Tuchel's Tactical Dilemma: Balancing England's Star Players
With six victories, no goals conceded, and a secured World Cup spot with two group matches remaining, England manager Thomas Tuchel has effectively navigated his qualifying decisions.
However, ahead of Thursday's home match against Serbia, Tuchel ignited a debate by stating that three of the nation's top players—Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Harry Kane—cannot coexist in the same lineup.
In an interview with Talksport, he explained, "Currently, if we maintain our structure, they cannot all play together. They can, but not within the balance we have developed, especially with wingers who are specialists in their roles. We are currently utilizing a six, eight, ten, and nine formation."
With Declan Rice from Arsenal and Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest excelling in the number six and eight positions, respectively, and captain Kane firmly positioned as the center-forward, the focus now shifts to who will occupy the attacking midfield role of number ten.
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers has participated in all eight of England's matches under Tuchel, demonstrating strong performance as a number ten when Bellingham was sidelined due to shoulder surgery. Other contenders for the role include Chelsea's Cole Palmer, Everton's Jack Grealish, and Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White.
Tuchel has cautioned that not all of these players will be included in the squad for next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. "I see a very, very low percentage of us taking five number tens to a tournament. I don't see how that would benefit us," he stated. "We will always prioritize what is best for balance, even if it means making difficult decisions."
From Certain Starters to Competing for Spots
Foden and Bellingham have previously played in wide positions for England, but Tuchel's selections indicate that Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona, and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka are preferred on the left and right flanks, respectively. Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, Arsenal's Eberechi Eze, and West Ham's Jarrod Bowen are next in line.
So, can Bellingham, Foden, and Kane play together? Gareth Southgate certainly believed they could. The trio started all seven of England's matches at Euro 2024 in Germany, where Southgate's team finished as runners-up to Spain.
In the 16 games they have played together, England has achieved 10 wins, three draws, and three losses, scoring 36 goals and conceding 14. Among those goals, Kane netted 14, Bellingham scored three, and Foden contributed two.
However, since Tuchel's appointment, the three have only played together for the first 74 minutes of his debut match, where Foden was substituted during a 2-0 victory over Albania.
Tuchel is not the first England manager to grapple with fitting the best players into a cohesive unit, reminiscent of Sven-Goran Eriksson's challenges in balancing his midfield. Legendary midfielders Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Paul Scholes, despite their success in club football, played together for England only eight times, often leading to Scholes being shifted to accommodate Gerrard and Lampard.
Analysis: Foden's Versatility Offers Tuchel Options
Tuchel has employed a 4-2-3-1 formation that adapts when England attacks. Rogers has emerged as the primary number ten due to his strong ball-carrying and striking abilities, as well as his capacity to penetrate the box when the striker drops deep.
Tuchel has expressed a preference for specialist wingers. Saka and Gordon, who regularly play wide, excel at maintaining possession, challenging full-backs, and arriving in the box to score.
Behind this attacking quartet, Tuchel utilizes a midfield pairing that consists of one defensively oriented player and another with more freedom to contribute offensively. He likely envisions Bellingham as a number ten, aiming to leverage his talents similarly to how he has utilized Rogers, focusing on ball progression, hold-up play, and scoring opportunities.
Regarding Foden's positional versatility, Tuchel noted that his ability to play as both a nine and ten gives him a competitive edge for both roles. This versatility places him in contention alongside Bellingham and Kane.
Foden previously thrived as a false nine during Manchester City's 2020-21 season and has registered impressive statistics in an attacking role in the current season.
Given Kane's flexible interpretation of the striker position, utilizing Foden in this manner is more feasible than it may initially appear.
Potential Uses for Tuchel's Trio
Foden and Bellingham will compete with Palmer, Rogers, and Eze for the number ten role, while Kane is expected to lead the attack. Foden could potentially be positioned as the number nine, allowing both Bellingham and Foden to feature at Kane's expense.
One possibility for all three to coexist in this system was hinted at by Tuchel: "For Manchester City, he plays almost like a number eight or ten, so perhaps in the coming months, we will consider him as a number eight," he remarked.
Foden's current all-purpose midfield role has enabled him to assume deeper responsibilities, making him a viable option as a number eight alongside a more defensively minded number six. This formation would allow Bellingham to operate as the number ten and Kane to remain as the nine.
Regardless of whether Tuchel opts for this setup at the World Cup, his willingness to exclude prominent players for the sake of balance is a promising approach.