Tuchel Admits Bellingham Substitution Was to Avoid Red Card in England Victory
- Midfielder Subbed in 3-0 Win: Jude Bellingham was substituted during England’s 3-0 victory over Latvia at Wembley on Monday evening.
- James Praised by Tuchel: Thomas Tuchel lauded the performance of Reece James, his former Chelsea defender, in the same match.
- Podcast Discussion: Analysis suggests discussion about England’s World Cup squad potential.
England manager Thomas Tuchel substituted Jude Bellingham in the recent 3-0 victory against Latvia, acknowledging it was to prevent the midfielder from receiving a red card.
Reece James scored a remarkable free-kick during the World Cup qualifier, while Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze further solidified England’s win after Bellingham was taken off.
Tuchel conceded that Bellingham, the Real Madrid player, was “somewhat fortunate” to avoid a second yellow card for a late challenge on Raivis Jurkovskis.
“It could have drastically changed the game’s dynamic, which is why we opted to substitute him immediately,” Tuchel explained.
“I didn’t want to take any chances, hence the substitution. I am uncertain whether he was lucky. The first yellow card, I felt, was perhaps severe. The second was a possibility. Whether the initial yellow was warranted is debatable.
We observed several aggressive challenges from the opposition, yet the referee seemed to overlook them. It felt peculiar to enter halftime with a yellow card against us and none for our opponents, but nevertheless.
Thomas Tuchel (left) admitted that his midfielder Jude Bellingham may have been lucky to have been taken off voluntarily against Latvia
The England starlet put in a risky challenge on Raivis Jurkovskis but avoided a second yellow
You could see the considerable exertion Jude displayed in the previous match [against Albania]. He appeared less energetic today, in my assessment, though he may disagree.”
Kane mentioned that James had been practicing free kicks with precision against England’s goalkeepers in training at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, suggesting James was channeling his frustration from a two-year absence from international football.
“It’s been a lengthy and frustrating period of two years for me,” James stated. “I’m delighted to be recalled to the national team. When I saw the defensive wall, I felt confident I could curl the ball around it. I was slightly surprised it went in.
Thomas Tuchel’s strategies are well-defined. We have a singular goal, and our preparation begins this week and extends to the World Cup.”
While Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has suggested James could transition to a central midfield role in the future, Tuchel disagrees.
“In a dominant game like today’s, he could function as a hybrid midfielder in the final 20 minutes, shifting from left or right full-back to augment the midfield,” Tuchel added.
“However, in a more open game with frequent midfield transitions, I’m less certain it would be his ideal position. There’s no question about Reece’s ability; it is top tier.
We maintained close communication over the past weeks and were certain he had trained consistently for weeks. His lack of playtime was a club decision, not due to injury. They were managing his workload, understandably, so we knew he was physically and mentally prepared.”
Tuchel also expressed satisfaction with Marcus Rashford’s response to criticism after the Albania match.
“Most importantly, he displayed eagerness and self-assurance in his capabilities,” the German coach commented. “We perhaps needed to provide him with more support; we weren’t playing to his strengths. Marcus performed exceptionally well, and I was pleased.”