Tuchel keeps every England player on trial as World Cup selection remains open

Thomas Tuchel said every player remains on trial for England as he continued to reshape the national side with nine months left before next summer’s World Cup in the United States. The Germany-born coach has used his early months in charge to test a broad pool of players, make tactical tweaks and resist naming a settled core while evaluating form, fitness and adaptability.

Tuchel has called 37 players into three recent camps — 12 defenders, 12 midfielders, 10 forwards and three goalkeepers — and warned he does not expect a settled 23‑ or 24‑player group by the end of November or even by March. England have seven international fixtures, beginning with Serbia on Tuesday, before Tuchel names a preliminary World Cup squad, and the manager said club seasons and decisive matches will continue to affect selection. "Of course I know some players that I trust and that I want to do good for us and for their clubs but we have to be open to any development in any direction," he said. John Stones and Adam Wharton did not feature in the recent camp because of injury.

England’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra on Saturday offered mixed evidence of progress. The result matched other qualifiers in outcome, but the performance highlighted issues Tuchel wants to address. Across four qualifiers this campaign England have scored eight goals while their aggregated expected goals (xG) stands at about 11, indicating a shortfall in chance conversion and particularly in the quality of chances created. Saturday’s xG was 2.21, produced at home against the 174th-ranked international side.

Harry Kane, who has scored six goals for Bayern Munich this season, was largely peripheral against Andorra and registered 12 touches. Tuchel highlighted the need for England to be more ruthless in chance creation rather than only in finishing. The coach has emphasised evolving the way England move the ball and how coaching messages are delivered, a process he described as a constant process of tweaking and learning.

Tuchel’s selection policy has kept the forward positions competitive. He has insisted on assessing players up close rather than pre-emptively narrowing his options, a stance that has left established names and newcomers all under consideration. Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Dominic Solanke are among the players contesting attacking roles, and Watkins has been viewed as making a strong case despite some recent club setbacks.

One of the clearest outcomes of the most recent camp was the emergence of Elliot Anderson. The former Newcastle youngster, now at Nottingham Forest, produced the brightest display for England, pressing aggressively to win possession on the edge of Andorra’s box and creating a notable second-half chance. That work — including Reece James tucking in behind him during moments of pressure — provided tangible evidence of the pressing and positional shifts Tuchel has been trying to instill at St George’s Park.

Other positions remain unsettled. Left back Myles Lewis-Skelly started against Andorra despite being a backup at Arsenal, underscoring the breadth of Tuchel’s evaluations. Defending the approach, Dan Burn, one of the manager’s regular selections, said: "The manager's sort of chopped and changed. I think he's probably still learning what he wants from his players."

Tuchel and assistant Anthony Barry have framed the assignment as an extended process that requires flexibility. The coach has described his early tenure as effectively an 18‑month assignment and has warned that the squad taking a training camp in the United States next summer could look very different from the group tested so far.

With limited time together and a long club season ahead, England’s manager is prioritising adaptability and form over continuity. The coming fixtures, beginning in Belgrade, and the remainder of the club campaign will provide further data for Tuchel as he refines his preferred personnel and playing style ahead of a World Cup that remains less than a year away.