Archive September 5, 2025

Since Thomas Tuchel took over as England’s new manager, there have been 325 days.

Yet, we are still trying to figure out what his Three Lions team should be like.

Two and a half months after his unveiling, the German took over, but England have only played four games, with Wayne Rooney in any case calling the matches “nonsense.”

BBC Sport examined Tuchel’s possible formations, playing styles, and tactics earlier this year, ranging from the quick and furious to the more cautious and pragmatic.

In contrast to other recent England managers, Tuchel has had a unique approach to the number of games he’s taken charge of in the first few months of his tenure.

Even Sam Allardyce, who is not included in the graphic above, had a higher games-to-days ratio during the course of his brief reign in 2016, who was fired after one game and 67 days.

Although Tuchel may have only played four games, a large portion of it was his own fault since he was unable to take over the Nations League games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland until January 1, according to chief football writer Phil McNulty.

His predecessors had more opportunities to develop their plans in the same time.

Fabio Capello had nine games, while Gareth Southgate, Steve McClaren, and Sven-Goran Eriksson all had eight.

Unsurprisingly, fewer games have resulted in fewer new faces.

Only three players, all defenders, have won their first caps since Tuchel took over, including Dan Burn, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Trevoh Chalobah, who are also the only ones to have earned one.

However, after being chosen to face Andorra and Serbia in the current squad, Djed Spence, Elliot Anderson, and Jarell Quansah could also make their debuts.

At the European Under-21 Championship in June, Anderson and Quansah both contributed a significant amount to England’s success.

In his first year in charge, Southgate made six debuts, including four games against Tuchel, during his four-game tenure as interim boss.

The wise choice of an old guard, such as Jordan Henderson’s continued presence, and the bizarre, such as when Ivan Toney was called out of the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli, who was then only given two minutes as a substitute against Senegal before being completely dropped, said McNulty.

“He purposefully cut his squad from 26 last time out for this double header, and he spoke with greater urgency, bringing up competition, and adopting a ruthless approach, as demonstrated by the dropping of Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Burnley’s Kyle Walker,” he said.

However, the squad selection has provided some insight into his strategy.

Football tactics expert Umir Irfan said that Tuchel has made a point about the need for the England national team to emulate the dominance and style of the Premier League and that his team selections, which were partially influenced by injuries, have done so.

How are Tuchel’s tactics doing?

The intention is to make a more physically demanding, ball-dominant, and exciting team, Irfan added.

England have started with a 4-1-4-1 formation. The full-backs are essential to this because they have switched between two common shapes during the build-up, a 2-3-5 and a 3-3-2-5.

One full-back will play alongside two centre-backs in the 3-5-2 game. The additional player offers an additional passing option as a result of the three at the back of the field in possession’s ability to resurrect around particular opposition shapes.

“On occasion when the shape changes to 2-3-5, Declan Rice, a defensive midfielder, is used either side of the full-back.

There are two purposes for this. The second central midfielder is given a second chance to push up. Morgan Rogers and Curtis Jones have occasionally been involved. Second, it makes sure that strong defenders are present in the key areas, giving structural and defensive quality.

“As they did under Southgate, England’s attacking midfielders and strikers continue to drop deep for the ball.” After an opposition central defender has been dragged out of position, there is room for play in the middle. These spaces have been well exploited by runs from deep, including full-backs like Lewis-Skelly.

Tuchel encourages rotations between these zones as long as someone is in each zone because his attack is positional in nature, with players occupying particular ones on the pitch.

The verdict is not yet known.

The numbers are generally comparable when compared to England’s three World Cup qualifiers under Tuchel and their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign under Southgate, the best like-for-like comparison in terms of opposition standard.

There are also some encouragement indicators, though. There are stats that track touches, passing patterns, and possession inside the opposition’s box.

England outperformed their expected goalscoring percentage in 2022, but the average goal per game has decreased. They are currently not scoring as many goals as they should. They should flow naturally as they are.

What about the eye test, though?

The Saturday game between Andorra and Serbia at Villa Park will be more of an “acid test,” according to McNulty, “but the next game will be more of an acid test.”

A total of 325 days have passed since Thomas Tuchel was named England’s new manager.

And, yet, here we are still trying to work out exactly what to expect from his Three Lions team.

The German officially took over on 1 January – two and a half months after his unveiling – but England have only played four games since, with Wayne Rooney describing the fixtures as “nonsense” in any case.

Earlier this year, BBC Sport looked at the various formations, playing styles and tactics Tuchel might adopt, ranging from the fast and furious to the more cautious and pragmatic.

One thing that has been unique to Tuchel is the relatively small number of games he’s taken charge of in the opening months of his tenure compared to other recent England managers.

Even Sam Allardyce, not included in the graphic above, had a higher games-to-days ratio during his brief reign in 2016 – and he was sacked after one match and 67 days.

“Tuchel may have only had four games, but much of this was his own doing as he delayed taking over until 1 January, missing the chance to take charge of Nations League games away to Greece and at home to Republic of Ireland,” said chief football writer Phil McNulty.

“In the same period of time, his predecessors had more matches to make their plans.

“Roy Hodgson had 14 games, while Fabio Capello had nine and Gareth Southgate, Steve McClaren and Sven-Goran Eriksson all had eight.

Unsurprisingly, fewer games has meant fewer new faces.

Dan Burn, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Trevoh Chalobah are the only three players to earn their first caps since Tuchel took over – all defenders.

But Djed Spence, Elliot Anderson and Jarell Quansah could also make their debuts after being named in the current squad to face Andorra and Serbia.

Anderson and Quansah both played a key role in England’s success at the European Under-21 Championship in June.

Including his four-match stint as interim boss, Southgate gave debuts to six players during his first year in charge – albeit across far more matches than Tuchel.

“Squad choices have varied between the safe selection of an old guard, such as the continued presence of 35-year-old Jordan Henderson, and the bizarre, as when Ivan Toney was summoned from the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ahli then only given two minutes as a substitute against Senegal before being dropped altogether,” added McNulty.

“He has deliberately cut his squad from 26 last time 24 for this double header, and he spoke with a greater sense of urgency, talking up competition and adopting a ruthless approach, exemplified by Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Burnley veteran Kyle Walker being dropped.”

The squad selection has, however, given us a few clues about his approach.

“Tuchel has referenced the need for the England national team to mirror the dominance and style of the Premier League and his team selections, influenced partly by injuries, has mirrored this statement,” said football tactics correspondent Umir Irfan.

What about Tuchel’s tactics?

“It is clear that the plan is to attempt to be a more physically imposing, ball-dominant and exciting team,” added Irfan.

“To start, England have played in a 4-4-1-1 shape. Then, in build-up, they have moved between two common shapes, a 2-3-5 and a 3-2-5 with the full-backs key to this.

“In the 3-2-5, one full-back will accompany two centre-backs. The three at the back in possession is used as a solution to build up around certain opposition shapes, with the additional player providing an extra passing option.

“When the shape becomes a 2-3-5, both full-backs are often used either side of a defensive midfielder, usually Declan Rice.

“This does two things. Firstly, it frees the second central midfielder to push up. This has been Morgan Rogers and Curtis Jones on occasion. Secondly, it also ensures that central areas behind the ball are occupied by good defenders, providing structural and individual defensive quality.

“England’s attacking midfielder and striker still drop deep to show for the ball like they did under Southgate. This opens up space down the middle for players to run into after an opposition central defender has been dragged out of position. Runs from deep areas including from full-backs like Lewis-Skelly have exploited these spaces well.

“Tuchel’s attack is positional in nature, with players occupying specific zones on the pitch, but he encourages rotations between these zones, as long as somebody is in each zone.

The jury is still out.

When you compare England’s three World Cup qualifiers under Tuchel with their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign under Southgate – the best like-for-like comparison in terms of standard of opposition – the numbers are broadly similar.

However, there are some signs of encouragement too. Stats measuring possession, passing sequences and touches inside the opposition’s box are all up.

The average number of goals per game has dropped but England outperformed their expected goals stat in 2022, while they’re currently not scoring as many goals as they should be. Continue as they are and they should flow.

But what about the eye test?

“The game against Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday is as near to a formality as it gets in international football, but the subsequent game against Serbia in the hostile surroundings of Belgrade will be more of an acid test,” said McNulty.