Thomas Tuchel described England’s 2-0 win over Serbia as “intense” and “tight”, and the match at Wembley offered clearer signals about how his side might look at next summer’s World Cup — even if significant selection questions remain.
The atmosphere was subdued without away fans, but on the pitch Tuchel’s ideas were visible. Morgan Rogers started in the No 10 role again, ahead of the returning Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden. Rogers, the Aston Villa forward, brought impetus when England started slowly and has clearly caught Tuchel’s eye with a string of strong performances in that position, though Thursday wasn’t his most influential display. Bellingham replaced him after an hour and finished the evening with a more eye-catching contribution as space opened up for the Real Madrid midfielder; his reintegration into the side appears inevitable, and Cole Palmer’s return to fitness will complicate the competition further. Whether Foden remains a contender for the No 10 role is another question.
Tuchel’s use of Phil Foden also raises the possibility that the Manchester City star could be Harry Kane’s understudy at No 9. Kane often drops deep to help with build-up — as he did against Serbia — and for the final half-hour Foden operated as a false nine. Tuchel wants Foden in central areas “surrounded by traffic” to link play with short, clever passing. When asked if Foden could displace Kane, Tuchel said no, but suggested Foden could be Kane’s “accomplice”, replacing him when fatigue or tactical necessity demands. That development might not bode well for traditional No 9s hoping to be Kane’s backup at the World Cup — Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Danny Welbeck and others could find themselves squeezed out if Tuchel brings only Kane as a nominal striker and uses Foden as the alternative.
On the left flank, Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford look to be the primary contenders for the starting spot, despite Eberechi Eze’s stunning goal from the bench. Eze appears likely to be an impact substitute, while Jack Grealish and other left-sided forwards face an uphill task to dislodge Gordon or Rashford. Tuchel may vary his choice depending on the opponent, but the contest feels narrowed to those two.
Left-back remains more unsettled. Myles Lewis-Skelly was seen as the frontrunner earlier in the year, but lack of club minutes has opened the door. Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly made a strong England debut that Tuchel described as “fantastic”, and he didn’t look out of place. Other options include Djed Spence, Reece James (who featured in his more familiar right-back role on Thursday), and Newcastle’s Dan Burn, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall. Tuchel is still assessing the position.
The standout breakthrough of the autumn has been Elliot Anderson. The Newcastle player has adapted to international football seamlessly, impressing in a deeper midfield role beneath Declan Rice with incisive passing and composure, and he delivered another solid display as England kept a clean sheet. Tuchel has also given Adam Wharton a brief debut appearance, which could hint at plans to test the Crystal Palace midfielder in Albania; Alex Scott’s inclusion in the camp — though not the matchday squad — shows Tuchel is still exploring backup options. Jordan Henderson was used as a substitute for Rice, suggesting Tuchel views Henderson more as an experienced No 8 type than a like-for-like in Anderson’s deeper role.
Tuchel has been clear that form and fitness will influence his World Cup thinking, and while his ideas are beginning to take shape there are still key decisions to make in several positions. With many spots appearing to narrow, a few high-profile players could find themselves on the outside looking in unless circumstances change between now and the tournament.