Thomas Tuchel has handed Trent Alexander-Arnold a surprise England recall for the upcoming Nations League matches, but the head coach has made clear the Real Madrid right-back must bring defensive solidity to the squad. Tuchel’s message to the player has not changed since their last get-together.
This is only the second time Tuchel has selected Alexander-Arnold, the first coming for the games against Andorra and Senegal in June last year. On that occasion Tuchel made headlines by urging him to focus on the defensive side of his game or risk a slip that could undermine the team’s World Cup campaign. He used him as a 64th-minute substitute against Andorra, and Alexander-Arnold was out of the picture by the time England travelled to North America for the tournament. He returns now despite having started only three of Madrid’s seven matches this season and largely going under the radar with his performances.
Asked whether Alexander-Arnold offers enough defensively, Tuchel was blunt. “He has to, it’s necessary,” he said. “My conviction is that he will but he has no choice.”
Tuchel continues to view Alexander-Arnold, who is famed for the range of his passing, as a right-back rather than a midfielder. The head coach has previously said he has Tino Livramento and Jarell Quansah ahead of Alexander-Arnold in the right-back pecking order, and he has named both of them in the squad for the games against Spain at home, Czechia home and away, and Croatia away.
Tuchel has been unable to call on his first-choice right-back, Reece James, or Djed Spence, who can operate in either full-back position, because of injuries. Ben White is also injured, and Tuchel said he would have considered him. The centre-half Ezri Konsa, who is in the squad, has played at right-back.
Tuchel said he had spoken to Alexander-Arnold to tell him he would not go to the World Cup, but had not called him this time. “He heard the good news over the nomination,” he said. “I am not sure a lot of things have changed. I know what he is capable of. I know about his talent. I know what he is saying: that he is desperate to play for England and he will fight for his shirt. It’s a long camp and it’s a good moment to show up. It’s a chance for Trent to claim what he feels is his – his place on the right side. So here we go.”
Alexander-Arnold was the headline selection on a day when Tuchel gave further recalls to Jarrad Branthwaite, Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Alex Scott, Cole Palmer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He also included Rio Ngumoha. Dean Henderson, John Stones, Dan Burn and Jordan Henderson miss out because of injury, while Noni Madueke, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney have been dropped. Tuchel overlooked Levi Colwill, Adam Wharton, Phil Foden and Morgan Gibbs-White.
There was also no recall for Harry Maguire. Tuchel had given the defender hope of involvement at the World Cup when he selected him against Uruguay and Japan in March, before ignoring him for the tournament. The decision drew an outspoken response, with Maguire using social media to pronounce himself “shocked and gutted”. His mother, Zoe, said she was “disgusted” by the call.
Of Maguire’s reaction, Tuchel said: “I will not hold it against him for the rest of his life because I’m not that type of person. I can forget easily and quickly. But I didn’t like it and it doesn’t help.” Tuchel added that he had not spoken to Maguire since.