Thomas Tuchel has been unveiled as England’s new manager, starting his 18 month tenure in January 2025. In this article, INMR explains Tuchel’s tactics and how he might set up the England squad in the build up to the World Cup and beyond.
Tuchel’s arrival comes with a lot of excitement, especially given his impressive track record across major European clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich. However there is a lot of controversy too, with many fans upset that a German coach is going to be in charge of the English national team.
Tuchel’s journey in football management began in Germany, where he led Mainz to Bundesliga stability before taking over Borussia Dortmund. There, he built a dynamic, high-pressing team that were able to flourish in various formations such as the 4-1-4-1 and 3-4-3.
His success continued at PSG, where he won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles and led the team to their first Champions League final using variations of the 4-3-3 and 4-2-2-2.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe highlight of his career, however, came at Chelsea. Taking over mid-season, he immediately shifted the club’s fortunes by implementing a 3-4-2-1 system. This approach focused defensive solidity and attacking fluidity and resulted in Chelsea winning the Champions League in 2021. At the Blues, Tuchel also won the UEFA Super Cup Final and Club World Cup, as well as leading his side to an FA Cup and Carabao Cup final.
Stones’ ball playing ability and tendency to step into midfield could see him play a similar role to Antonio Rudiger at Chelsea. Stones’ ability to transition into midfield could be a crucial element in Tuchel’s buildup play, which focuses on creating overloads in central areas.
Embed from Getty ImagesHis wing-backs at Chelsea, such as Reece James, would have the freedom to push forward, creating width and offering additional attacking options. These wing-backs are integral to Tuchel’s offensive strategy, as they stretch the opposition’s defensive lines and provide crosses for the attackers. In the England set up, this could see Trent Alexander-Arnold play a very important role going forward on the right hand side.
Bellingham’s versatility is crucial, as he could drop deep to support the buildup or make late runs into the box, capitalizing on spaces created by Kane dropping deeper as a false nine. Kane’s play-making ability is something Tuchel would likely maximize, similar to how he used Kai Havertz at Chelsea, linking play and create scoring opportunities for wide forwards like Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon.
Embed from Getty ImagesDeclan Rice’s role as a single pivot will be critical. Tuchel often deploys a single holding midfielder who can cover ground and break up counter-attacks. Rice’s positioning will allow other midfielders to push higher up the pitch. If Bellingham plays alongside him, Tuchel could use his energy and forward runs to break lines—creating an attacking threat that England often lacked at Euro 2024.
Tuchel’s arrival signifies a shift towards the Three Lions becoming a more difficult-to-beat team in tournaments. His success in cup competitions throughout his career suggests he could be the man to bring football home in 2026.
Written by Isabelle Newnham
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