England squad: Tuchel drops Trent Alexander-Arnold and hands debuts to Elliot Anderson, Djed Spence

Sep, 7 2025

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first weeks at Real Madrid have already changed his England picture. Thomas Tuchel has left the right-back out of his 24-man group for September’s World Cup qualifiers, saying the defender needs time to bed in after his summer move to Spain. In the same breath, the manager opened the door for two newcomers: Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and Tottenham full-back Djed Spence.

The stakes are immediate. England host Andorra at Villa Park on September 9, then head to Belgrade’s Marakana to face Serbia in a very different kind of test. After boos greeted the end of England’s last two internationals, Tuchel’s choices feel like a statement on standards, fitness, and form.

Tuchel’s big calls: Alexander-Arnold out, debutants in

Tuchel’s reasoning on Alexander-Arnold was blunt and practical. “After a change of club, I think he’s got to have a bit of time to settle,” he said. The 26-year-old started Madrid’s La Liga opener, then dropped to the bench for the next game with Dani Carvajal back fit. For a player who thrives on rhythm, the timing is awkward—and Tuchel clearly doesn’t want to disrupt that process from afar.

Right-back is covered. Reece James returns from Chelsea, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento continues his rise, and Spence—comfortable on either flank and aggressive in transition—earns a first senior call. The message is clear: places are open, but you have to be ready to play now.

Anderson’s selection is equally bold. The Forest midfielder caught the eye with the Under-21s in the summer, pressing hard, carrying the ball through traffic, and showing the kind of off-the-ball discipline staff value in qualifiers where patience usually decides the outcome. Tuchel’s squads have leaned toward mobile, two-way midfielders who can shift shape on the fly—Anderson fits that brief.

There’s experience coming back, too. Marcus Rashford, now on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, returns to give England direct running and a threat in behind. John Stones is back after injury, restoring balance to a defense that had missed his calm passing into midfield.

Not everyone made it. Jack Grealish, trying to reboot at Everton, is left out. Ivan Toney misses this window with Rashford back. Cole Palmer is sidelined after hurting himself in the warm-up before Chelsea’s 5-1 win over West Ham. Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham are still recovering—Bellingham recently had shoulder surgery—and won’t be risked.

Here’s the snapshot of Tuchel’s key decisions so far:

• Out: Trent Alexander-Arnold (settling at Real Madrid), Jack Grealish, Ivan Toney, Cole Palmer (injury), Bukayo Saka (rehab), Jude Bellingham (shoulder surgery).
• In: Elliot Anderson (first call-up), Djed Spence (first call-up), Reece James, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford, John Stones.
• Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City).
• Defensive options also include Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), and Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal).

It’s not just names. It’s balance. With James and Spence, Tuchel has two athletic wingback profiles who can press high and recover. Livramento gives a more traditional defensive angle and tidy build-up. Stones’ return allows England to switch between a back four and a back three mid-game without using a substitution.

What the squad says about England’s plan

This feels like a manager picking for the next two games, not the next two years. Andorra at Villa Park will likely be about breaking down a deep block with width, quick one-touch combinations, and lots of second balls around the box. Serbia away flips the script—hostile atmosphere, direct play to manage, and plenty of set-piece traffic. Tuchel’s choices reflect both realities.

In attack, Rashford’s pace means England can stretch Andorra’s line early or keep Serbia honest on the counter. Without Saka and Bellingham, creativity has to come from wider rotations and midfield runners rather than one superstar conductor. That’s where Anderson’s engine matters, along with ball-carrying from deeper defenders like Stones.

Set pieces could be decisive, especially in Belgrade. Burn and Konsa offer aerial size, while Guéhi gives clean restarts under pressure. If England go with James on dead balls, expect near-post screens and second-phase shots from the edge. These details are how you kill noise in a difficult stadium.

Fitness management is the other theme. Tuchel’s explanation on Alexander-Arnold wasn’t a public rebuke; it was workload management. The same applies to Saka and Bellingham. September qualifiers are about keeping doors open and injuries closed. If England bank six points, the gamble looks smart. If they don’t, every omission gets replayed in high definition.

Form also matters. Grealish has work to do at Everton before he forces his way back. Toney, a specialist finisher, will need minutes and sharpness to dislodge returning forwards. Palmer’s setback is bad timing, not a judgment call; he’s been central for Chelsea, and his chance will come once he’s fit.

The goalkeeper group stays steady. Pickford’s experience in tight away qualifiers is hard to replicate, Henderson is in good club rhythm, and Trafford adds another ball-playing option if England lean into short build-up against Andorra. Expect rotation only if the first game goes to plan.

Context matters here. England have been booed off twice in a row. That frustration came from slow tempo, loose transitions, and stale attacking patterns. This squad tries to fix those issues with pace, pressing options at fullback, and extra legs in midfield. If the ball moves quicker and the counter-press sticks, the noise will change.

The schedule helps. Villa Park should suit a front-foot approach on a compact pitch with fans right on top of it. Then comes the Marakana, where you earn points the hard way. Tuchel has picked a group that can do both jobs: probe patiently on Sunday, suffer together on Wednesday.

Among the 24 names, confirmed inclusions are Reece James, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence, Elliot Anderson, Marcus Rashford, John Stones, Dan Burn, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and goalkeepers Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, and James Trafford, with others filling out the roster. The blend is deliberate—experience at the spine, energy on the flanks, and a couple of wild cards to change a game that drifts.

For now, the spotlight sits on one call above the rest. Alexander-Arnold has the quality to be back quickly once his Madrid rhythm returns. Tuchel has left that door open. Until then, England will lean on the players who are match-ready right now, aiming to calm the mood with performance, not just names.

Two games, six points up for grabs, and a plan that looks tuned to the moment. If it clicks, the England squad for October will look very different—and that’s exactly how Tuchel wants it.