Tuchel's Dilemma in England's Midfield

BIRMINGHAM, FRIDAY — Nine months ahead of the 2026 World Cup, England National Football Team Coach Thomas Tuchel has yet to find the best composition in the midfield. The call-up of 13 midfielders in the last three international breaks highlights the uncertainty within the "Three Lions" camp.

England's journey in Group K of the World Cup qualifiers is set to continue. They will first host Andorra at Villa Park Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday (6/9/2025) at 23:00 WIB. Following that, Harry Kane and his teammates will visit Serbia on Wednesday (10/9/2025) in the early hours of WIB.

In facing the schedule, Tuchel experimented again in the midfield. He called up two midfielders for the first time to his squad, namely Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) and Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest). "It's time for more competition. It's time for fresh blood," said Tuchel.

Wharton, who is 21 years old, was forced to withdraw due to injury. His position was taken over by AC Milan midfielder, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a former protégé of Tuchel during his time at Chelsea. Loftus-Cheek, who last joined the national team in November 2018, became the 13th midfielder called up to the national team during Tuchel's era.

"I was visiting family in England when I received a message, 'where are you?' It has been a long time since I was here (with the national team). I played for Thomas for one and a half seasons. We had wonderful times together. I am happy to be back and reunited with him," said Loftus-Cheek.

The emergence of new names in the midfield is closely related to the absence of Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham, who are still injured. Several players who were previously called up, Curtis Jones and Kobbie Mainoo, were not included due to their limited playing time with their respective clubs.

Tuchel stated that Wharton and Anderson were brought in due to their significant potential. They also played a major role in the success of their respective clubs last season. Anderson, 22 years old, is particularly special as he recently led the "Young Three Lions" to victory in the U-21 European Championship in June.

Compared to Wharton, the 29-year-old Loftus-Cheek is indeed limited in terms of potential. However, when fit, he has been a reliable player for Milan since the 2023-24 season. Loftus-Cheek deserves a call-up to the national team, especially given the chemistry he has developed with Tuchel.

On the other hand, there are similarities between Anderson and Loftus-Cheek. They are both versatile midfielders. Anderson can play as an attacking midfielder and a holding midfielder, as well as on the wing. This flexibility is similar to Loftus-Cheek, who was once relied upon as a wing-back by Tuchel.

"When I came to Chelsea, he (Tuchel) asked me to play as a wing-back. I didn't want to, but I ended up playing in that position. I played in many positions under Tuchel. Since my time in Milan, I have been used to playing higher up and closer to the striker," said Loftus-Cheek, who is ready to be deployed anywhere.

That flexibility will assist the coach's tactical freedom. The English game has remained very rigid since being led by Tuchel last October. Their attacks are easily read by opponents, as seen in their narrow 1-0 victory over Andorra in the last qualifying match in June.

In the match against the team ranked 174th in the world, England was able to dominate ball possession up to 83 percent. They also recorded 20 shots. However, they only scored one goal through Kane in the 50th minute. This monotonous performance drew a lot of criticism.

In the two previous meetings against Andorra in 2021, England achieved a victory with a total aggregate score of 9-0. At that time, the Three Lions were still coached by Gareth Southgate, who is known for his pragmatic approach. "We need to improve many things. That is our goal in these two qualifying matches," said Tuchel.

The last time they competed, in mid-June, England suffered a 1-3 defeat to Senegal in a home friendly match. Tuchel experimented with a 4-4-2 formation, instead of the usual 4-2-3-1, featuring the midfield duo of Declan Rice and Conor Gallagher.

Despite the presence of new names, veteran midfielders are still trusted by Tuchel. Rice and Jordan Henderson have been called up for the third consecutive time by the coach. Arsenal winger Eberechi Eze has also been summoned. Additionally, Eze can also play as an attacking midfielder.

Former England striker Wayne Rooney said Tuchel is still far from his full potential. The qualifying matches so far, against Latvia, Andorra, and Albania, haven't been a complete reflection of the coach's brilliance. "I think he's a great manager," he told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes, you already know when the team is going to win. That can be boring. There are 10 opposing defensive players, and you have to break that down. Tuchel needs a match worthy of showcasing his abilities. I think he will be just fine," said Rooney. (AP/REUTERS)