Thomas Tuchel hones an England squad to suit his tactical vision The head coach will not necessarily pick the better player, or the one in form, but the one who best fits a specific role. Amid the intrigue of the final weeks of the domestic season, there is a reminder that the World Cup is fast approaching. England have just four more warm-up games before they face Croatia in their first group game in Arlington in June. Tuchel’s plans are coming into focus: these friendlies against Uruguay and Japan are the last chance for experiments or tests before the final honing in the USA. Tuchel has been refreshingly consistent in prioritising balance over individuals. Even Gareth Southgate fell into the celebrity trap near the end, his Euro 2024 squad a shapeless gaggle of stars who scrambled to the final despite an old-fashioned incoherence. For Tuchel, the stars-versus-system question crystallises around the central attacking midfield role, where Morgan Rogers has been preferred to Jude Bellingham in recent games. Although Cole Palmer has shown some signs of returning to form, that still feels like the highest-profile selection decision for Tuchel, particularly given his apparent disquiet around Bellingham’s robust self-confidence and the impact that may have on the rest of the squad. Bellingham hasn’t played since sustaining a hamstring injury at the beginning of February and will not feature against Uruguay. Rogers is one of 11 players who will not join up with the squad until after that first game, so with Bellingham unable to make his case, this is perhaps an opportunity for Palmer or Phil Foden. Given his capacity to play from the right and deputise for Bukayo Saka, Palmer would presumably go to the World Cup anyway; Foden’s place is less secure but bolstered by his versatility.#jude_bellingham #morgan_rogers #trent_alexander_arnold #thomas_tuchel #gareth_southgate
Aston Villa Returns to Europa League Action with Captain John McGinn Back Aston Villa kicked off its Europa League round-of-16 clash against Lille on Thursday with the return of captain John McGinn from a seven-week knee injury absence. The Scottish midfielder, who missed Villa’s Premier League defeat to Everton in January, rejoined the squad ahead of the match. Teammate Morgan Rogers praised McGinn’s impact, calling his comeback a significant boost for the team. “He puts a smile on people’s faces, he plays with that smile, wears the badge on his sleeve and he brings a lot to our team,” Rogers said. The match marked a rematch between Villa and Lille, who previously faced off in the Conference League quarterfinals two years ago. At that time, Unai Emery’s Lille side advanced past Villa in a penalty shootout. This year’s encounter, however, sees Villa competing in the Europa League, a tournament that has undergone format changes since last season. The competition now features a single-standings league phase followed by a knockout bracket, allowing teams from the same country to meet at any stage of the knockout rounds. This shift means national derbies, such as the Italian derby between Bologna and Roma, are possible earlier in the tournament than before. Other notable fixtures in the Europa League included Nottingham Forest’s clash against Danish club Midtjylland, as the English side aims to focus on progression despite relegation concerns. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo hosted Lyon in the first leg of their tie, with Real Betis traveling to Panathinaikos and Stuttgart welcoming Porto. Bundesliga representatives Freiburg also took on Genk in a midweek match. In the Conference League, Crystal Palace faced AEK Larnaca in London, continuing the competition’s mix of domestic and international matchups.#aston_villa #john_mcginn #morgan_rogers #lille #europa_league
