Trent Alexander-Arnold left out as Tuchel trims England squad for World Cup qualifiers

Tuchel’s call and the message behind it

Dropping a Real Madrid starter is a headline in any era. Doing it before the first two World Cup qualifiers of the cycle? That’s a statement. England head coach Thomas Tuchel has left Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his 24-man squad for September’s matches against Andorra and Serbia, a move that underlines how he plans to run this team: tight, ruthless, and driven by current form.

Tuchel was blunt about the rationale. He spoke about trimming the group and forcing competition in each position. “We decided for a tighter, more competitive squad, we didn’t use all 23 players,” he said at the announcement. “There is no doubt I am a big fan of Trent and Jack Grealish. Big players and big personalities, always in the mix. I know both are desperate but in this camp we decided for Reece [James] and Livramento and in Jack’s [Grealish], Rashy and Ebs. The competition is up.”

The call is jarring because of what Alexander-Arnold has become in the modern game: a creator from deep who can bend a match with one pass or a set piece. His summer move to Madrid was framed as the next big step in a glittering career. Instead, two weeks into his first full season in Spain, his place at club level is still settling, and his place with England has evaporated for this window.

There’s also the recent reality. Alexander-Arnold has logged only 23 minutes for England since October 2024, a run disrupted by injuries and bench spells. Those numbers matter to a manager like Tuchel, who lives on the edge between talent and reliability. For this camp, he’s picked Reece James and Tino Livramento at right-back. Both bring defensive balance and recovery speed, traits Tuchel prizes when his full-backs are asked to step into midfield or hold a high line without exposing the center-backs.

Jack Grealish is the other marquee omission. In his place, Tuchel leans into power and directness with Marcus Rashford and the flair and off-the-ball discipline of Eberechi Eze. Grealish’s game—pauses, angles, and ball security—thrives when a team owns the ball. Tuchel’s England, at least on early signs, looks more vertical and aggressive in transition. The message to everyone is the same: reputation doesn’t win minutes. Roles do.

Injuries shape the squad, too. Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka are unavailable as they recover. Levi Colwill is out. Cole Palmer is sidelined, though his issue is expected to be shorter term. That has opened up slots for fresh faces: Tottenham’s Djed Spence and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson get their chance. On paper, those choices inject energy and pace. In practice, they test whether newcomers can absorb Tuchel’s detail-heavy demands on short notice.

What does all this mean for the football itself? Tuchel’s club record gives clues. He likes a back four he can morph into a three in possession, with one full-back tucking inside and the other pushing on. He loves a double pivot that controls transitions. He wants his wide forwards to sprint into depth and his No. 10 to press the opposition pivot. Reece James can step into midfield and play those tight, central pockets safely. Livramento offers the engine to overlap or underlap, keep the line compact, and still get back if the ball is lost. That blend may have tipped the balance against Alexander-Arnold this time.

There’s another layer: rest defense. Tuchel builds the team’s structure for what happens if possession breaks down. When your full-backs spend time in midfield zones, you must be sure they can make the first tackle or foul to stop a counter. James excels at that. Alexander-Arnold is a unique passer, but Tuchel knows September qualifiers can be decided not by a crossfield switch, but by a tackle in the center circle after your corner gets cleared. He’s betting on defensive timing over distribution.

The decision is also a bet on the dressing room. A leaner group keeps the training level high and reduces the noise around who might play. If you’re in, you’re close to starting. And if you’re out, well, the path back is clear: play, stay fit, and win your club minutes decisively. That goes for Grealish as well. Given the calendar—two games, quick turnaround—Tuchel wants fewer passengers and more players he can swap without altering the defensive blueprint.

What it means for the qualifiers

First up is Andorra at Villa Park on September 9, 7:45 p.m. BST. The assignment looks simple on the surface: break down a deep block, avoid frustration, and don’t concede anything sloppy. Andorra rarely leaves space behind, and they will try to kill rhythm with delays and fouls. That makes the full-back choice important. England will need width, second balls from cutbacks, and clean protection against counters. James stepping inside to form a temporary midfield three can keep the ball circulating and shut off transitions before they develop. Livramento, if used, gives a surge down the right that can pin the back line and open lanes for underlapping midfield runs.

The Andorra match is also a test of set pieces. Alexander-Arnold is elite at dead balls, so England will need to reassign corners and free-kicks. That’s solvable, but it changes how opponents defend the delivery. Expect shorter routines and quick restarts to pull Andorra out of shape rather than relying only on back-post bombs.

Then comes Serbia away at the Marakana, one of Europe’s loudest nights when the national team is rolling. The environment alone is a stress test for a rebuilt side. Serbia will be more aggressive than Andorra, more direct, and far more dangerous on crosses and second phases. Tuchel’s choice of full-backs here looks even more tactical: first contact on aerial balls, back-post awareness, and clean restarts under pressure. A deep line never lasts long in Belgrade; you must push up together, trust your distances, and win your duels.

Tuchel may toggle between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1 depending on game state. In possession, the back line can split with a midfielder dropping between center-backs, or the right-back can step into the six space to free the No. 8s. Out of possession, the wingers must snap back to form a five across. That’s where Rashford’s speed matters—he can track, then spring out the moment England regain the ball. Eze offers calm receptions between lines and can carry through pressure, a useful trait when the crowd roars and the ball feels like a hot potato.

How do the injuries reshape the attack? Bellingham’s absence removes a power runner from the right half-space who also presses like a forward. Without him, the No. 10 role may become more playmaker than bulldozer, with rotation into the channels to drag markers and open lanes for late midfield arrivals. Saka’s injury is another blow. He’s a two-way winger who spreads the pitch and quietly wins back possession high. Replacing that work rate is as important as replacing his end product.

Spence and Anderson are the wildcards. Spence is a straight-line athlete with the stride to recover 30 yards in a flash. If England wants to lock teams in, he can hold width and prevent long diagonals from becoming counters. Anderson offers a different tool: first touch in tight spaces and the habit of bouncing passes around the corner to speed up combinations. If he stays calm, he can be the player who turns safe possession into chances on the edge of the box.

Where does this leave Alexander-Arnold? The door isn’t closed. Tuchel’s words about being a “big fan” weren’t for show, but this is a performance business. For Madrid, he needs a run of starts in a defined role—either as a traditional right-back with strong defensive metrics or as an inverted full-back who still locks down his side. Fitness and consistency are the twin pillars here. If he hits both by the October window, his passing and crossing will be hard to ignore when England face packed defenses again.

The same goes for Grealish. When he’s match-sharp, he adds pause and control in games that get frantic. But Tuchel prefers tempo changes rather than long spells of sterile dominance, and he wants his wide players to sprint behind the line as often as they come short. If Grealish wants back in, winning more direct duels and adding penalty-box actions will help his case.

It’s worth noting how this approach fits Tuchel’s history. At Chelsea, he turned a leaky team into a Champions League winner by tightening distances, picking specialists for specific phases, and making every role clear. At Bayern, he was never afraid to sit a big name if the defensive plan demanded it. The international game doesn’t give you daily training or three months to build patterns. Clarity becomes the currency. This squad announcement is the first full-page memo.

There’s also the practical side: fewer players means more minutes to build chemistry across two games in four days. Coaches often bring 26 and end up using 15. Tuchel’s cut to 24 signals he wants to actually see pairs and trios grow—center-back to right-back, double pivot cohesion, wide forward with the No. 10—without too many permutations.

How controversial is the call? It depends on where you sit. Some will see it as risking creativity for control. Others will welcome a manager who makes hard choices early rather than waiting for a setback. What can’t be argued is the stakes. Points now are the cushion you need when injuries pile up and away nights get messy later in the campaign.

What should you watch for against Andorra?

• Early tempo. If England move the ball with pace and get it back within five seconds of losing it, the plan is on track.
• Right-back behavior. Does James tuck inside to build, or does he overlap to pin the last line? That choice tells you which midfield profile Tuchel has picked.
• Counter-press. Andorra will try to clear into the channels. The nearest full-back and holding midfielder must kill those breaks on contact.
• Final-third patience. Shots from good zones, not hopeful crosses. Look for cutbacks and late runs from midfield rather than hopeful clips.

And in Belgrade?

• Control of second balls. Serbia thrive on knockdowns. The first duel is important; the second wins the territory.
• Set-piece defending. Watch the near-post runner and back-post mismatches. Discipline matters when the noise rises.
• Transitions both ways. England can’t lose their shape chasing a goal. A draw away can be fine if it’s controlled; a chaotic end-to-end game rarely suits the favorite.

For the players left out, the next steps are harsh but simple. Rack up starts. Put two-way performances on tape, not just highlights. Show you can handle the defensive work England will demand in these qualifiers. For those who made it—James, Livramento, Spence, Anderson—the opportunity is real. Tuchel has spelled out the criteria. Now it’s on them to make this camp a pivot point rather than a footnote.

The calendar won’t slow down. After this window, club football chews up the schedule again. Fitness spikes, dips, and then the next squad arrives before anyone has fully processed the last one. Tuchel’s England will evolve by necessity. What doesn’t look negotiable is the standard. If the first big decision of his tenure is any guide, the shirt belongs to those who can press, protect, and produce—right now.