Thomas Tuchel is still getting his feet properly under the desk, but the early signs from this England side are enough to get the blood pumping. The T...
Thomas Tuchel is still getting his feet properly under the desk, but the early signs from this England side are enough to get the blood pumping. The Three Lions went in at the break locked at 2. 2, a scoreline that flattered nobody and suggested a cagey, muddled affair might be on the cards. Croatia, to their credit, had found joy on the counter, pulling England's defensive lines out of shape with that trademark transitional play of theirs. You could feel the tension in the air, the sort of anxiety that makes you want to hide behind your scarf.Enter Jude Bellingham. The man is becoming a habit for England, a blessed addiction that the nation is only too happy to feed. Barely a minute after the restart, he collected the ball in a pocket of space, just outside the Croatian box. There was no hesitation, no ponderous assessment of his options. He took one touch to set himself, another to shift the ball onto his right, and then he unleashed a clinical finish that left the goalkeeper with no chance. The net rippled, the England bench erupted, and Tuchel punched the air with a relief that felt almost personal.This was not just a goal; it was a statement of intent from a player who refuses to accept the narrative of a rebuilding team. Bellingham has that rare ability to drag a game by the scruff of the neck, to impose his will on a contest that is threatening to drift. In a tournament setting, where fine margins and moments of individual brilliance so often decide the tie, that kind of wilful personality is gold dust. England, for all their possession and patterns, had been searching for a spark. Bellingham provided a bonfire.The question now is whether Tuchel's side can manage the game. They have shown a tendency to wobble when the lead is slender, a habit that will need to be exorcised if they are to go deep. But for the moment, let us savour the audacity. A 3. 2 lead, carved out by a player who looks every inch the talisman. If this is the template for the Tuchel era, then strap yourselves in. It is going to be a heck of a ride.
