because we are not used to seeing an England manager like him.
He dropped Jude Bellingham from this squad. He is unmoved by Trent Alexander-Arnold. He selected the strongest XI possible for a friendly he knew would probably pan out like this.
The message was unmistakable. Tuchel is deliberately dangling a carrot in front of players like Rogers, and before his injury Noni Madueke, the star of Belgrade. Surely, he will bring Bellingham back in long before the World Cup? No guarantees, he insists. Everything is on merit – it was the first time since 1992 an England manager did not pick a single Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United player.
TWO FOR ENGLAND!
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 9, 2025
It's all too easy for the Three Lions – Watkins finishes from point-blank range#ITVFootball | #ThreeLions | @England pic.twitter.com/I0KNyD89Hl
THE BEST ONE YET!
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 9, 2025
England RAMPANT – Saka EXTRAORDINARY#ITVFootball | #ThreeLions | @England pic.twitter.com/AzuOseJMC2
Having already disparaged Gareth Southgate’s style of play, this week Tuchel appeared to attack English football’s Galactico culture, emphasising that the team will always prevail over the individual. He was helped by a Steven Gerrard interview calling the Golden Generation “egotistical losers”.
Fast-forward to next summer. Should England stutter at the World Cup, Tuchel will be slaughtered if he leaves a player of Bellingham’s calibre out of his XI. Likewise Saka if he is even half-fit. There will be nationwide hysteria if his underdogs underperform.
Rogers is the real litmus test. If he continues to shine, will Tuchel stick to his word and play him ahead of Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden? Could Djed Spence usurp Reece James in his thinking with a few more displays like this? What wonderful problems to have.
That 18-month deal was a masterstroke by the FA. All that matters is one World Cup, nothing more. Sometimes it has meant neglecting to consider what life will look like after Harry Kane, though there was a taste of that here. For Watkins, it was only a pity his audition ended early after colliding with the woodwork.
Tuchel has already shown that he takes no prisoners and he is as much of a disciplinarian with the fans as with his players. If he believes they are becoming entitled, he is only raising the level of expectation. By making England look as good as they did against Serbia and Wales, he might just have made a rod for his own back.
Your next read
from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/YXu9bzD
Post a Comment