Thomas Tuchel faces England questions as World Cup countdown begins

LONDON – England return to World Cup qualifying, with manager Thomas Tuchel under pressure to solve a host of issues that threaten his bid to win the 2026 tournament.

The German has made an underwhelming start to his reign and he must use qualifiers against Andorra (Sept 6) and Serbia (Sept 9) to resolve the problems that marred his first four games.

Here is a look at the most pressing topics ahead of the clash with Andorra at Villa Park.

1. Lift the gloom

England sit top of Group K with three wins from three games, six goals scored and none conceded – but appearances can be deceptive.

Tuchel’s side laboured to a 2-0 win against Albania in his first match in March and then needed two second-half goals to put a flattering gloss on a 3-0 victory over Latvia.

And the sight of England labouring to a 1-0 win over minnows Andorra in June must have been alarming for Tuchel.

But worse was to come as the Three Lions finished their summer schedule with a dismal 3-1 defeat by Senegal in a friendly.

England’s first loss to an African side provoked a scathing response from angry fans frustrated by the team’s lethargic display.

It was a far cry from Tuchel’s bold claim that he wanted his team to play an attacking style that would cast off the caution showed by his predecessor Gareth Southgate.

There is little doubt England will make the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, but ending their 60-year wait for a major trophy is the true test of Tuchel’s mettle.

The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss needs to restore faith by masterminding a comprehensive victory in the Andorra rematch before a tricky trip to face Serbia in Belgrade.

An England win over Serbia – their only likely rivals for top spot in Group K – would serve as a significant statement of intent on the road to the World Cup.

2. Build a cohesive midfield

Tuchel has called up 13 different midfielders in his three squads, underlining his struggle to establish a cohesive unit in the engine room.

He has asked Declan Rice to play in the more advanced central midfield position that he has excelled in for Arsenal.

That leaves a spot for a more defensive midfielder, which Jordan Henderson filled against Andorra.

Yet, at 35, Henderson hardly looks the ideal solution, despite Tuchel’s regard for the Brentford veteran’s leadership qualities.

Jude Bellingham’s absence due to injury is a blow, although it allows Tuchel to move on from his controversial claim that his mother finds the Real Madrid star’s on-pitch behaviour “repulsive”.

That faux pas forced the German into a grovelling apology and raised serious questions about his man-management.

Without Bellingham, Tuchel could turn to Nottingham Forest’s uncapped Elliot Anderson or AC Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who features for the first time in nearly seven years and thrived under the German at Chelsea.

3. Create chances for Kane

England’s sluggish play in the final third has been a recurring problem for Tuchel and injuries to Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer have added to the worry.

The team look no more dynamic than they did under Southgate and perceptions of Tuchel’s tactics are already beginning to skew towards the sceptical.

Creating enough chances for captain Harry Kane – England’s record goalscorer – must be the primary aim before the World Cup.

He will choose from Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke and Jarrod Bowen to provide the supply lines against Andorra and Serbia.

4. Settle on fullbacks

Using Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones at right-back and Chelsea right-back Reece James at left-back in the June qualifier against Andorra showed that Tuchel is still scrambling for solutions in England’s defence.

Clarity remains elusive as Tuchel surprisingly dropped Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold from the current squad and gave a maiden call-up to Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence.

James was retained and will compete with Spence, Tino Livramento and Myles Lewis-Skelly for the fullback roles. AFP