Tuchel Plots Bellingham and Rogers Partnership as England Eye Croatia Test

Thomas Tuchel has mapped out what he considers a straightforward tactical blueprint to field Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers together, settling the ongoing discussion about which attacking midfielder will lead England's charge when they face Croatia in their World Cup opener next Wednesday.

Bellingham caught the eye operating in the number 10 role behind Harry Kane during England's 3-0 demolition of Costa Rica on Wednesday, yet Rogers remains Tuchel's go-to choice in that position. With Tuchel withdrawing Kane after the hour mark against Costa Rica, he pushed Bellingham higher up the pitch, and the England manager believes this adjustment provides the ideal framework for accommodating both talents.

"It's easy," Tuchel explained when asked about fielding the pair. "Jude can play as the number nine almost like in a free role. He can drop into midfield, drop into half spaces, start more dribbling. Harry then starts more assisting."

The Three Lions boss highlighted Bellingham's attacking instincts as crucial to making the system work. "Jude has the personality to score, to be decisive and to arrive in the box so it is an option to play with him and Morgan Rogers," he noted.

Tuchel insisted he wanted to trial this configuration during the Costa Rica encounter. "I wanted to see that for a few minutes at least. Let's see," he said, while emphasising his attacking depth. Ollie Watkins impressed when introduced against Costa Rica, Ivan Toney performed well in the recent New Zealand friendly and continues to train at a high standard, giving Tuchel genuine alternatives to rotate through the tournament.

Bellingham Stresses Team Unity

Meanwhile, Bellingham has underlined the importance of collective harmony as England prepare for their World Cup assault. Reflecting on Euro 2020, the midfielder acknowledged the squad fell short in bonding.

"At the Euros we got some things a little bit wrong off the pitch," Bellingham told England's Lions' Den show. "I don't feel like the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons. Expectation was part of it – we had done well in 2018 and done well in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup and when it came to that tournament we were seen as one of two or three teams that should win it."

He pinpointed the disconnect between results and morale during that campaign. "We were not playing particularly well so even when we were winning you didn't get the feeling you were as happy as you should be," he reflected.

Looking ahead to Qatar, Bellingham stressed the value of cherishing victories and maintaining squad cohesion. "There has to be that element of relentless and wanting to win but it is the nature of football that wins go out of the system quickly and we should hold on to that moment a little more," he said.

The midfielder emphasised that tournament success hinges on collective belief and inclusion. "Knowing, for example, that the guy who scores the winning goal in the World Cup final isn't always the one you'd bet your house on so you've always got to be ready, everyone's got to feel loved and feel a huge part of the team," Bellingham explained. "The other thing is just to enjoy it."