In what has been a monumental shake-up, the England national team has been restructured as they prepare for their next World Cup Qualifiers. Manager Thomas Tuchel has taken the bold step of leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the squad entirely. He’s recalled fiery forward Marcus Rashford for their must-win playoff legs against Andorra and Serbia. The Men’s National Team will begin their World Cup campaign on September 6 when they take on Andorra. Only a few days later, they’ll face off against Serbia on September 9th.
Aside from all the new changes, Tuchel has brought in some new blood. Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton, who’ve both played under-21s football for England, have earned their first senior call-ups. Additionally, Max Dowman—the youngest of the lot at 15 years old—has received his first call-up to the England U19 squad. Notable players returning after missing out on previous camps include… Included in that list are Marc Guehi, John Stones, Jarrod Bowen and Ollie Watkins.
Key Upcoming Matches
England’s World Cup qualifying campaign kicks off with a match against Andorra on September 6 at 5:00 PM. This will be followed by a match against Serbia on September 9 at 7:45 PM. These games are imperative, as they seek to qualify for the 2024 World Cup.
Later in the year, England will play a friendly match against Wales on October 9 at 7:45 PM, followed closely by another qualifier against Latvia on October 14 at 7:45 PM. In November, they will face Serbia again on November 13 at 7:45 PM and conclude their qualifiers with a match against Albania on November 16 at 5:00 PM.
Their inclusion, along with that of Anderson, represents Tuchel’s desire to mix life-affirming experience with youthful exuberance.
Notable Absences and Injuries
Despite these seeming improvements, the expanded homegrown squad will be sank without mercy by that old engine—injuries. Besides Trevoh Chalobah, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Levi Colwill will miss this camp. Their departures leave holes on the roster. If England are to have any hope of doing well in the upcoming matches, they need to address these gaps.
Tuchel made no secret of his admiration for a few of the players missing from the scoresheet today. Let me be frank, there is no doubt I’m a huge fan of Trent and Jack, of their talent and personalities. Maybe not the latter two just yet, but they will perpetually be big players and in the mix to be called up. I understand that both are chomping at the bit to return,” he added.
Tuchel’s Strategy Going Forward
The decision to recall Rashford by Tuchel is based on a remarkable season in which he had an important role to play with his club. At the same time, the manager was able to articulate his decision-making process. We invited both to come up because we think they earned it. Last season, they were among the players who made up the secret sauce in two of the biggest underdog campaigns in club history. And everyone knows that it’s time for a little fresh blood.
The coach’s selections reflect a balance of experience and youth, as he aims to build a competitive squad capable of advancing through the qualifiers. Guehi, Stones, Bowen and Watkins return. The most competitive area of the pitch is actually defence. Their return fortifies the depth of the team’s preparation for these important games.
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