England manager Thomas Tuchel has delivered a surprising message to his squad ahead of their final World Cup qualifier against Albania, stating he would rather see his team lose than risk players receiving red cards that could rule them out of next summer's tournament.
Discipline Takes Priority Over Victory
The German coach revealed he will specifically address the importance of discipline with his players before Sunday night's match at the Air Albania Arena. Tuchel's concern stems from Cristiano Ronaldo's recent dismissal for Portugal against the Republic of Ireland, which could see the superstar facing a two-game ban at the World Cup.
"It is important," Tuchel stated. "I'm aware of it and we will talk about it. No red cards please. We are through and we are in a position where if a player is the last man and holds the shirt, he gets the red card. If there's a doubt then it would be smarter not to do it."
The England boss emphasised that while he wants his players to avoid unnecessary suspensions, he doesn't want to create anxiety. "I don't want to make it too big a subject because then you have a cloud above you. But if you have the choice, don't do it."
Team News and Selection Dilemmas
England travel to Tirana with defensive concerns after Ezri Konsa picked up a minor knock and Marc Guéhi remains unavailable. This could see Dan Burn partnering John Stones in central defence as England look to maintain their perfect record of not conceding a goal in Group K.
Tuchel faces several selection decisions, particularly in midfield where he suggested there might be an opportunity alongside Declan Rice. This could open the door for either Adam Wharton or Jordan Henderson to replace Elliot Anderson.
The most significant decision appears to be whether Jude Bellingham will replace Morgan Rogers in the number 10 position. Rogers started in Thursday's victory over Serbia but was replaced by Bellingham in the second half, with the latter combining effectively with Phil Foden before Eberechi Eze scored England's second goal.
Tuchel Addresses Behaviour and Team Balance
The England manager also expressed disappointment with Djed Spence's behaviour after Tottenham Hotspur's defeat by Chelsea earlier this month, when the full-back appeared to snub Thomas Frank. "I didn't like it," Tuchel said. "Because the players know they are not only national players when they are the ten days in camp, they are always national players and the standard of behaviour is always important."
Regarding his team selection philosophy, Tuchel dismissed suggestions that Rogers' understanding of England's pressing system might make Bellingham more effective as an impact substitute. "Jude will always be an impact player because he is too good to not have an impact," he asserted. "He can start any match for us, there is no doubt."
Tuchel acknowledged that England became "a little disconnected from front to back" when Foden, Bellingham and Eze came on against Serbia, but noted that the team's physical output data was "one of the highest that we had with the national team."
With England already qualified for the World Cup as group winners, Tuchel's primary focus remains ensuring his key players avoid suspension while maintaining momentum ahead of next summer's tournament in North America.
