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    Tuchel gives England blunt appraisal… but ‘loves’ Lewis-Skelly

    Ironside Sports MediaBy No Comments5 Mins Read


    Thomas Tuchel stated he had wished “extra affect” from his wingers in a 2-0 win over Albania in his first sport in cost that left Gareth Southgate’s everlasting successor underwhelmed.

    Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden began as England’s broad gamers for the opening sport of their 2026 Fifa World Cup qualification campaign at Wembley Stadium, however each of England’s targets got here from central positions as they noticed off opponents they thrashed 5-0 on their earlier go to in 2021.

    “We are able to do higher,” Tuchel informed ITV Soccer. “We’ve got to do higher. We began fairly nicely and had seven or eight minutes with 100% ball possession, with loads of passes and excessive vitality.

    “Within the second half, I felt we had been too sluggish and, normally, there weren’t sufficient runs off the ball to get behind the road.

    “We hope for extra affect in [wide] positions – extra dribbling and extra aggressive runs in direction of the field. Basically, that was lacking. There was a bit lacking – they weren’t as decisive as they are often.”

    Tuchel: Lewis-Skelly ‘wonderful’

    Full-back Lewis Skelly, who made his debut in senior soccer for Arsenal lower than six months in the past, coolly slotted in from Jude Bellingham’s perceptive ball within the twentieth minute earlier than Kane superbly struck his seventieth worldwide aim from a Declan Rice move with 13 minutes remaining.

    Rashford, who’s on mortgage at Aston Villa from Manchester United, made his first worldwide begin since November 2023 after a primary call-up in nearly a yr, whereas Manchester Metropolis’s Foden made his second begin in England’s final seven video games and has not been immediately concerned in a aggressive aim for his nation because the 2022 World Cup.

    Tuchel was extra evidently impressed with Lewis-Skelly, calling the 18-year-old an “wonderful participant” with “wonderful character”.

    “He got here into camp and confirmed right away that it’s regular to fall in love with him,” Tuchel added. “[His praise] is nicely deserved.”

    Bellingham can produce ‘particular issues’

    Requested about teaching Actual Madrid’s Bellingham, Tuchel stated there was “little doubt” that the 21-year-old is “a key participant for us”.

    “It was a unbelievable move to help the primary aim,” he noticed. “I count on particular issues from Jude. He is able to take the duty and we now have to create an setting and construction the place we will see extra of it.”

    Debutant Dan Burn hit the crossbar with a header earlier than the break for England, who play their second sport of the marketing campaign at house to Latvia on Monday (19:45 GMT).

    England World Cup qualifiers

    In addition to Albania, England’s Group Okay rivals comprise Latvia, Andorra and Serbia. Of these opponents, Serbia’s standing of 32 at the beginning of qualifying made them by far the highest-ranked crew Tuchel’s aspect will face.

    Serbia proved tricky opponents at Euro 2024, with solely a Jude Bellingham aim separating the groups of their opener in Germany.

    Together with video games as Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro, Dragan Stojkovic’s nation have misplaced their final 5 conferences with England, though they held a powerful file of 1 defeat of their final 21 World Cup qualifying matches earlier than the group started, profitable 14 and drawing six.

    Albania are one in every of 5 nations England have confronted greater than six instances and received in opposition to each time, alongside Luxembourg (9), San Marino (8), Malta (7) and Andorra (6).

    Latvia are ranked one hundred and fortieth and have by no means performed England earlier than, whereas Andorra are 171st and have misplaced all six of the encounters between the international locations by an combination rating of 25-0.

    Ben Chilwell, Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and Jack Grealish scored when England received 5-0 in Andorra in October 21.

    England soccer crew World Cup qualifying fixtures

    All fixtures begin at 19:45 GMT except in any other case acknowledged.

    Monday, March 24: England v Latvia
    Saturday, June 7: Andorra v England (17:00)
    Saturday, September 6: England v Andorra (17:00)
    Tuesday, September 9: Serbia v England
    Tuesday, October 14: Latvia v England
    Thursday, November 13: England v Serbia
    Sunday, November 16: Albania v England (17:00)

    England video games: What occurs if Three Lions high group?

    The highest crew from every of the 12 European Qualifier teams proceeds robotically to the finals, which can be expanded to 48 groups.

    Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Croatia are among the many different favourites to win their teams.

    What occurs if England end second in World Cup qualifiers?

    England can be eradicated in the event that they end third or beneath and enter the play-offs between March 26-31 2026 if they arrive second.

    The 12 runners-up in every group will be a part of 4 Nations League groups within the play-offs, which can be drawn from pots based mostly on groups’ information through the marketing campaign. The video games will comprise single-leg semi-finals and finals.

    The draw for the World Cup finals will happen in December 2025. The match runs from June 11 till July 19 2026.





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