How England will line up under Thomas Tuchel

Cameron Smith

Updated: 16 Oct 2024 09:52 BST
4 min read

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as the next England manager and he will officially start the job from January 2025.

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Lee Carsley has been in interim charge since Southgate’s resignation following England's 2024 European Championship final defeat to Spain, but he will not land the job on a permanent basis.

A 2-1 loss to Greece in the Nations League harmed Carsley’s chances of being named as the next permanent Three Lions boss, while his comments in the media raised questions over whether he believes he is good enough for the role.

Despite links with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, England decided to appoint Tuchel as Southgate's permanent successor.

He becomes just the third foreign manager to take charge of the England men’s national team and the first since Fabio Capello departed in 2012.

Tuchel has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season and despite failing to win a domestic trophy in 2023-24, his reputation remains sky-high, especially in England.

Manchester United were also interested in the ex-Chelsea boss, amid Erik ten Hag’s uncertain future at Old Trafford, but Tuchel has agreed to join England instead.

© IMAGO - Thomas Tuchel has agreed to become the new England manager

How England may line up under Thomas Tuchel

Although Tuchel enjoyed European success using a back three at Chelsea, he deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation during his time at Bayern Munich and has historically favoured that system.

As a result, it’s likely he will opt to use the same formation England have favoured for the past year.

Jordan Pickford has been England’s undisputed number one since 2018, but he was dropped for their Nations League clash against Finland following a poor showing in the loss to Greece.

However, the Everton man will likely keep his place under Tuchel, largely due to a lack of sufficient competition in the goalkeeper department.

Left-back is also a major issue for England, but Trent Alexander-Arnold displayed his qualities in that role during the October international break and could retain his spot on the flank.

Using Alexander-Arnold on the left would also allow Tuchel to bring Reece James back into the England fold. The Chelsea captain has been plagued by injuries over the past few years, but he is back in full training and could be recalled if he is able to prove his fitness over a sustained period of time.

© IMAGO - Reece James' last England cap came in March 2023

John Stones is a nailed-on starter for England, with Levi Colwill and Marc Guehi set to battle it out for the final spot in Tuchel’s backline. The pair have both impressed on international duty in the past, but Colwill may just edge out the Crystal Palace star.

During his time at Bayern, Tuchel moved Joshua Kimmich away from central midfield in order to deploy the taller duo of Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic in the middle of the park.

As a result, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham may well partner each other in a double pivot, while Cole Palmer could be given licence to roam in a No.10 role.

Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon will provide speed and creativity on the flanks, with Harry Kane deployed through the middle.