Trent Alexander-Arnold recalled to England squad with defensive caveat from Thomas Tuchel
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been recalled to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the upcoming Nations League matches, Tuchel said on Thursday, but the Real Madrid right-back was warned he must improve his defensive solidity. Tuchel delivered the recall as a surprise selection and added: “He has to, it’s necessary.”
Tuchel had previously selected Alexander-Arnold only once for England, naming him for the matches against Andorra and Senegal in June last year and using him as a 64th-minute substitute against Andorra; Alexander-Arnold was not part of England’s squad by the time the team travelled to North America for the tournament. The player has started three of Real Madrid’s seven matches this season and, despite his reputation for the range of his passing, Tuchel has insisted on his defensive responsibilities.
On Alexander-Arnold’s defensive task Tuchel was unequivocal: “My conviction is that he will but he has no choice.” The head coach continues to regard Alexander-Arnold as a right-back rather than a midfielder and has said he views Tino Livramento and Jarell Quansah ahead of him in the right-back pecking order.
Tuchel named three goalkeepers in the squad: Jordan Pickford, James Trafford and Jason Steele. His defensive selections were Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Branthwaite, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guéhi, Lewis Hall, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly and Jarell Quansah.
The midfield group in Tuchel’s squad comprises Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice and Alex Scott. Forwards selected are Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Rio Ngumoha, Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers and Bukayo Saka.
Tuchel confirmed he could not include Reece James or Djed Spence because of injury and said Ben White was also injured and “he would have considered him.” He noted that centre-half Ezri Konsa has played at right-back; on the recall process he said, “He heard the good news over the nomination,” and added: “It’s a long camp and it’s a good moment to show up. It’s a chance for Trent to claim what he feels is his – his place on the right side. So here we go.”
The manager handed further recalls to Jarrod Branthwaite, Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Alex Scott, Cole Palmer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin and also included Rio Ngumoha. Dean Henderson, John Stones, Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson miss out because of injury, while Noni Madueke, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney were dropped. Tuchel overlooked Levi Colwill, Adam Wharton, Phil Foden and Morgan Gibbs-White and there was no recall for Harry Maguire, whom Tuchel had selected against Uruguay and Japan in March before omitting him for the tournament; Maguire described himself as “shocked and gutted” on social media and his mother, Zoe, said she was “disgusted” by the decision. Of Maguire’s reaction Tuchel said: “I will not hold it against him for the rest of his life because I’m not that type of person. I can forget easily and quickly. But I didn’t like it and it doesn’t help.” Tuchel said he had not spoken to Maguire since.
Tuchel’s squad has been named for Nations League fixtures at home to Spain, home and away to Czechia, and away to Croatia, with the selections intended to prepare the players during a long camp ahead of those matches.