The Key Questions Facing Tuchel Before World Cup

England completed a flawless World Cup qualifying run pinch victory successful Albania, giving caput coach Thomas Tuchel an outstanding grounds of 8 wins from 8 pinch 22 goals scored and nary conceded.

It concludes shape 1 of nan occupation Tuchel was brought successful to do by nan Football Association aft succeeding Sir Gareth Southgate. Namely triumph nan World Cup.

Tuchel's readying now moves to nan adjacent shape - truthful what are nan awesome issues he must ponder earlier he names his World Cup squad arsenic he looks to extremity a 60-year hold for a awesome men's trophy?

The rivalry betwixt puerility friends Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers for England's number 10 jersey provides an intriguing sub-plot to Tuchel's World Cup build-up.

Tuchel stresses nan conflict tin remain friendly, though it has almost been stoked and encouraged by nan German, truthful keen is he to create separator and title successful his squad.

Along pinch Declan Rice, Rogers is nan only different England subordinate to characteristic successful each 10 games nether Tuchel.

Rogers took his chance impressively erstwhile Bellingham was absent aft enarthrosis surgery, past Tuchel kept religion pinch Aston Villa's 23-year aged aft he decided against giving 1 of nan world superstars successful England's squad an instant recall.

After a 25-minute cameo arsenic a substitute against Serbia astatine Wembley, Bellingham started successful Tirana, delivering a spot of everything that makes him specified a passionate constituent of discussion.

Bellingham showed his scope of passing, made trademark driving runs, almost scored successful nan 2nd half – but besides demonstrated petulance erstwhile he was shown a yellowish paper for a foul committed aft he mislaid possession, past looked unhappy astatine being substituted, which Tuchel said he will review.

The accomplished mode successful which Rogers has taken to nan England shape has fixed Tuchel a awesome conundrum, while nan searing power astatine adjacent summer's World Cup intends he is apt to deploy "starters" and "finishers", Bellingham and Rogers tin do both.

Rogers has an avid admirer successful Tuchel. He has made 10 appearances nether him, starting six games and playing for a full of 531 minutes. Bellingham has started four, playing 374 minutes successful total.

Tuchel will not duck large decisions. He will not indulge successful prima systems aliases simply battalion his squad pinch nan biggest names.

So who will start?

For each Rogers' awesome work, Bellingham has proved he tin present game-changing moments astatine nan highest level, his position besides confirmed erstwhile Albania's Kristjan Asllani asked him to switch shirts astatine half-time alternatively than consequence leaving it until nan end.

Phil Foden will beryllium successful Tuchel's thinking, pinch nan German saying he does not spot nan Manchester City guardant arsenic a winger, and alternatively "as a operation betwixt a 9 and a 10".

Chelsea's Cole Palmer besides has nan expertise and people to unit his measurement into nan squad if he tin retrieve from his groin injury.

In reality, however, it looks for illustration a prime betwixt Bellingham and Rogers.

Bellingham's greater acquisition of nan rarefied aerial of awesome competitions will surely conscionable springiness him nan separator erstwhile Tuchel names his squad for England's first World Cup game.

Harry Kane maintained his magnificent England grounds pinch nan double successful Albania that ensured they vanished World Cup qualifying pinch a win.

Kane whitethorn beryllium 32 but looks astatine his peak, a maestro marksman arsenic good arsenic nan complete player, consenting to driblet heavy to do soiled activity but still ever arriving astatine nan crisp extremity pinch cleanable timing erstwhile goals are required.

Former England defender Conor Coady told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I don't want to deliberation of an England without Harry Kane. What he brings to this squad is unbelievable.

"The measurement he keeps connected producing these numbers is unbelievable and it is in installments to him. He is nan first connected and past disconnected nan training pitch. He is our biggest dream going into adjacent year."

Kane is indispensable, England's grounds scorer pinch 78 goals successful 112 internationals.

If he is not playing nan driblet disconnected is deep. Kane's imaginable deputies are each perfectly capable, but they are not Harry Kane.

An wounded to his skipper will beryllium Tuchel's biggest fear, peculiarly arsenic ready-made replacements are hardly forming an orderly queue.

Brighton's 34-year-old seasoned Danny Welbeck has been touted. It is grounds to nan enduring accomplishment of nan striker, who past played for England 7 years ago, but besides suggests nan cupboard is worryingly bare.

Tuchel said Welbeck was "very close" to a call-up for England's latest camp, but added: "I felt moreover without knowing him I cognize what he tin springiness us. Do I really request to spot this successful November?"

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins has been used, though Ivan Toney has vanished from position aft bizarrely being summoned from Saudi Arabia to play 2 minutes successful nan friends against Senegal past June.

Marcus Rashford tin play arsenic a striker, while Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon has played location for his club, but is not a earthy fit.

Foden has been mentioned arsenic portion of a tactical tweak if England are successful request of a main striker, but nan bottommost statement is they still person no-one who comes adjacent to Kane's class.

As Coady stated, England without Harry Kane astatine nan World Cup is unthinkable.

John Stones showed his people and versatility successful a hybrid domiciled successful Tirana, ostensibly successful his accustomed cardinal protect position but stepping into midfield erstwhile England were successful possession. It is simply a ploy he tin transportation retired pinch comfort, perchance giving Tuchel's strategy an other dimension.

Former England defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live: "This crippled against Albania is cementing why John Stones is truthful captious to this England squad. He is conducting nan play from a centre-back position and a centre midfield position. Really impressive."

It is apt to beryllium a much orthodox backmost 4 astatine nan World Cup, truthful it looks down to 2 from Stones, Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa and Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi successful cardinal defence.

Stones whitethorn person nan separator pinch his immense experience, while Konsa and Guehi, who some missed nan triumph successful Albania done injury, person grown arsenic internationals.

Coady said: "I deliberation it's really close. Konsa has been outstanding. For me, it's Stones and Guehi's to lose. To support Stones fresh for nan World Cup is perfectly huge."

Liverpool's Jarell Quansah made his long-awaited elder debut against Albania and impressed arsenic he started centrally earlier moving retired wide.

Tuchel must besides determine connected his left-back pinch an breathtaking trio of youngsters starring nan race.

Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly, Tottenham's Djed Spence and Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly person each been handed elder debuts by Tuchel, but it is O'Reilly who started and impressed successful nan last 2 qualifiers.

Newcastle United's Tino Livramento, presently retired injured, whitethorn beryllium successful nan lead for that place, pinch Lewis-Skelly near retired by Tuchel because of deficiency of crippled clip this season. O'Reilly whitethorn person edged up of Spence aft this camp.

It is still a position up for grabs.

Bukayo Saka has nailed down nan correct helping slot, truthful who will play connected nan other side?

Marcus Rashford near Tuchel pinch thing to retrieve him by from England's World Cup qualifier pinch a superb transverse for Kane's 2nd extremity successful Tirana.

Rashford has made his case, but Gordon has besides impressed, while Tuchel is simply a large instrumentality of Arsenal's Noni Madueke, presently retired injured.

Jack Grealish has done good connected indebtedness astatine Everton, but he simply has excessively overmuch title to conflict his measurement past and has not featured for nan Three Lions since October 2024.

Eberechi Eze started against Albania and tin play connected nan near aliases arsenic a number 10, though he is not astatine nan forefront of nan conversations to compete pinch Bellingham and Rogers successful that role.

If Rashford wanted to springiness Tuchel nutrient for thought, his superb transverse for Kane to complete his double gave nan caput coach plentifulness to digest.