Has Tuchel revealed himself as untouchable?
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England head coach Thomas Tuchel explains selection of 35-man squad
Manager Thomas Tuchel may have effectively revealed some of the players he believes are guaranteed to qualify for the World Cup by confirming that 11 of his experimental 35-man squad will be rested for the first friendly of the international break against Uruguay.
Tuchel confirmed that Dean Henderson, Dan Byrne, Mark Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rodgers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka will be given a few days off before joining camp on Friday.
Tuchel cited the amount of playing time each player has received this season, but said he has seen enough of them to know they have nothing to prove. Therefore, we can conclude that unless there are injuries, they are almost certainly on board the plane.
Jordan Pickford and Jude Bellingham are considered in the same category, along with the injured Reece James, but they have played less time than Anderson, Rice, Kane and Saka this season, so they will join camp from the start.
nick wright
Is the battle for 10th place a five-way battle?
For Tuchel, the biggest decision for his World Cup squad is yet to be made. It’s a question of which of the many talented No. 10 players will participate in the tournament, or who will not.
On Friday, he clarified that it was “very unlikely” that he would use “three, four or even five players in one position.”
So across this fractured squad, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden will be competing for roles against Uruguay. Then there’s Rodgers, Eberechi Eze and, if fit enough, Bellingham against Japan.
Palmer has played just 65 minutes under Tuchel and has been underwhelming for Chelsea so far. Foden was offered as a number nine option in November but is currently unable to break into Man City’s starting XI.
Meanwhile, Bellingham is out for a month with an injury, Rodgers, who had been a star under Tuchel, has fallen off form and Eze has only scored against Tottenham, Mansfield and Bayer Leverkusen since training in November.
There are no knockouts from such a high-class group of athletes. But, as Tuchel says, “the competition is on” now – and this is his last chance to prove his eligibility on the international stage before the summer.
peter smith
If not now, then when? Huge blow to Trent and Watkins
Nothing is guaranteed in football, but it doesn’t bode well when a 35-man squad chosen by a manager to “widen the competition” for a World Cup spot is ignored. Tuchel said Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ollie Watkins had been ruled out for “sporting reasons”.
Dominic Solanke and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were called up ahead of Watkins as Tuchel wanted to see them up close. Tuchel said he had a “clear image” of what Aston Villa’s struggling striker, called up in October, could offer as Harry Kane’s backup.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was absent despite impressing recently at Real Madrid
That leniency was not afforded to Alexander-Arnold, who played just 26 minutes under Tuchel, but the former Chelsea boss insisted he knew the qualities the “huge talent” could bring. Without a doubt, Alexander-Arnold’s absence is the biggest of these.
Tino Libramento, Jarrell Quansah and Jed Spence are the preferred right-backs for the team without the injured Reece James. Tuchel said his decision was not based on Alexander-Arnold, but on evidence from the past three camps.
Indeed, this says a lot about how Tuchel views the Real Madrid star. Tuchel has overcome injury concerns to start seven of the last nine games, including both Champions League games against Man City. It is difficult to see a path back to Alexander-Arnold under Tuchel.
Ginny Boswell
Dauman is a shocking option, but still an outsider
Of course, Tuchel had to be asked about 16-year-old Max Dauman, who became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history in Arsenal’s dramatic win over Everton earlier this month. But his reaction was quite surprising.
With so many attacking options, there is already debate as to which of England’s five No. 10s should be selected this summer, but perhaps Dowman was not a real option for the Three Lions this summer?
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England manager Thomas Tuchel insisted he was considering the teenager when asked if 16-year-old Max Dauman could be in his World Cup squad.
Or will he? Tuchel admitted England had an “opportunity” to call him up and were considering “all options”. This must be an amazing story. This is a boy who will be taking his GCSEs this summer. Examination season coincides with England’s first two World Cup matches.
Given all the options in front of him and the fact that he hasn’t started a game for Arsenal, Dauman realistically remains a big outsider for a World Cup spot this summer. But something strange happened.
Theo Walcott was selected in the 2006 World Cup squad despite never having kicked a ball in the Premier League. Dauman has more experience than that…
Sam Blitz
Youth and experience as Manchester United duo return from the wilderness
A recall at the other end of the international careers of Kobie Mainoo and Harry Maguire would provide Thomas Tuchel with some much-needed options. He won his final cap in September 2024 in the Nations League win over Ireland.
The pair, who played an integral part in Manchester United’s resurgence under manager Michael Carrick, are playing their best football for some time as the World Cup approaches.
Maguire will return to his role as part of England’s coaching staff, drawing on his experience of over 60 caps.
Efforts are underway to replace his presence at the back with a performance worthy of Marc Gehi’s successor during Euro 2024.
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Watch Koby Mainu’s performance in the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City.
However, given his recent resurgence, it is thought that Maguire, who has never underperformed in his homeland, would be fit to return, at least as an option in central defence.
Mainu, on the other hand, returns with just 10 caps, aiming to regain his place in midfield. It was a spot he earned at the Euros, starting in each of England’s knockout matches, including the final against Spain.
His absence, having been thrown into the margins by Ruben Amorim, was an opportunity for an upstart contender to fill the role to the fullest.
He will be competing with Adam Wharton, Elliott Anderson and Jordan Henderson to form a midfield with Rice and No. 10, but the challenge for Mynou is clear.
William Bitibili
Steele ‘on trial’ for ‘special’ role in World Cup
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele could represent England at the World Cup
Newsrooms were shocked when it was revealed that uncapped Jason Steele had been selected in England’s 35-man squad.
The Brighton goalkeeper has not played in the Premier League for the last two years and has made just five appearances for the Seagulls this season.
However, England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that the 35-year-old Steele is auditioning for a “special role” at the World Cup, with Steele “on trial” as the fourth shot-stopper in the tournament to “support” the mandatory three-man goalkeeping group.
Steele’s potential role is not new, with Tuchel following in the footsteps of his predecessor Gareth Southgate.
Veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton had a similar job under Southgate when he was drafted into the Euro 2024 squad to help goalkeeping, aged 38 at the time.
Steele will now be given the chance to stake his claim to playing that role, with Tuchel revealing his role will be to “support the goalkeeper coach, support the penalty kicking group and lighten a lot of the workload.”
Steele’s surprise call-up shows Tuchel is thinking more broadly to ensure he covers all angles before England begin their bid to win their first World Cup since 1966.
Declan Olley
