Englandvs.Albania

In what is a mismatch on paper, the teams convene in Group K of World Cup 2026 qualifying, where the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich head coach will be expected to oversee a straightforward win in his inaugural game.

Tuchel is currently working with a group of 26 players at St George's Park after announcing his first squad, which triggered the usual debate and criticism, and the German boss faces a few key dilemmas before the first whistle on his England career blows.

Here, Sports Mole analyses three critical decisions that Tuchel will be mulling over ahead of his first match as Three Lions boss.

Three or four at the back?

Also a age-old question during the eight-year reign of Gareth Southgate - will Tuchel opt for the three or four-man backline as England head coach?

The 51-year-old is well-versed in deploying both systems, primarily using the 3-4-2-1 shape while head coach of Chelsea, as Reece James and Ben Chilwell thrived as wing-backs during the Blues' run to Champions League glory in 2020-21.

However, while the injury-hit James was called up to Tuchel's first squad, the 25-year-old has been occupying more of a central role for Enzo Maresca's Chelsea of late, and none of England's left-sided options really stand out as wing-backs.

After taking the Bayern reins from Julian Nagelsmann, Tuchel normally fielded a 4-2-3-1 setup, unsurprising given he took charge of a side expected to dominate opponents in both possession and attacking metrics from the off.

Given the calibre of opposition in World Cup qualifying, it would raise eyebrows if Tuchel did not side with a four-man defence on Friday, although he could very well do a Southgate and switch to the 3-4-2-1 against more revered foes.

The full-back dilemma

With no Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw, Lewis Hall or the retired Kieran Trippier in Tuchel's first squad, the door may be open for some wild-card options to stake their claim for wing-back starts, and the German is hardly deprived of such options.

Curiously, Tuchel can arguably pick from a selection of four left-backs, none of whom have been out-and-out left-backs for the entirety of their careers; Dan Burn, Levi Colwill, Tino Livramento and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The former and latter are eagerly awaiting their first England caps this week, and given Lewis-Skelly's exceptional form as Arsenal's first-choice left-back - overtaking summer signing Riccardo Calafiori - it would not be a shock to see the perpetually unfazed teenager get the nod.

Livramento's exceptional 1v1 ability and Burn's physical dominance will give Tuchel food for thought, although the latter is just as much of an option as the left-sided centre-back in Harry Maguire's absence, as is Chelsea's Colwill.

As Tuchel mainly sided with experienced players over embryonic talents in his first squad, 34-year-old Kyle Walker seemingly has a good chance of featuring on the right, but James is in with just as much of a shout.

The Chelsea man was fielded as both an out-and-out right-back and right wing-back under Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, and the German knows all about managing right-backs who are competent centrally, having used Joshua Kimmich in defence for the second half of the 2023-24 season with Bayern.

Who will be England's number 10?

Cole Palmer's withdrawal through injury means that a plethora of players will be sticking their hands up for starts in the number 10 slot - if Tuchel is to go down the 4-2-3-1 avenue - and there are arguably as many as six options for the role of creator-in-chief.

Jude Bellingham may be the first name on fans' lips, and with good reason, but there is every chance that Tuchel will deploy the Real Madrid phenom as his number eight alongside Declan Rice, who as we know is terrific going forward for Arsenal but is one of the more natural number sixes in the England camp.

Tuchel could opt for a Rice-Jordan Henderson double pivot instead, but the reaction to Henderson being called up was not amiable, and the Ajax veteran starting for England again may not be received warmly by fans inside Wembley; he was memorably booed by his own supporters against Australia in late 2023.

As Bellingham can make storming runs from deep as the number eight, Tuchel ought to consider starting the 21-year-old as Rice's partner, meaning a five-way shootout between Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Curtis Jones, Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White for the playmakers' position.

Based on recent form alone, either Rogers or Gibbs-White should be first in line if Tuchel goes for the Bellingham-Rice midfield two, although the latter initially missing out on selection before Palmer pulled out does not bode well for his chances of starting.

Written by

Ben Knapton