LONDON — Thomas Tuchel began his time as England manager with a steady win on Friday. His team defeated Albania 2-0 in their first World Cup qualifying match, with goals in both halves. Myles Lewis-Skelly made a remarkable debut, scoring the first goal after 19 minutes of England’s strong start. He skillfully received a pass from Jude Bellingham through the defense and scored his first international goal.
England could have scored more in the first half, which they dominated with high energy. Harry Kane had a shot blocked near the goal line, and Dan Burn, also making his debut, almost scored with a powerful header. However, Albania played better after halftime, finding ways to counter England’s pressing and attack with their wingers.
As tension grew at Wembley, Harry Kane calmed nerves with a crucial goal. He controlled Declan Rice’s cross perfectly, created space, and then scored his 70th goal for England into the corner of the net.
Tuchel will face tougher challenges in the future. Over time, we can expect a more developed strategy from him, rather than a style similar to Gareth Southgate’s successful but familiar approach in qualifying matches. For now, this win showed some interesting changes and adjustments under the new manager.
1. High Energy Start for England
Even before the game started, a key change under Thomas Tuchel was clear: England adopted a Premier League style of high energy. Kane and Bellingham positioned themselves aggressively in midfield right from the kickoff. Bellingham’s eagerness caused a false start, showing the team’s intent to press high. When the game restarted, England quickly forced Albania to give up possession.
While attacking tactics were subtle at first—limited against a deep defending team but showing more urgency—England’s pressing stood out. Within the first 15 minutes, Declan Rice aggressively blocked an Albanian clearance, nearly setting up Kane, and Phil Foden made a strong sliding tackle to regain possession on the right wing. Even Kane, despite not being known for high pressing in recent years, worked to cut off passing options.
This high-energy approach is a notable shift from Southgate’s England, who often preferred a deeper defensive setup, especially in tournaments. This strategy helped them reach later stages of competitions by conceding few goals. However, it sometimes led to slow, predictable play against weaker teams as opponents had time to organize their defense. In this game, England’s early energy in regaining possession seemed to boost their attacking play as well.
‘I was happy with our start and how we controlled their counter-attacks,’ Tuchel said about their defensive work. ‘We were organized and looked for openings.’
Ninety minutes wasn’t enough to fully erase England’s slower habits, and fatigue in the second half allowed Albania more chances to attack. Ezri Konsa’s excellent defending prevented a potential equalizer. It raises questions about England’s stamina in tougher conditions, like summer games in hot climates during the 2026 World Cup, if they maintain this intensity. But this match was about setting a new tone and bringing a more dynamic, domestic league style to England’s game. Tuchel’s team made a positive first step.
2. Bellingham Impresses, Foden Under Pressure
England’s attacking play showed promising signs under Tuchel. Curtis Jones and Rice provided a solid midfield base, allowing Bellingham freedom to influence the game. Bellingham, known for his all-around game at Real Madrid, proved his ability to contribute both offensively and defensively.
In this match, Bellingham focused more on creating and moving play forward rather than disrupting. He often dropped deep to distribute passes to the wings or drive into the Albanian defense. Tuchel highlighted this in his post-match comments, especially noting the pass that set up Lewis-Skelly’s goal.
However, the same impact wasn’t seen on the wings. For Foden, this was another game where he didn’t fully shine. While his defensive work was good, and he linked up well with Jones at times, he had no shots, created no chances, and had limited touches in the penalty area compared to other forwards.
Tuchel noted that both wingers, Foden and Marcus Rashford, ‘were not as effective as they usually are for their clubs.’ Specifically about Foden, he mentioned encouraging him ‘to take on defenders, to dribble, playing from the right wing as we did today.’
Foden is a highly talented player who has been given time to prove himself for England, but with 43 caps, questions arise about how often he replicates his Manchester City form for the national team. With Bukayo Saka set to return and Cole Palmer also competing, Foden faces pressure to secure his place.
If Saka claims the right-wing spot and Bellingham continues to perform well, the left wing might be the only available position. Foden struggled there at the Euros, and in this game, Rashford seemed instructed to stay wide. Tuchel is aware of Foden’s past struggles on the left. Time may be running out for Foden to show he deserves a regular starting role.
3. Left-Back Problem Solved?
England might have found a solution at left-back, a position that has been a concern for years, with only Ashley Cole and Luke Shaw truly excelling in recent times. Miles Lewis-Skelly, the youngest player to score on his England debut, played at Wembley with confidence and skill, similar to his breakthrough performances at club level. Just months ago, Erling Haaland reportedly asked about Lewis-Skelly’s identity in strong terms.
Now, Lewis-Skelly is becoming well-known. Since his impressive club debut, he has potentially overtaken experienced players to become Arsenal’s preferred left-back. He has responded strongly to challenges, handled media attention, and quickly earned a place in the England team. This is impressive for someone who hadn’t played left-back before being placed there by Mikel Arteta in preseason.
‘He is fearless,’ said Declan Rice, Lewis-Skelly’s Arsenal teammate. ‘He does everything right off the field, and he is only 18. I expected him to play like this because of his confidence. He is grounded, and this is just the beginning for him.’
It seems very promising for Lewis-Skelly. Although it’s early to define an 18-year-old’s permanent position, there’s a strong case for both Arsenal and England to keep him at left-back. He offers a lot to the game from that position. In the build-up to his goal, Lewis-Skelly positioned himself in the back three, then acted as a wing-back pushing high, and finally joined the attack as an inside forward. This versatility surprised Albania’s defense.
When Tuchel wanted to add an extra player in attack, he instructed Lewis-Skelly to move into midfield ‘because we wanted to take more risks and get closer to players.’ From left-back, England gained a defensive midfielder, a ball progressor, and a defender all in one player. There might be debates about moving Lewis-Skelly back to his natural midfield role to maximize his impact, similar to discussions around Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, Lewis-Skelly is already making a significant positive impact at left-back. Why change that?
