Thomas Tuchel’s Predicted England Starting 11 vs Latvia
Daniel Hepburn
15 – 20 minutes
Thomas Tuchel’s England got off to a flyer against Albania. Harry Kane and debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly scored at Wembley Stadium in front of a roaring 90,000-strong capacity – and the German tactician and his entourage have now turned their attentions to facing Latvia in their second World Cup qualifier.
Widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football, Krumbach-born Tuchel has the solitary objective in mind: to win the 2026 World Cup. As a result, he’s using the March international break to assess the options at his disposal and form a clearer picture ahead of next summer’s showpiece tournament.
Thomas Tuchel and an England background.
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In preparation for the Three Lions’ encounter against Latvia, Tuchel has hinted at a degree of rotation. “We have reasons to let all of them play again and do stuff a bit better and find a rhythm together. But we have reports from the physical department where some players are flagged with slight concerns.”
“Let’s see, it’s only the second day after the match, and we have to be cautious and could make sense to put some fresh players in who deserve to play. It could be a mix between both.” he continued, per The Standard. On the back of the German’s comments and their display, GIVEMESPORT have formed a predicted XI.
Goalkeeper and Defence
Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, Myles Lewis-Skelly
Jordan Pickford, who plies his trade for Everton at club level, is continuing to fend off competition from the likes of Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale and the young and hungry James Trafford – and is likely to keep his spot against Latvia. Lewis-Skelly will also likely keep his place after impressively breaking his England duck with a goal and a Man of the Match gong to go alongside it.
A prodigy at the heart of Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly has been one of the standout talents to emerge in England’s top division this term – and the left-back’s strike in his first display in the fabled white is evidence of his talent and potential influence. Having been overlooked in Tuchel’s first game in the dugout, Marc Guehi could be back in.
Screenshot 2024-04-04 at 12.14.09
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Dan Burn played instead of Guehi, one of England’s standout performers at Euro 2024, but the Newcastle United man’s shaky debut could see the latter return to the heart of the back line. The defender’s perfect blend of defensive know-how and intelligence could help England in their patient build-up play.
Chelsea duo Reece James, who has previous experience working under Tuchel’s stewardship, and Liverpool-linked Levi Colwill could form the rest of Tuchel’s four-man defence. The former was handed minimal minutes against Albania while the latter was reduced to sitting on the bench – but both could be handed starts as Tuchel aims to offer all members of his inaugural squad a chance to impress.
Midfield
Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham
Looking ahead towards next summer and beyond, Tuchel’s three-man midfield will (for sure) include Arsenal lynchpin Declan Rice and Real Madrid enforcer Jude Bellingham, both of whom are commonly admired as two of the greatest midfielders in world football. Bellingham is the poster boy for Los Blancos – and that notion transcends onto the international stage for the 1966 World Cup winners.
His assist for Lewis-Skelly’s debut goal is the epitome of what Bellingham is about – he grabs the game by the scruff of the neck and produces moments and that’ll be an attractive prospect for Gareth Southgate’s successor in his first foray into international management. Rice, too, should be one of the first names on Tuchel’s teamsheet, given how well he’s played for club and country over the years.
jude bellingham declan rice
But the ex-Chelsea custodian has a headache to sort: and that’s who joins the aforementioned duad. Against Albania, it was Curtis Jones darting around in the engine room but the seasoned Jordan Henderson could be in line to demote his ex-Liverpool teammate as, although his inclusion elicited initial shock, Tuchel is keen to rely on his experience with the national team.
Attack
Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane, Jarrod Bowen
Anthony Gordon, was it not for his injury and subsequent withdrawal from Tuchel’s squad, would have been in line for a start given his 16-minute cameo on Friday night – but his absence spells optimism for Morgan Rogers, who could displace his Aston Villa teammate Marcus Rashford on the wing. Albeit centrally at club level, Rogers’ performances have been brilliant this season, and it’s time to see whether that can translate onto the international circuit.
With Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney not in the squad, Kane’s only competition is that of Dominic Solanke – but given a) his duties as captain and b) his wonderfully-taken strike on Friday, it’s hard to see a world where he’s dropped. The talisman, widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, will likely lead the line, whatever the weather – and it helps that Tuchel is a fan.
Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United enjoyed 16 minutes off the bench in Tuchel’s first England match, but the former’s wide man conundrum, what with Rashford and Phil Foden’s struggles and Gordon’s injury, could be alleviated by the ex-Hull City marksman, who has notched the solitary strike in 15 appearances for his nation.
England’s Predicted XI vs Latvia:
england predicted xi latvia
