Thomas Tuchel has promised England’s future will be about embracing chaos — and then picked a squad built around control. The German manager spoke of wanting more unpredictability after England’s World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina, but his selections for the upcoming Nations League fixtures suggest he still wants his players doing exactly what he asks of them.
England finished third in the US, their best World Cup result since 1966, but the memory of that late collapse lingers. Tuchel pointed to his team’s inability to hold control after taking the lead through Anthony Gordon’s goal as a key problem. Now, though, he is talking about compromise.
“Football is about adapting to situations and football without any control is sometimes hard to digest for a coach, if you look at the 6-4 against France,” Tuchel said. “But people talk about it like it’s one of their nicest experiences ever, to watch a football match, so maybe I have to compromise in my wish for control, for a little bit more chaos, embrace the chaos, and maybe it brings out the best.”
The Chaos He Wants
Tuchel is not advocating random disorder. He is arguing for a team that can adapt to the moment, even when it means letting go of total command. The 6-4 defeat to France in the bronze-medal match is his example: chaotic, hard to watch for a coach, loved by everyone else.
He framed it as a trade-off. His wish for control is strong, but the evidence suggests fans enjoy matches that feel wilder. So he may have to accept some of that unpredictability, at least a little bit.
“Maybe I have to compromise in my wish for control, for a little bit more chaos, embrace the chaos, and maybe it brings out the best.”
The Squad That Says Otherwise
The squad he announced tells a different story. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer are back, two of English football’s most technically gifted players. Both scream control.
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott and Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall were also called up. Both are extremely adept in possession. These are players who thrive on keeping the ball moving, not letting it go.
The return of those two players suggests Tuchel’s actual practice differs from his rhetoric. He wants unpredictability, but he wants it from players who can execute plans with precision.
Rio Ngumoha’s First Call-Up
There is one player who adds genuine unpredictability. Rio Ngumoha, 18, gets his first senior call-up. The Liverpool winger has caught the eye with his invention and trickery down both flanks for Andoni Iraola’s side.
His inclusion is the closest Tuchel comes to answering his own question about chaos. Ngumoha brings flair and risk-taking, the kind of qualities Tuchel described as desirable.
What Tuchel Said About Control
When asked whether his team could replicate the fast-paced approach of a Premier League team but with more control, Tuchel responded carefully. He did not reject the idea entirely, but he also did not commit to it.
“That would be the wish, that we become for 10 minutes a little bit more like Spain, here and there,” he said. “The more I reflect on it, it’s maybe more buying into our strengths and play more minutes like we played the second half against Croatia, and more minutes like we played the first half against France, and buying into these strengths, because I think we get a lot of value out of it, we get a lot of connection to the fans, this is what the Premier League reflects.”
He went further, describing the Premier League as “not a very economical league” and saying you “have to play” to compete for the title. His mindset, he said, remains where he is comfortable, and he thinks the players agree.
The Handbrake Is Still On
Tuchel made it clear he is not ready to abandon control entirely. He is willing to compromise, but he is not willing to let go of the handbrake just yet.
His description of the Premier League as “not a very economical league” shows where his thinking sits. He wants his team to play with the intensity and commitment that defines English football, even if it costs him some efficiency.
That tension is the core of what he is trying to manage. He wants his players to be unpredictable, but he also wants them to be disciplined. He wants them to play like Spain for a few minutes, but he wants them to spend most of the game playing like themselves.
Refuting the Squads Were Wrong Claim
Tuchel denied that recalling Alexander-Arnold and Palmer was an admission he got his World Cup squad wrong. He has hinted he would have picked a vastly similar squad for the upcoming games if all his options were available.
“Before we did the nomination in the last month, I thought we had more of a continuation of the World Cup squad but then a lot of members of our World Cup squad – Reece [James], Dan [Burn], Dean [Henderson, [John] Stones, [Jordan] Henderson, Djed Spence – can’t be with us due to injuries, so it is not like a full continuation,” he said.
These players were crucial for building the team’s identity, he argued. He will not negotiate on that point. Other players will step up, and his mindset is not to change too much within the formations.
The Fixtures Ahead
England face Spain at Wembley on Saturday, 26 September. They then travel to the Czech Republic on Tuesday, 29 September, and Croatia on Saturday, 3 October before the Czechs visit on Tuesday, 6 October.
Those four matches will test whether Tuchel can have his cake and eat it. Can he play with more unpredictability while maintaining the discipline that defined his World Cup side?
Our View
Tuchel is being sincere when he talks about embracing chaos. He genuinely believes unpredictability can bring out the best in his team. But his selections show he is not willing to sacrifice control entirely.
The contradiction is real, and it is worth watching. If England play with more freedom against Spain and the Czech Republic, it will be a sign Tuchel is serious about his words. If they stick to the same disciplined shape that dominated the World Cup, it will be a sign he is more interested in stability than surprise.
Either way, the coming weeks will settle the question of whether Tuchel can have controlled chaos. He says he wants to find out. We will see if he actually does.
| Fixture | Date |
|---|---|
| England vs Spain | Saturday, 26 September |
| England vs Czech Republic | Tuesday, 29 September |
| England vs Croatia | Saturday, 3 October |
| Czech Republic vs England | Tuesday, 6 October |
Ngumoha’s inclusion is the clearest signal Tuchel is thinking about the future. The teenager brings invention and trickery, exactly the kind of unpredictability Tuchel has described as desirable. Whether he plays or not, his presence in the squad shows Tuchel is considering new options.
Tuchel’s message is mixed, but it is not confusing. He knows what he wants, and he knows what he has. He is just not sure which one he should emphasise more. That ambiguity is his current state of mind, and it will likely remain so until he sees how his players perform in the coming fixtures.
England have a chance to make history. Tuchel has a chance to prove he can balance control and chaos. The next four weeks will tell us which direction he truly believes is best.
Source material: “Will England boss Tuchel 'embrace the chaos'?,” the BBC.
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