Tuchel’s England camp leaves clear winners and losers after Nations League run
Thomas Tuchel ended the four-match Nations League window with England’s game against Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday night, leaving a set of clear winners and losers within his squad.
Tuchel had initially planned continuity, seeking to build on the World Cup semi-final squad that travelled to North America and to avoid radical changes for the start of a new international cycle. Injuries and subsequent withdrawals disrupted that plan: as he prepared to name his group in mid-September he was missing a clutch of World Cup players and lost more after the announcement, and by the Czechia match at Wembley he had only 12 players who had been available during the World Cup. He used the window to trial an updated game model while trying to move on from the World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina; that period produced a defeat by Spain followed by three wins, including two victories over Czechia either side of a 7-0 win over Croatia in Rijeka.
The most obvious beneficiaries from the window were Alex Scott and Lewis Hall, with Myles Lewis-Skelly also earning praise. Scott made his debut as a 70th-minute substitute against Czechia in Prague and started against Croatia, catching the eye with his movement before aggravating a thigh problem against Croatia that will sideline him for two months and rule him out of the November matches against Croatia and Spain. Tuchel said of Scott: "Alex came in here now and was on a completely new level," adding, "He was super-strong." Anthony Barry had name-checked Scott alongside Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson when describing the sort of midfield profile Tuchel wanted.
Lewis-Skelly was used primarily as a midfielder for the first time, starting three matches and appearing as a 79th-minute substitute against Croatia. He picked up bookings in both matches against Czechia and is suspended for the home game against Croatia; Tuchel said, "I wasn’t aware of the yellow card," about the booking at Wembley. Hall replaced Nico O’Reilly after O’Reilly’s withdrawal and started each of the subsequent games, with Tuchel describing them as "three top matches from him" and suggesting Hall deserves consideration for November.
James Trafford enhanced his case to replace Jordan Pickford as first-choice goalkeeper, while Trent Alexander-Arnold seized the chance at right-back after a surprise recall, supplying the cross for Anthony Gordon’s breakthrough goal in Prague and delivering a forward-leaning display at Wembley. Tuchel reiterated that Reece James, Tino Livramento and Djed Spence remain ahead of Alexander-Arnold when available, and said he might have called up Ben White if fit; Jarell Quansah started at centre-back against Czechia at Wembley ahead of Trevoh Chalobah and Jarrad Branthwaite, even though Quansah prefers to be considered centrally.
Several players emerged as losers from the window or from being unavailable. Kobbie Mainoo was disadvantaged by the rise of Scott and Lewis-Skelly and missed the camp through injury; Tuchel expressed sympathy over Mainoo’s withdrawal, noting the midfielder did not play "for a single minute at the World Cup." Jordan Henderson remained short of match fitness after his broken arm at the World Cup. Nico O’Reilly and Djed Spence have seen opportunities reduced, with Spence yet to play this season, and Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were overlooked after Palmer’s withdrawal prompted Tuchel to question whether they fit his system. On that subject Tuchel said: "I don’t know [if they are]," adding, "That is the honest answer. They were not here. This team took another step and it’s always about the guys who are here."
Tuchel also has selection questions among forwards and other senior players. He will hope John Stones regains fitness and form at Inter, expects Marcus Rashford to return while Anthony Gordon has secured the left-wing starting spot, and is considering how Noni Madueke, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney — the latter two dropped after moves to the Saudi Pro League — fit into his plans. Tuchel now views Jude Bellingham as the back-up No 9 to Harry Kane, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin made only brief substitute appearances against Spain and Czechia at Wembley.
Tuchel faces further choices ahead of the November matches; Scott’s two-month lay-off rules him out of the scheduled November fixtures against Croatia and Spain, and the manager must resolve the selection and fitness issues highlighted during this Nations League window.
