Thomas Tuchel has thrown the first real curveball of his England tenure. The final name on the 26 man World Cup squad list is Djed Spence, the Tottenh...
Thomas Tuchel has thrown the first real curveball of his England tenure. The final name on the 26 man World Cup squad list is Djed Spence, the Tottenham full back who offers tactical flexibility on both flanks. It is a selection that raises eyebrows and questions alike, particularly when you consider the absence of Trent Alexander Arnold from the travelling party.Let us be honest. Leaving out a player of Alexander Arnold's technical range is a statement. Tuchel clearly values defensive solidity and direct transitional play over a quarterback style creator from deep. Spence, who has spent much of the season as an understudy, now finds himself as the boss's trusted utility man. He can tuck in, he can overlap, and crucially he can operate in a back four or a back five. In tournament football, that kind of versatility is gold dust.Then there is Ivan Toney. The wild card nobody saw coming. Or did they The sense around St George's Park is that Toney's move to Saudi Arabia has actually worked in his favour. Playing in searing heat week after week means his body is conditioned for the kind of humidity you find in the gulf. Plus, let us not dance around it, the man is a whizz from twelve yards. If this tournament goes to penalties, and it so often does, Tuchel has a specialist in the back pocket. It is a gamble, sure, but it is a calculated one.What about the Premier League finale The domestic curtain call will be frantic. Squeaky bum time is upon us and clubs are jostling for position. But for England fans, the focus has already shifted. The squad is set. The noise is building. Tuchel has made his bed, and now he must lie in it.
