Thomas Tuchel’s tenure as England manager, now 325 days in, remains somewhat undefined due to a limited number of games. Despite discussions around tactics and squad selection, tangible progress is difficult to assess. With the World Cup looming, the upcoming matches against Andorra and Serbia will be crucial in determining whether Tuchel can solidify England’s identity and strategy.
It's been 325 days since Thomas Tuchel's appointment as England's manager, yet his vision for the Three Lions remains somewhat enigmatic. Taking the reins officially on January 1st, two and a half months post-announcement, Tuchel has overseen a mere four matches, a point of contention voiced by figures like Wayne Rooney who described the fixtures as 'nonsense'.
Earlier this year, BBC Sport explored potential formations, styles, and tactics Tuchel might employ, from aggressive high-tempo approaches to more measured strategies. But has any tangible progress been made? What should fans watch for during this international window, starting with the match against Andorra at Villa Park?
A notable aspect of Tuchel's early tenure is the limited number of games compared to his predecessors. Since 2000, no England manager has had fewer matches in the same period after their appointment.
Even Sam Allardyce, despite his brief 67-day tenure in 2016, had a higher game-to-day ratio. According to Phil McNulty, Tuchel's delayed start, missing Nations League games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, contributed to the limited match opportunities. Roy Hodgson, Fabio Capello, Gareth Southgate, Steve McClaren, and Sven-Goran Eriksson all had more games within a similar timeframe to implement their plans. With the World Cup approaching, it is crucial for Tuchel to solidify England's identity and strategy.
The paucity of games has understandably limited the introduction of new players. Dan Burn, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Trevoh Chalobah are the only players to earn their first caps since Tuchel took over. However, Djed Spence, Elliot Anderson and Jarell Quansah could debut in the upcoming matches against Andorra and Serbia. Anderson and Quansah were instrumental in England's U-21 European Championship victory. In contrast, Southgate debuted six players in his first year, while interim boss Lee Carsley introduced eight in six matches.
Image source, Getty ImagesElliot Anderson was named in the team of the tournament at last summer's European Under-21 Championship
McNulty points out the inconsistency in squad selections, citing Jordan Henderson's continued presence and Ivan Toney's brief appearance after being summoned from the Saudi Pro League. Squad size has been reduced from 26 to 24, signaling a more ruthless approach, evident in the exclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker.
Umir Irfan notes that Tuchel seems to favor a style mirroring the Premier League's dominance. The inclusion of players like Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, Jarrod Bowen, and Marc Guehi underlines this preference, regardless of their club affiliation.
Tactically, Tuchel aims for a more physically imposing, ball-dominant, and exciting team. England has primarily used a 4-4-1-1 formation, transitioning between 2-3-5 and 3-2-5 shapes in build-up, with full-backs playing a crucial role. In the 3-2-5, one full-back supports the center-backs. When the shape becomes a 2-3-5, both full-backs are positioned beside Declan Rice, freeing up the second central midfielder. England's attacking midfielders and strikers still drop deep, creating space for runs from deep areas. Tuchel's attack is positional, encouraging rotations between zones while maintaining presence in each.
Image source, Getty ImagesThomas Tuchel was unveiled as England boss on 16 October 2024 - but has only actually taken change of four games
The results so far are inconclusive. While numbers are broadly similar to Southgate's 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign, metrics like possession and touches in the opposition box are up. Goal-scoring is down, though England outperformed their expected goals in 2022. Defensively, there are signs of a more aggressive pressing game. As McNulty puts it, the game against Serbia will be an acid test. So far, Tuchel's reign has, at times, felt like more of the same, or even a regression.