Tuchel's defensive gamble leaves Alexander-Arnold out in the cold again
England manager Thomas Tuchel continues to prioritize physical, defensively solid players, repeatedly overlooking Trent Alexander-Arnold as he finalizes his World Cup squad.
Thomas Tuchel has reinforced his preference for tall, physical defenders by replacing Livramento with Trevoh Chalobah in his latest England squad, suggesting that Ezri Konsa will be chosen ahead of Marc Guehi to face Croatia. Chalobah, who has only one senior England cap from a 3-1 defeat to Senegal a year ago, has received a huge vote of confidence from Tuchel.
John Stones, 32, remains England's most classy and experienced defender, but he has struggled with injuries, starting only five Premier League games last season. Chelsea captain Reece James has been hampered by regular hamstring problems, starting just 20 league games. Tuchel will have to carefully manage their fitness in the searing conditions of the World Cup.
The Three Lions' defence is the least settled area of the team. Tuchel's decision to select a central defender like Chalobah rather than a natural full-back replacement further indicates that Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of the picture. Alexander-Arnold's fate seemed sealed in August when Tuchel left him out of the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. In June, Tuchel even picked Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones ahead of him at right-back.
Tuchel has been clear about his concerns over Alexander-Arnold's defensive frailties, stating: "One defensive error, one moment where you are not 100% awake, can be decisive. It can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home." As a result, one of England's most naturally gifted footballers continues to be overlooked.
Alexander-Arnold was not included in Tuchel's 35-man squad for March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, and missed out again when reinforcements were needed. Tuchel instead selected Ben White, who has not been a regular at club level and had been in self-imposed England exile since the 2022 World Cup. Alexander-Arnold did make the provisional 55-man squad, but that was far from a ringing endorsement.
In contrast, under-21 coach Lee Carsley used Alexander-Arnold at left-back in a Nations League win in Finland, where he scored a superb free-kick. He started four of six games under Carsley but none of Tuchel's 14. Tuchel's focus on squad togetherness may have also made him wary of having such a high-profile player on the margins as a potential distraction.
Tuchel has made clear he wants the best team, not the 26 most talented players, saying "Teams win championships." This approach has also led to the omission of Luke Shaw, Lewis Hall, and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Harry Maguire admitted he was "shocked and gutted" to be left out, with Tuchel having previously stated Maguire was fifth choice.
