Thomas Tuchel will take charge of England for the first time when they take on Albania at Wembley on Friday, March 21st.
He will be naming his first squad this Friday, but if you were to take out players playing in foreign leagues and the traditional ‘big six’ clubs of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham, who would be Tuchel’s best 11.
Goalkeeper- Jordan Pickford
Honourable mention: Dean Henderson
Jordan Pickford has been a reliable keeper for England since the start of Southgate’s reign and typically keeps his best performances for the Merseyside derby or England. At Euro 2024, he kept two clean sheets and averaged 2.6 saves per game. He is unlikely to lose his place in the England side for now, but Dean Henderson has been very impressive for Crystal Palace this year.
Right Back- Tino Livramento
Honourable mention: Kieran Trippier
Right backs outside of the top six for England aren’t particularly strong. Both of the picks come from the same club. Trippier represents the old guard, while Tino Livramento at 22 years old, represents the new. Trippier was a crucial part of Southgate’s England team, but just like the Newcastle team, Livramento would be the first choice ahead of him in this case.
Centre-backs- Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite
Honourable mentions: Ezri Konsa and Lewis Dunk
This defensive partnership is a genuinely exciting one. Guehi has been subject to a huge amount of transfer speculation over the last 12 months while Branthwaite has started to show his best form since David Moyes has returned to Everton. His best performance recently came in the Merseyside Derby, where he was a huge part of Everton picking up a point against the league leaders.
Left Back- Lewis Hall
Honourable mention- Tyrick Mitchell
It is a real disappointment that Lewis Hall will miss the rest of this season with a foot injury. He was in with a great chance to start at left-back for England but will miss out. He has produced four Premier League assists this season and created 1.3 chances per game. Mitchell has also produced four assists but has mostly been playing as a left-wing-back for Crystal Palace, instead of the back four that I would imagine Tuchel will play with.
Defensive Midfielder- Adam Wharton
Honourable mention- Elliot Anderson
Wharton went to the Euros last summer, having only joined the Premier League the January before. Early in this season, the midfielder also picked up a serious groin injury and has only returned to start the last two Premier League games. His progressive ability has been the standout ability on show, and in his two starts since returning, he has created nine chances. Anderson has produced five assists while playing as part of a double pivot for Nottingham Forest, who are pushing for the top four.
Central Midfielders- Morgan Gibbs-White and Morgan Rogers
Honourable mentions- Marcus Tavernier and Emile Smith Rowe
Gibbs-White and Rogers joining together as a pair of Morgans in midfield may be one of the more exciting parts of this team. Both should be a part of Tuchel’s opening squad due to their brilliant performances this year. Gibbs-White has scored five and provided six assists so far this year, while Rogers has scored seven and provided four assists in the Premier League. Gibbs-White also has the incredible work-rate to support the defence as well as break into the attack of this team.
Right Wing- Jarrod Bowen
Honourable mentions- Tyler Dibling and Jacob Murphy
Jarrod Bowen felt like a reasonably simple choice for a right winger with seven goals and four assists this season. Fewer than 25 players have more goal contributions this season and Bowen has been the star his side when they have needed it. West Ham have only scored 32 goals this season, and Bowen has been involved in more than a third of them. Murphy has been excellent for Newcastle this year. However, I think his time for an England call-up may be past, while Dibling has shown his attacking talent at such a young age.
Striker- Ollie Watkins
Honourable mention- Liam Delap
Watkins has scored 13 goals and provided six assists so far this season, as well as four assists in the Champions League so far this year. For England, he scored the crucial semi-final winner in the 90th minute to beat the Dutch and get to their second successive Euros final. Delap has been a standout for Ipswich this season with 10 Premier League goals and could turn into England’s future number nine.
Left Wing- Eberechi Eze
Honourable mention: Anthony Gordon
This one may seem a little controversial, as Anthony Gordon was the player that many were calling for to save the Euros last summer. However, in a team like this, Eberechi Eze is so good to watch. Eze has five goals and nine assists in all competitions this season and could create fantastic opportunities for the quality of players available in this side.