The Three Lions manager should look to the Spanish giants and Carlo Ancelotti's tactics in order to get the best out of a truly generational talent

Thomas Tuchel's first two fixtures as England manager provided a tale of two Judes. In the first game, a 2-0 win over Albania, there was Bellingham the attacking midfielder, all drive, purpose and pace. In that one, he was a joy to watch, providing a delightful assist for Myles Lewis-Skelly and making the game look remarkably easy.

In the other, a 3-0 win over Latvia, there was Jude the box-to-box madman. He did a bit of everything, and didn't get lots of it right. Neither his effort nor his on-ball quality could be criticised. But he looked frustrated, even over-excited. A couple of silly tackles saw him fortunate to avid a red card. Tuchel admitted after that he was lucky to stay on the pitch and removed him not for his performance – but because he might be sent off.

And what to make of this? The first Bellingham is the best Bellingham in most ways – the midfielder getting into the areas he is most effective in, deadly on the ball and full of all of those creative traits that make him one of the best in the world. This was the player that carried Real Madrid in the 2023-24 season. But then there's the appeal of the second. That one might be lacking in attacking areas – or less involved – but he offers bite and tenacity in midfield, the kind of do-it-all energy that can be vital in the big games, when stakes are at their highest.

Tuchel could probably use a bit of both. But for England to be at their best – and stand a chance at the 2026 World Cup – Bellingham simply has to be given the freedom of the No.10 role he was so effective in for Madrid.

GettyA successful yet underwhelming week

Tuchel spent most of his post match press conferences talking about what England could have done better. Sure, his Three Lions won twice, scored five goals and conceded none, but the German showed no hesitation in calling out shortcomings. England didn't move the ball quickly enough. Their wingers didn't attack with any intent. There was little movement off the ball. Individual mistakes at the back – the players were never called out – led to glimpses of hope for opponents who really shouldn't have a sniff.

This is what England qualifiers look like – and have done for years. Sir Gareth Southgate was very good at qualifying. England routinely did away with the kind of teams they should beat, strolling through games and navigating the kind of easy fixtures that teams with major tournament ambitions should run away with. Someone could probably do with telling Tuchel that this is how these games are.

But that doesn't mean that the new manager can't have ideas, and some things were suggested here. The wingers stayed high and wide in both games. Lewis-Skelly inverted. Declan Rice made runs into the box. Harry Kane dropped deep and looked for passes in behind. Yes, at times, it was predictable, but it was also ultimately effective.

AdvertisementAFPBellingham, the creator, vs Albania

It's worth examining, at this point, where Bellingham was against Albania. That time, on Friday evening, he stayed high, and sort of floated between the defensive and midfield lines – not that there was much space to work with. The opponents were always going to come to Wembley and sit in a turgid, low block. Pushed away from the centre of the pitch, he did most of his work in the half spaces. He drifted left and right to receive the ball, and unlike under Southgate at the Euros, seldom got in Kane's way.

England passed Albania to death, and Bellingham played a role. He managed 102 touches, completed 92% of his passes, created two chances, and provided the assist that broke the game open. But then there were the kind of marks that reflect what the game looked like. Bellingham managed just nine touches in the Albania box, and only nine of his passes were sent into the final third. He completed just two dribbles.

And therein lies the issue with playing Bellingham so high against these teams. He's on the ball a lot, but never quite in the right area, and never quite with the space he needs to be among the world's best.

AFPBellingham, the destroyer, vs Latvia

It makes sense, then, to try him in a deeper role. It is both a curse and blessing for Tuchel that England have so many gifted attacking players who are a mix of No.10s and wingers. The list, when everyone is fit, is both impressive and exhaustive: Bellingham, Phil Foden, Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Jack Grealish. Realistically, just one of the six can get into any given team.

Well, against Latvia, Tuchel tried two. His rationale against the more defensive – and admittedly far weaker – opponent was to play Bellingham as more of a No.8, with Rogers handed the creator-in-chief role, just behind Kane. The result was an imperfect, rather unbalanced showing. Rogers never quite found a foothold in the middle. Bellingham rather toiled in a deeper role. The groans were just starting in Wembley when Reece James curled in a free kick to make it 1-0 after 30 minutes.

Zoom out, and everything went as expected. England started poorly, won 3-0, but never really impressed. And Bellingham was at the centre of all of that frustration. Once again, he was on the ball a lot. Once again, he was efficient in his passing. From a deeper role, he was able to drive forward and, at times, find some clever angles. He created four chances this time, and a favorable bounce or two might have seen him come away with a couple of assists. But then there was the less attractive stuff. There is something to be said for tenacity, but Bellingham perhaps exercised it a bit too much. He really should have been sent off after a few silly fouls. You could see it, too, the frustration starting to boil over. It is of little coincidence that when he was removed – and the game loosened up – that England began to play.

Getty Images SportMimicking Madrid

Ultimately, this all comes down to a sense of balance. It was Southgate's downfall that he tried to fit too many good players into one team. There was no right combination, and no tactical idea that made it all work. Bellingham isn't a panacea, but he's about as close as it can get. This is not to say that it should be a case of Jude and 10 others. Ignoring the impact of Kane up front, or Rice's drive from midfield, would be silly. The same goes for Trent Alexander-Arnold's passing range from deep. But Bellingham simply has to be receiving the ball in the final third to do what he does best.

At Madrid this year, he's played sort of a hybrid role – responding to the various situations that each game brings. But for his best goalscoring period, he was playing behind a rampant front three of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo. Bellingham had to do more than just create and score there – the Madrid midfield is painfully exposed due to the apathy towards the general concept of defending from their forwards. Still, he was getting into all of the right areas, while a base of Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni behind him offered a solid structure. Tuchel, with Rice and perhaps Curtis Jones deep, and Kane up front – with willing runners on either wing – might just be able to mimic that.