Thomas Tuchel explains ‘tough’ Alexander-Arnold decision: ‘I know what Trent can offer us’
· Yahoo Sports
England manager Thomas Tuchel says he “knows what Trent Alexander-Arnold can give us” but still opted to select other right-backs for his latest squad ahead of the World Cup.
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With Chelsea captain Reece James injured, Tuchel named Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Jarell Quansah in his enlarged 35-player group for the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
Tuchel said the omission of Alexander-Arnold was “tough” - but the Real Madrid defender has played just once under the England manager and his chances of going to the World Cup appear slim.
Alexander-Arnold was a high-profile omission from Tuchel’s expanded squad (Getty Images)Ollie Watkins, Luke Shaw and Morgan Gibbs-White were also left out of the expanded 35-player squad, with Tuchel confirming that a group of 11 players, including Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, will only come into camp following the first friendly against Uruguay next Friday.
But Alexander-Arnold will not be part of Tuchel’s rotation and the England manager said: “I know very well what Trent can offer us. I played many times against him and suffered when he played against my teams with Liverpool. So I know very well about his strength and what he can give.
”But at the moment it is like we have evidence how good we were in September, October, November, and the players who are in camp for right full-back, they have to push for their ticket, they have to compete, they have to show again that they deserve this.”
Tuchel believes Livramento, Spence and Quansah offer a “slightly different profile” and said Alexander-Arnold’s omission was based on the trio’s performances in the World Cup qualifiers rather than “anything to do with what Trent cannot offer us”.
“I know that it's a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins at the moment and for Luke Shaw,” Tuchel said. “These tough decisions come with the job. It is a sporting decision.
“It is a sporting decision that we stick with Quansah, with Liremento and with Spence. It is a decision for Dominic Solanke and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who I don't know as well as I know, for example, Ollie Watkins.
”I feel I have a very clear picture of what Ollie can give us. I saw him in tournaments. I saw him with us in qualifying football, so I want to have a look at two other players to get a better picture and have a clearer opinion.
“I know it's a tough one. I know it's a big name. I think it's a huge talent and with a big career, but I feel that I know what Trent can give us and decided still to stick to the players who were in camp.”