Tuchel Benches Bellingham, Starts Alexander-Arnold For England’s Czech Clash

Thomas Tuchel has changed England’s team for the Tuesday evening UEFA Nations League clash with the Czech Republic, bringing Trent Alexander-Arnold into the side and leaving Jude Bellingham on the bench after the 3-2 defeat to Spain at Wembley.

Tuchel tries a new England combination

Tuchel has named his England side for the second round of the UEFA Nations League, with Harry Kane, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka forming the attacking quartet against the Czechs.

Bellingham starts on the bench, while injuries rule out both Ezri Konsa and Nico O’Reilly for the game.

Alexander-Arnold comes into the side after missing the Spain match.

The German has handed starts to several players who sat out against Spain, testing a new combination that includes Alexander-Arnold, Trevoh Chalobah and Lewis Hall alongside Rogers.

England’s listed defence is Alexander-Arnold, Guehi, Chalobah and Hall.

The midfield listed for England is Anderson, Lewis Skelly and Rogers.

The changes follow Tuchel’s earlier indication in Prague that Konsa and O’Reilly, who both started against Spain, had “minor issues” that may rule them out on Tuesday.

“Ideally I would love to put the same team out there, but I need to speak with doctors, physios and the players themselves,” Tuchel said.

“My mindset before the camp was to not rotate too much,” the German coach added.

“But we will always be very considerate with the health of the players.”

England seek response after Spain defeat

England began their European campaign last Saturday with a 3-2 defeat to Spain at Wembley.

Sportstar reported that reigning world champion Spain came back from 2-1 down in an entertaining Group A3 opener at Wembley on Saturday.

That result dented England’s hopes of reaching its second-ever Nations League semifinal.

Tuchel said Monday that the upcoming Nations League game against Czechia in Prague was “not yet a must-win” despite the defeat to Spain last weekend.

“It’s a bit early in the group for a must-win,” Tuchel, who led England to the third spot at the World Cup, told reporters in Prague.

“In general we always arrive at every match and prepare the team with a target to win... it was the target against Spain and it’s the target tomorrow,” he added.

“You always need a result in football to get confidence and to get the support and to get the belief you always need.”

“Especially after a defeat.”

The framing matters because England have only reached a Nations League semifinal once out of three editions and were even relegated to the second tier in the 2022/23 campaign.

The latest Group A3 fixture therefore comes with pressure for England to recover early, even as Tuchel rejected the idea that the Prague game had already become a must-win.

Czechia also looking to recover

The Czech Republic arrive in the same boat, having lost their opener 2-1 to Croatia.

Sportstar reported that the Czechs also got off to a losing start in the other Group A3 game on Saturday as they lost to Croatia 2-1 at home despite showing signs of improvement.

Tuchel said he expected tough competition from the Czechs, who hired their first-ever foreign coach, Santi Denia of Spain, in the summer after finishing last in their World Cup group.

“We respect the opposition, we respect the quality, we respect the challenge that it brings if you play in Prague against Czechia,” Tuchel said.

The Czechs have not lost any of their last four home games against England.

They also won the last encounter 2-1 in a Euro 2020 qualifier in Prague in 2019.

Those home results give Czechia recent evidence of competitiveness against England in Prague, although Sportstar described the current side as a team in the making under Denia.

Denia had guided Spain to 2024 Olympic gold before taking charge of the Czechs.

He hailed England as “one of the best teams in the world” and said the hosts would focus on their game.

“We are focused on our development to improve our performance and to improve our details with our team,” Denia said.

Why the Prague match carries weight

The match brings together two sides who both lost their Group A3 openers, England to Spain and the Czech Republic to Croatia.

For England, the context is sharpened by Spain’s comeback at Wembley and the setback to their hopes of reaching a second Nations League semifinal.

For Czechia, the fixture is part of a fresh phase under Denia, their first-ever foreign coach, appointed after they finished last in their World Cup group.

Tuchel’s selection shows a balance between his stated preference not to rotate too much and the need to manage player health after the Spain match.

Konsa and O’Reilly had started against Spain, but their “minor issues” were followed by injuries ruling both out of the Czech Republic game.

Alexander-Arnold’s return to the side after missing the Spain match gives England a changed defensive look with Guehi, Chalobah and Hall also listed in the back line.

The attack keeps Kane at the front of a quartet with Rogers, Gordon and Saka, while Bellingham begins among the substitutes.

Tuchel’s public message before the match was that England still target victory in every game, but that the group stage was too early to label the Prague fixture a must-win.

Denia’s public message was that Czechia are focused on development, performance and details while facing a team he described as “one of the best teams in the world.”

Together, those positions set up a Group A3 meeting in Prague between an England side adjusting after defeat and injuries, and a Czech team trying to build under a new foreign coach after its own opening loss.