Though each contender for the Three Lions position would bring a distinct tactical approach, which would be most effective?
During a disorganized, disorganized international break, Lee Carsley’s hopes—if he has any—of landing the full-time England job have suffered.
The crushing loss to Greece at Wembley last week and the erratic statements regarding the former Everton midfielder’s desire for the starting position may have made it less obvious who will replace Gareth Southgate permanently than it has been since Carsley assumed interim leadership.
The circumstances have rekindled discussion about who of the top outside contenders—Thomas Tuchel, Eddie Howe, Graham Potter, and, most intriguingly, Pep Guardiola—would be most appropriate for the position.
Pep Guardiola
There is no manager in world football that appreciates control more than Guardiola, and this is evident in England’s history as he has consistently failed to win the major tournament games under Southgate.
Undoubtedly, the manager of Manchester City would want to turn England into a team that can control the ball against the top international teams.
Angel Gomes, who started out on the left side under Carsley but has since emerged as the kind of midfield maestro England has sorely needed, may benefit from this. In a similar vein, Rico Lewis, who studied under Guardiola at City, may switch positions to provide England with an additional midfielder.
Thomas Tuchel
Tuchel employed the 4-2-3-1 formation, which has been a popular choice for both Carsley and Southgate in recent years, as his primary tactic while managing Bayern Munich.
Like with his predecessors, the German’s primary concerns would probably be the identities of his full-backs, Declan Rice’s midfield partner, and the trio of attackers assisting Harry Kane of Bayern.
Nonetheless, Tuchel has established himself as a tactically adaptable manager; the foundation of Chelsea’s Champions League triumph was a back-three configuration akin to Southgate’s previous favorite.
Ironically, Mason Mount, Reece James, and Ben Chilwell—three English players who opened the Blues’ 2021 championship victory over Manchester City—have all lost their places in the national team because of form or fitness concerns. However, England’s 2-1 victory against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final demonstrated that they still have the players to make a variation of the system work.
Eddie Howe
Howe, who has just rarely deviated from starting a four-man defense in his 134 games as Newcastle’s manager, is one player who doesn’t seem likely to put England’s back three back together.
Rather, the former Bournemouth manager has mostly depended on a 4-3-3 shape that presses the ball and facilitates fast attack transitions for his teams.
Howe’s influence would be appreciated because England struggled to execute either of those tasks well enough for a significant portion of Euro 2024. However, given the short coaching schedule and exhaustion that accompany postseason competitions, it is debatable whether any international team can replicate club-level intensity.
Like Carsley’s appointment, Howe’s would be excellent news for Anthony Gordon, but in a system without a No. 10, how would the 46-year-old fit in with even two of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden?
Graham Potter
Because they have little loyalty to players in the current squad, Potter’s England may have the hardest team to predict out of all the contenders.
Throughout his tenure at Stamford Bridge and throughout his managerial career, the former Chelsea manager has also switched up his formations, emphasizing style above shape.
Potter stated early in his Chelsea career, “I want a tactically flexible, attacking, possession-based team.” Players have courage and an openness to making errors. who have the bravery to go after the ball and who genuinely want to enjoy playing football.
It is easy to forget that his Brighton team was once known for playing free-flowing “Potterball” and that the Englishman was regarded as one of the top tacticians in the Premier League given the typically chaotic nature of his Blues tenure.
