Thomas Tuchel’s pre-World Cup experimentation must surely end here and now, after a glorified training session masquerading as an international friendly ended with a 1-0 win over World Cup minnows New Zealand in Tampa’s searing heat.
The England head coach sent out two entirely separate teams — one for each half — for the first time since June 2004, using 22 different players against the tournament’s lowest-ranked side. Harry Kane scored the only goal, but the performance was so low-key that Tuchel himself admitted context was needed.
“Tuchel’s experimental 1-0 win over New Zealand underlined need for a settled side before World Cup opener vs Croatia.”
“To put it in context, a lot of our players last played together in November,” said Tuchel. “That’s half a year ago. We had four training sessions together, then mixed the team up completely.”
The German was without key Arsenal figures and certain starters Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, afforded a rest after their Premier League title-winning exertions and the Champions League final loss to Paris St-Germain. Both have now joined the squad in Florida, giving Tuchel a full deck ahead of Wednesday’s final warm-up against Costa Rica in Orlando.
Tuchel has taken his own share of responsibility for the situation, having made experimental selections in March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan — fielding Phil Foden up front against Japan, and later deploying James Garner and Dominic Solanke. None of those three made his World Cup squad. Ivan Toney came on for the second half in Tampa after spending a year in the England wilderness.
Yet there were bright spots. Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha, 17, made an “amazing” debut as a half-time substitute, and Jude Bellingham — who captained the side in the second half — presented him with his cap in the dressing room. “Congratulations on an amazing debut and I think we all enjoyed watching it,” Bellingham told him. “Obviously you’re going to have a really bright future at your club and hopefully with us as well.” Jordan Pickford added: “He was quality, nothing fazed him.” Ngumoha was one of four training players not in the original 55-man FIFA list, so cannot be promoted to the World Cup squad.
Elsewhere, Anthony Gordon’s £70m move to Barcelona was welcomed by Tuchel. “It is excellent,” he said. “It is such a nice trip for me to watch matches. I can fly there and watch him there in the Champions League. He will enter one of the biggest clubs in the world and a totally new style of playing football.” Gordon will compete with Marcus Rashford for a starting spot against Croatia on June 17.
With the clock ticking down to England’s opening World Cup game against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday, 17 June, Tuchel must now show his winning hand. The Costa Rica friendly is the chance to wheel out the big guns. Any more experimentation would be a dangerous gamble.