Tuchel Seeks Bellingham's Fire So Long As England's Star Leaves Egotism at the Door.
One snub was enough. A second one and it could have seemed vindictive from Thomas Tuchel, who is extremely shrewd not to realize that securing World Cup glory will likely need help from the talented midfielder, although it is also Bellingham's responsibility to fit into the tactical structures and team pecking order essential with the national team now that he is back in Tuchel's supportive environment.
The manager seeks the player's competitive fire, his passion, but it is a matter of using it in the right way. Skill matters but the squad understand from past setbacks that there is a price to pay when stardom prevails. Still, a message has been sent.
Bellingham had plenty to reflect on after his omission of the recent team selection. He watched the national side book their place at the upcoming World Cup in his absence. He watched the young talent perform brilliantly as a high-pressing attacking midfielder. He listened as Tuchel talk about loving the team's dynamism and principles. Inevitably, Bellingham has reacted in winning fashion, finding the back of the net for Real Madrid against Barcelona and Juventus. His selection was inevitable; leaving him out again would have made his squad place in serious doubt.
The expectation is that the manager will have a Bellingham concentrating on pressuring the opposition instead of his own colleagues. After all, from a tactical perspective, there is no value to picking a fight with one of the best players in the world. The ideal scenario is that his period on the sidelines has shown him that representing the national team is a precious, precarious thing. Tuchel, for his part, can now offer support around the 22-year-old after demonstrating that he is unafraid to make big calls.
“There is no problem regarding him, and no concern about his personality,” Tuchel commented. “Bellingham just has that aggression. You need a certain edge to reach the heights that he has. Everyone must support him and establish a atmosphere where he can channel his drive towards opponents and in pursuit of success we are working towards as a team.”
The star took up most of the attention at the manager's selection reveal for the upcoming meaningless matches versus Serbia and the other. Any other news? Well, what about Phil Foden? This is another prodigious No 10 in need of coaching. He has not played for England since March and has found it hard to hit the heights this year but the boss could not ignore the 25-year-old after his performance in his club's victory versus the German side this week.
The question, though, is how to use the various creators at the team's disposal. Rogers and Eberechi Eze merit inclusion and there will be a good argument to pick another youngster once he recovers from a persistent groin problem. Would taking five No 10s to the tournament be too many? Gareth Southgate failed to discover the right blend at the European Championship. He compromised by squeezing Foden and Bellingham into the same XI, cramping the captain's influence in the process.
It seems unlikely the current manager making the same mistake if it disrupts the team harmony. There is room for a single playmaker, with fast wide players on the flanks. Clarity helps. He is selected as a central attacker. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, selected for the first occasion, is a central midfielder and the returning Wharton will vie with Elliot Anderson as a defensive midfielder. Additionally, there is no wide role for Foden, who has to be central. The coach prefers him near the striker. “It does not make sense to tell Phil: ‘We want you on the pitch but there’s no space on your best position, could you fill in at the left side? Or the other flank?’” he said. “He is to feature in the advanced midfield role, through the center. I've long had this vision about him for years. In my view it fits his style best.”
Tuchel conceded there are occasions when Foden has appeared uncomfortable in an national jersey. “You feel as if, ‘Is he truly happy? And a player like him who has obvious passion to play football, then obviously something is not right, be it the position, the setup, it's unclear.
“In my opinion he is additionally so used to playing for his club in a certain structure, with a clear task. I think he profits a lot from clear instructions. Where do you want me to be? Where exactly should I turn? Where am I supposed to accelerate the match? Where do I have to defend?
Tuchel talked about Bellingham making runs for tap-ins and the other drilling in strikes from outside the box. He added he has a longlist of 60 players. Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, James Trafford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been omitted. A new face is rewarded for his excellent performances for City at left-back. Intrigue abounds.
The omission of the striker means there is no direct replacement for the captain in this squad. Fascinatingly, Tuchel hinted at deploying the playmaker as a deep-lying striker against one opponent or Albania. Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, the midfielder and the winger are other options if he be absent. With qualification secured, this is an opportunity for trying new things.
Meanwhile, it is additionally a moment to get the understanding with his teammate flowing. It is remarkable that one must look back to Bellingham setting up the captain to net in an international match against Scotland in over a year ago to discover the sole instance in 35 games for England when the pair linked up for a goal. The coach will be aware that Kane and Bellingham only exchanged the ball a single time during the team's ties with Denmark and another at the Euros. Their partnership is missing.
“This is where at some point it falls to the responsibility of the players,” he stated. He is not afraid to be blunt. There is still a feeling of Bellingham under scrutiny. He cannot even be guaranteed to start versus the upcoming opponents. The manager desires him committed but he will be monitoring him closely. Set aside self-importance outside. Doing so could turn a very strong squad into an superior one.
