Coach Thomas Tuchel said he was satisfied with England's 2-0 victory over Serbia, emphasizing that this is an important match in the process of planning for the 2026 World Cup.
Although the qualifying match did not really attract a large audience at Wembley Stadium, the absence of away team fans made the atmosphere even more exciting. England under Tuchel have sent clear signals about their playing style and ambition towards the World Cup next summer.
However, there are still many questions when considering the level of players who may be out of the "Three Lions" squad.
Who is England's number 10?
A surprise appeared in England's starting lineup against Serbia, when Morgan Rogers was still kept in 10th place, despite the return of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.
The Aston Villa star has earned the trust of Tuchel thanks to his consecutive impressive performances in this role. However, this was still not his best performance.
Bellingham came on as a replacement for Rogers after an hour and immediately showed his determination to prove his worth. Despite making some mistakes in his playing style, the Real Madrid star still knows how to leave his mark.
Tuchel's eye-catching comments about Bellingham over the past 6 months have sparked many stories surrounding the relationship between the two. However, the player's reentry into the squad seems inevitable. Of course, the return of Cole Palmer will certainly make things more complicated.
Is Phil Foden a backup option for Harry Kane?
Many people can debate whether England will still maintain the traditional No. 9 position, when Harry Kane stepped back deep to participate in building the playing style against Serbia, and in the second half, Phil Foden operated as a false 9.
Tuchel wants the Man City star to operate in the central area to make short, smart and accurate passes.
In the post-match press conference, Tuchel refused to answer the question of whether Foden could replace Kane. However, he stressed that the 25-year-old could rotate to play with the England captain.
This could be a bad sign for players like Ollie Watkins, Danny Welbeck, Ivan Toney or any striker who has ever hoped to play as a substitute for Kane at the 2026 World Cup. In the current squad, Tuchel has only chosen Kane as the only striker, and Foden will likely be a strategic replacement.
Competition on the left flank
Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford? That was a big question mark for the left-wing striker, despite Eberechi Eze's stunning goal at Wembley.
Although Eze could continue to play the role of a powerhouse from the bench, it is clear that the competition will be between Gordon and Rashford.
Perhaps Tuchel will rotate flexibly, using Gordon and Rashford depending on the opponents the "Three Lions" meet at the World Cup. However, any other left winger, including Jack Grealish, will face a nearly impossible task if he wants to replace the two stars next summer.
In defense, the left-back position seems to be a more open competition. Earlier this year, it was Myles Lewis-Skelly. Now, with Arsenal player no longer playing for the club, Nico O'Reilly of Man City has been given a chance. O'Reilly showed that he can completely integrate well with the "Three Lions" shirt.
