The winners and losers from Thomas Tuchel’s first England camp | Football

Thomas Tuchel’s reign as England manager got underway with routine wins against Albania and Latvia, but the German still has much to ponder after his first international break with his new squad.

With under 18 months to go until the 2026 World Cup, Tuchel was keen to hit the ground running and showcase proof of a new, more aggressive England side.

And while the manner of England’s two victories still left plenty of room for improvement, there were early signs that the former Chelsea and Bayern manager was capable of moving the side on from Gareth Southgate’s caution-first approach.

That pressure to deliver is no doubt on those in his squad, too, who know all too well how few opportunities they have to impress before next summer in North America.

With Tuchel’s first camp in the books, here’s who will be pleased and perhaps concerned with how the last fortnight panned out.

Winner: Myles Lewis-Skelly

Myles Lewis-Skelly’s meteoric rise showed no signs of slowing down and the Arsenal youngster now seems firmly embedded within Tuchel’s plans moving forward.

Lewis-Skelly started both games – scoring on his debut against Albania – and showcased his tactical versatility, getting forward as a more traditional left-back but also inverting to play alongside Declan Rice in the heart of midfield.

Lewis Hall’s return from injury will provide some healthy competition for the 18-year-old but right now, the left-back position already looks his to lose.

Loser: Phil Foden

While Tuchel showed some early signs of progress with his England squad, the German was unable to find a quick fix to the age-old problem of Phil Foden’s struggles for the national team.

Foden has not had his best season for Manchester City, far from it, but he remains a mercurial talent who should form a vital cog to any England side over the next few years.

But after another disappointing international break, which saw him benched in place of Jarrod Bowen for England’s second game, questions will again be asked about whether the 24-year-old warrants his space in the starting XI.

And with Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer still to return to England duty from their injuries, those calls may soon become too loud to ignore.

Winner: Reece James

Given his rotten luck with injuries, Reece James may well just be happy to see out the international break without another setback.

However, with a man-of-the-match performance against Latvia, the Chelsea captain has done far more than that and staked his claim to be the long-term replacement for Kyle Walker.

Tuchel has made no bones about his affinity with the right-back after their shared successes at Chelsea, and James now looks poised to become a cornerstone of the German’s side once again if he can keep himself fit in the coming months.

Loser: Trent Alexander-Arnold

And therefore, through no fault of his own, Trent Alexander-Arnold finds himself on the outside looking in again in an England shirt.

The Liverpool full-back has had a superb season for Arne Slot’s side, but an untimely injury meant the 26-year-old did not have the opportunity to showcase his talents this time around.

Despite his obvious talents, fitting Alexander-Arnold into an England starting lineup proved a problem for Southgate and Tuchel may now be wrestling with the same issue.

The right-back will surely get chances to impress in the coming international breaks, but James has no doubt stolen a march on his fellow full-back.

Winner: Ezri Konsa

With John Stones once again struggling for fitness, Ezri Konsa was picked to start both games this camp and produced two solid performances at the heart of Tuchel’s defence.

Konsa has had to bide his time having started just one game at last summer’s Euro 2024, but the Aston Villa defender may have nipped above Marc Guehi in the pecking order at this early stage.

Sterner tests are to come, but Konsa’s calmness on the ball and versatility in a number of roles and positions across the back line appeared to go down well with his new boss.

Loser: Morgan Gibbs-White

It’s hard to think what else Morgan Gibbs-White could do at club level to impress Tuchel given his superb exploits at Nottingham Forest this season.

Only afforded a spot in Tuchel’s squad after Palmer’s withdrawal, Gibbs-White didn’t feature in the matchday squad against Albania before being an unused substitute against Latvia.

The midfielder is trying to stand out in a crowded market and perhaps only vying for an impact role off the bench to replace England’s focal point, Jude Bellingham.

However, with Morgan Rogers impressing from the start against Latvia and Eberechi Eze scoring off the bench, Gibbs-White’s path to becoming an England regular now appears even more convoluted.

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