Two by two for Thomas Tuchel, but there is no surprise there. England will make it quiet in the World Cup finals, and they have to win eight games out of eight in qualifications.
What is much more significant is what the New England coach has learned about his team and his approach in the last week – and what we have learned about him.
Tuchel’s mission, remember, it’s not just to qualify for the World Cup. It’s to win that thing.
Tuchel is very different from its predecessor, both in style and substance. Gareth Southgate’s approach was much more sensitive, more collaborative; He focused on the atmosphere in the camp, worried about the well -being of his players, promoted and fed a new harmony found in the squad, quietly uniting the players to be the best they could be.
After all, brilliant as it was, it was not enough to see the name of England engraved on a large trophy.
Tuchel recognizes and brings out the virtues of what Southgate created. He has repeatedly talked to the media and his players about the “Brotherhood” – the connection within the team created by Southgate, which will see them fight for each other, and mutually strive to overcome disaster in the main time. But he has also told the players to change, and now “dig one another”, as his captain Harry Kane said.
Appreciate and criticize your teammates’ performance. Run each other to be better so that you can take the final step together.
And Tuchel’s management style reflects what he wants his players to be – open, honest, more combat, darker and white. This is refreshing from a media perspective, but it is more dangerous from the point of view of his constant relationship with players.
Being inside and around Tuchel’s first international camp for seven days, it was clear to me that one or two players felt unhappy.
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Paul Merson and the rest of the Saturday football team give their verdict in the first match of Tuchel at the top of England
Tuchel does not avoid difficult calls, but there is collateral damage as a result.
Levi Colwill, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarell Quansah, Dominic Solanke, Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale and James Trafford all return to their clubs by not playing a minute of football on the two qualifiers. Jordan Henderson flew back from Amsterdam and took less than 20 minutes of play time.
Injuries and poor form over the next 15 months can mean significant changes applied to the first choice of tuchel – at this early stage in his reign, he needs everyone on board.
Unlike Southgate, who became very close to all his players, Tuchel does not need to make friends in the squad. He will not be at work as long as he needs long -term relationships. But he clearly should everyone buy in his methodology.
The players we talked to last week insist that it is the case, that they have been impressed by the new manager. They like his passion, his excellent communication, his righteousness, and how vulnerable he is with them in training.
Tuchel gestures on the touch line during the match between England and Albania
Marc Guehi even told me Tuchel sometimes looks more like a teammate than manager.
Definitely is definitely refreshing to see the new boss will not leave the big calls.
He replaced Jude Beeingham irresistible and enigmatic against Latvia to save him from a red card, he ignored the cat’s call to Jordan Henderson and brought him back to the fold because he appreciates his leadership, he ignored the criticism of Marcus Rashford, and not only chose him for the first time; He submitted a debut at Myles Lewis-Skelly, who may be England’s left for the years ahead.
He also gently led the young man for lack of width in his offensive game against Latvia; He criticized the England regime in the latest euro, saying the players were more afraid of failure than they were excited to succeed.
Tuchel has said he just can’t, and will not try to, adapt all the excellent ‘No 10s’ England into a single team going forward – he will not depart from the ego of bruising to achieve the ultimate goal.
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Tuchel gathered praise for Myles Lewis-Skelly after the 18-year-old scored in his debut
This is something that fans and experts have been shouting with the national team since the debate with the ‘Golden Generation’ on how to adapt Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes in the same team.
But Tuchel’s assertion will be particularly worrying about Phil Foden, who seems to have no confidence now. Manchester City Forward is a player with such a born skill that he can be a great asset to the World Cup, but now, he seems more available of all the options of all not 10 of England.
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Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett and Pete Smith discuss the prevailing 3-0 victory over Latvia
While there will be many fans of England, who will applaud Tuchel’s declared ambition to make the national team play more as a Premier League team – with a high print, high energy, physical, a quick tempo and offensive goal – you suspect those comments brought a sharp smile on the face.
He also wanted it, but he learned that international football is a different and strange beast compared to the club’s football, and that, very often, with the time England goes into a summer tour, the team is depleted and exhausted at the end of a long and difficult interior season.
You just have to look at the last euros as the clearest test of this, with Bellingham their shadows of themselves completely appropriate, completely energetic.
Tuchel and Phil Foot
Oh, and temperatures in Central America next summer, where England is likely to play their games with at least Nokau, are likely to be 25-30 Celsius, high humidity. Good luck in getting England players to play with high intensity and a high press in those conditions.
Tempo and the moment ahead was certainly much better in Tuchel’s second match against Latvia, compared to his first, against Albania.
The number of shooting, dribbles, intersects and touches on the opponent’s box all doubled in the four -day space. This would show that the players are adjusting to his style, and trying to implement his ideas in practice.
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Peter Smith takes a closer look at Tuchel’s criticism of Gareth Southgate’s England and raises the question – does he have a point?
This is a bold new era for England, and things feel very different under the new boss. There is a new dynamism, a new energy found, quite exciting ideas, new, a new candidate in evaluating management performances and standards.
Its endgame is clear: falsifying a brotherhood with a clear identity, to win that second elusive star. And if trying to create an “club” atmosphere has echo of southgate, his decision to nominate his team late on the day of the match to prevent leaks and keep his players guess, will attract comparisons with Fabio Capello.
But Tuchel is clearly his man. He will lead this team of England on his way. Some annoying questions will inevitably remain: regarding the maintenance of the goodwill of players when the pressure grows, if players can actually give the high -energy football vision he seeks.
And whether – despite the meticulous planning and well -regulated game models – like his predecessors, England’s latest success can be based on inaccurate whims of football wealth.
