All aboard the Tuchel train? England camp has clear winners and losers

Thomas Tuchel’s original idea had been for continuity. The England manager wanted to build on the positives from the World Cup and he was minded to stand by the vast majority of the players who had been a part of the journey to the semi-finals in North America over the summer. His squad for the four-match Nations League window and the beginning of a new international cycle would not be defined by radical change. What was it about the best-laid plans?

As Tuchel prepared to name his group in mid-September, he knew that he would be without a clutch of World Cup players because of injury. He then lost another handful after the announcement. Fast forward to the Czechia game at Wembley on Tuesday night – the final one of the quartet – and, after further withdrawals, Tuchel could count only 12 players who were available to him during the World Cup. He knows the train moves quickly in football, stopping for nobody. That flexibility is a prerequisite in his line of work. This felt like something else.

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Tuchel and his staff were resolved to road-test an updated game model as they sought to move on from the devastation of the World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina. Again, nothing too radical because the principles were in place. They wanted to give the players greater freedom in terms of where they could roam on the pitch; encourage them to trust their instincts and take risks, all within a framework where covering for a teammate was fundamental. Tuchel would need some new players to execute it and, as he reflects on a positive window, in which defeat by Spain was followed by three wins, two against Czechia either side of the 7-0 dismantling of Croatia in Rijeka, he will feel he has found them.

There are always winners and losers from an international camp and maybe they are more pronounced on this occasion because of the timing; the sense of a fresh start, the desire to turn the page after Argentina. It was always going to be a tone-setter for the ultimate goal of Euro 2028 glory.

The biggest winners were Alex Scott and Lewis Hall, with Myles Lewis-Skelly getting an honourable mention. James Trafford pushed his claim to supplant Jordan Pickford as the first-choice goalkeeper, and then there was Trent Alexander-Arnold, ever tantalising, ever nuanced.

As for the losers, well, take your pick from those who were not present, with Tuchel making it clear that it would be harder for them. “It is always like this,” he said. “Everyone should be desperate to come because the train is rolling. Full credit to the players who bought in to that. We can only put our full energy into the camp and the players who are in camp. They make the camp special.”

Tuchel described Scott and Hall as “really excellent”. In the case of the former, Tuchel cannot contain his excitement. He does not want to. Scott did well when he came on as a 70th-minute substitute for his debut against Czechia in Prague and was very good from the start against Croatia, catching the eye with his smoothness on the half turn, his dynamic surges.

It was noticeable that when Tuchel’s assistant, Anthony Barry, spoke on Monday about fluid, hard-running midfielders to fit the team’s style, he name-checked three: Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, who are well-established, and Scott. It is such a frustration that he aggravated a thigh problem against Croatia and is out for two months, which will rule him out of the matches in November against Croatia and Spain. Tuchel worked with Scott in November 2025 and at the pre-World Cup camp in Florida. “Alex came in here now and was on a completely new level,” Tuchel said. “He was super-strong.”

Interactive It was a positive window for Lewis-Skelly, who Tuchel counted on as a midfielder rather than a left-back for the first time. The 20-year-old started three of the games and came on as a 79th-minute substitute against Croatia. The worry was how he picked up bookings in both matches against Czechia; he is now suspended for the home game against Croatia. “I wasn’t aware of the yellow card,” Tuchel said of Tuesday’s one at Wembley, rather surprisingly. He knows about the need to stay out of red card territory.

Kobbie Mainoo is a potential loser from the emergence of Scott and Lewis-Skelly. Tuchel was at pains to sympathise with the Manchester United midfielder over the injury that forced his withdrawal, particularly after he did not play him for a single minute at the World Cup. But with Rice certain to return after an agreed rest this time this out, and James Garner in the frame, Mainoo has work to do. Ditto Jordan Henderson, who was not up to speed fitness‑wise after his broken arm at the World Cup.

Hall has taken his chance at left-back, stepping up after Nico O’Reilly played against Spain and was then forced to withdraw. Hall started in each of the subsequent games – “three top matches from him”, Tuchel said – and if he is plainly in possession of the shirt, he deserves to keep it in November. Which is bad news for O’Reilly and Djed Spence, who has not yet played this season.

Did Alexander-Arnold do enough at right-back after his surprise recall? He could not have done much more with his starting opportunities in both Czechia games. There was the lovely cross for Anthony Gordon’s breakthough goal in Prague and a driving, attack-minded performance at Wembley. Everybody knows what Alexander-Arnold can do; he showed it again and the argument remains that he must be included for his points of difference.

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On the other hand, what does Tuchel do when Reece James, Tino Livramento and Spence are available? The manager has previously made it plain he considers all three to be ahead of Alexander-Arnold. He said he might have called up Ben White if he were fit and also has Jarell Quansah, even if the Bayer Leverkusen player would rather be considered in central defence. That was where Tuchel started him against Czechia at Wembley – ahead of Trevoh Chalobah and Jarrad Branthwaite.

Cole Palmer has found himself under an unforgiving spotlight after his withdrawal, particularly after Tuchel questioned whether he wanted to play for England. It looks a long way back for the Chelsea No 10 and the same is true of Phil Foden. Both were overlooked when Tuchel gave a late call-up to Morgan Gibbs-White, and neither looks an easy fit for this team’s aggressive style. “I don’t know [if they are],” Tuchel said. “That is the honest answer. They were not here. This team took another step and it’s always about the guys who are here.”

Tuchel has plenty to ponder before the November matches. He will hope to see John Stones recover his fitness and form at Inter. There is a belief that the centre-back’s move to Serie A, where the tempo is slower, can help him find his rhythm. Marcus Rashford will be expected to return; he has credit in the bank with Tuchel, even if Gordon has nailed down the starting spot on the left wing.

Can Noni Madueke stage a comeback on the right after being dropped? And what of the strikers in the Saudi Pro League, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, who were also dropped? Tuchel now sees Jude Bellingham as the back-up No 9 to Harry Kane. He gave Dominic Calvert-Lewin only brief substitute appearances against Spain and Czechia at Wembley. The train hurtles on.