Thomas Tuchel has told Trent Alexander-Arnold that he must bring defensive solidity to the England squad after giving him a surprise recall for the upcoming Nations League matches. The head coach has selected the Real Madrid right-back only once before – for the games against Andorra and Senegal in June last year. Tuchel made headlines when he did so by urging Alexander-Arnold to focus on the defensive side of his game or risk a slip that could undermine the team’s World Cup campaign.
Tuchel continues to see Alexander-Arnold, who is famed for the range of his passing, as a right-back rather than a midfielder. The head coach has previously said he has Tino Livramento and Jarell Quansah ahead of Alexander-Arnold in the right-back pecking order. He has named both of them in the squad for the games against Spain, Czechia, and Croatia.
Tuchel has been unable to include his first-choice right-back, Reece James, or Djed Spence, who can operate in either full-back position, because of injuries. Ben White is also injured; Tuchel said he would have considered him. The centre-half Ezri Konsa, who is in the squad, has played at right-back.
Tuchel's message to Alexander-Arnold has not changed. "He has to, it's necessary," Tuchel said when asked whether Alexander-Arnold offered enough defensively. "My conviction is that he will but he has no choice." Alexander-Arnold was the headline selection on a day when Tuchel gave further recalls to Jarrad Branthwaite, Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Alex Scott, Cole Palmer, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.