One thing that cannot be levelled at Thomas Tuchel over his first nine months in post is that he isn’t giving due attention to every facet of this occasionally arduous, sometimes bewildering and often lonely job.
The weeks, months, are long in between camps and he has stewed over plenty during the summer break. Thought about some aspects of it too much, if anything – especially when reinventing how England move the ball and the way in which that message is delivered to his players. He’s said as much himself.
There have come changes to the style of play, how coaches impart what is expected of those in white and even the length of the meet ups based on findings from a disappointing June. Tuchel is trying to constantly tweak, constantly evolve in what is proving a crash course ahead of the World Cup.
Things alter – although the end result on Saturday, an OK yet not overwhelmingly positive 2-0 victory over Andorra, remained in line with other qualifiers – but Tuchel seems steadfast with one very important decision of his reign.
These players are all still on trial, very few are safe from the chop, and the squad heading to the United States next summer could look wildly different to the one we are watching attempting to find themselves at the moment.
When mapping out his first year in charge, Tuchel made a point of leaning on flexibility. He has talked about giving himself ‘freedom’ when choosing squads, which given this is effectively an 18-month assignment – at least to begin with – seems a daring option that relies on his and Anthony Barry’s ability to utilise minimal time with players to the absolute maximum.
Tuchel says he doesn’t expect a settled 23 or 24 players by the end of November – or even March. England have seven matches, starting in Serbia on Tuesday, before the preliminary squad is announced for a tournament they should stroll towards and right now, he only knows around half of those as guaranteed certainties.
37 have been called up for these three camps. 12 defenders, 12 midfielders and 10 forwards. Three goalkeepers. Some, like John Stones and Adam Wharton, have not featured through injury. It’s one huge pool and it will only grow larger as a rejuvenated Jack Grealish or any youngsters come to the fore throughout the season.
‘There will be a lot of decisive matches involving English teams in club football,’ Tuchel said. ‘Of course I know some players that I trust and that I want to do good for us and for their clubs but we have to be open to any development in any direction.’
One always comes from deep to impact a touring squad each time a major tournament comes around but generally, this view from Tuchel – a view he appears entrenched in – represents bravery. Undoubtedly, the easier route would be to have settled on a core group of 27 or so from the get-go and tuned from there. Used the six camps from his appointment to tactically hone that number.
He’s been around English football long enough, and has more than a wealth of knowledge and contacts at his disposal, to possess an idea of whether he fancies Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins or Dominic Solanke before any of them have pulled on a training top. But Tuchel has wanted to see them all up close and that is to his credit, a fair crack of the whip, even if it’s shortening time to work and is to the team’s short-term detriment.
Watkins appears to be winning that race, although caught splinters at Villa Park – to the disappointment of an expectant crowd – as Harry Kane toiled up front against Andorra’s band of defenders.
Kane registered 12 touches on the day. By comparison, Erling Haaland – notorious among critics for his lack of involvement aside from goalscoring for Manchester City – has only ever touched it fewer times than that once during a 90-minute performance under Pep Guardiola. It was at Arsenal in February, City pulverised 5-1. Haaland actually still scored.
Kane – six goals already this term for Bayern Munich – only had one sniff while surrounded by Andorrans and Tuchel admits that England have to become more ruthless. That is in creating rather than in front of goal though, only underperforming their expected goals from four qualifiers by three. Scored eight, xG standing at 11. It could be better but what needs proper improvement is the quality of chance fashioned. Saturday’s expected goals came in at 2.21. At home, against the 174th best international side in the world.
Accounting for a third of that number was Elliot Anderson’s second-half opportunity, engineered by himself in nicking possession on the edge of Andorra’s box. Ex-Newcastle and now Nottingham Forest patroller Anderson, the brightest spark, noticeably went steaming in to counter-press on the edge of the box, with Reece James tucking in behind, early on to decent effect. Belatedly some evidence of what Tuchel is preaching at St George’s Park.
Formations have been a variation on a theme – one sitter and those in front arranged in slightly different ways – and Anderson has staked a claim, albeit against exceptionally modest opposition. Another run in hostile Belgrade would offer more of an indication as to whether Anderson can adequately fill that void.
Maybe an answer is forthcoming in one key area of the pitch earlier than anticipated. Elsewhere is not quite the same story and Tuchel is probably correct to keep his options open given, for example, Saturday’s left back Myles Lewis-Skelly is currently back-up at Arsenal.
‘The manager’s sort of chopped and changed,’ said one of Tuchel’s favourites, Dan Burn. ‘I think he’s probably still learning what he wants from his players.’
