The Independent
·22 mars 2025
Thomas Tuchel unimpressed as new England era begins with with over Albania - reaction

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Yahoo sportsThe Independent
·22 mars 2025
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Thomas Tuchel urges England to have hunger to win rather than fear to lose
Thomas Tuchel said England “have to do better” after overseeing a 2-0 win over Albania in his first game in charge, with Myles Lewis-Skelly scoring on his debut and Harry Kane grabbing his 70th international goal at Wembley
Lewis-Skelly, one of two England debutants along with Dan Burn on Tuchel’s first game in charge, scored the first goal of the German’s new era as the 18-year-old converted Jude Bellingham’s through ball in a fairytale moment.
But the second half of England’s opening World Cup qualifying fixture was not overly convincing, with Albania carrying some threat. Captain Kane made sure of the three points as he steered in a composed finish in the 77th minute.
There is work for Tuchel to do but England made a winning start on their road to the 2026 World Cup and they will return to Wembley on Monday for another qualifier against Latvia. "We can do better, we have to do better,” Tuchel said.
A first game that was encouraging rather than electrifying, with most of the new excitement offered by Myles Lewis-Skelly rather than any sense of a new era. Thomas Tuchel’s week culminated in the teenager’s night, as he became England football team’s youngest ever debutant goalscorer in this professional 2-0 win over Albania.
England 2-0 Albania: Tuchel made a winning start at Wembley and made one thing clear in his first game in charge
Miguel Delaney22 March 2025 07:02
Thomas Tuchel praised “amazing” history-making debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly but wants better from England having started his reign with a Wembley win against Albania.
After being named Sir Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor in October, the head coach began life in charge of the back-to-back Euro runners-up with a World Cup qualification victory on Friday night.
The Arsenal full-back marked his senior international debut with the opening goal against Albania.
Jamie Braidwood22 March 2025 05:46
England head coach Thomas Tuchel said he wanted “more impact” from his wide players and said Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford were not as “decisive” as they could have been in his first game in charge against Albania.
Tuchel explained that he wanted more “dribbling” and “aggressive runs” and said elements of Foden and Rashford’s performances were “missing” in the 2-0 win over Albania at Wembley.
Tuchel oversaw a 2-0 win over Albania in his first game in charge but was unimpressed with his side’s performance
Jamie Braidwood22 March 2025 02:44
"We will get better, we will get more rhythm. We will understand better now, I will understand the players better, so where do they feel confident? Where do we struggle? Why is it for us hard to find more runs and to find more aggressive movements into the very last third?
"And from there we will get better, to implement the higher rhythm and be simply look more dangerous also in front of goal.
"But it's step by step. It was a complicated opponent, they play an unorthodox style and individually, of course, we can have more impact from the wingers, we can play more diagonal through the gaps and not always around the block.”
(Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood22 March 2025 00:27