Why Thomas Tuchel chose Trevoh Chalobah over Trent Alexander-Arnold
Thomas Tuchel’s decision to call up Trevoh Chalobah after Tino Livramento’s injury raised eyebrows. But here’s what it reveals about England’s World Cup plans
Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento has suffered a devastating injury blow that rules him out of the England squad just days before the Three Lions face Croatia in their opening World Cup match.
Livramento’s ability to cover both sides of defence was a significant factor behind Tuchel’s call-up. Primarily a right-back, Livramento was expected to cover for Reece James, but would have also competed with Nico O’Reilly and Djed Spence at left-back, a position he has played on several occasions this season with Newcastle.
With that option no longer available, Tuchel was tasked with selecting a replacement, and there was no shortage of full-backs to choose from. Trent Alexander-Arnold was the most logical replacement but even with Livramento’s absence the Real Madrid man could not get into the squad. And at left-back, Livramento’s Newcastle teammate Lewis Hall, on the back of a superb season, also did not make the cut.
Instead, Tuchel has gone for the surprise pick of Trevoh Chalobah, a centre-back. The selection has caused a fair degree of surprise, as England already have Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah in the central defensive positions.
Why Tuchel called up Chalobah
Tuchel knows Chalobah well from their time together at Chelsea where the German worked the Englishman into the side that eventually won the Champions League in 2021. Chalobah is known for his athleticism and reading of the game, as well as his ability to step out of defence with the ball.
But what is impossible to ignore is that the omission of Livramento coupled with the call-up of Chalobah leaves England weaker in the full-back areas.
However, the call-up gives us a strong indication of Tuchel’s plan to cover the right and left-back spots in Livramento’s absence.
Djed Spence could benefit
Djed Spence is Tuchel’s wildcard. Despite starting his career at right-back, it is at left-back where he has become a regular with Tottenham in the last couple of seasons. More than for his attacking qualities, Tuchel appears to rate Spence highly for his one-on-one defensive capabilities, and while he may not play much in the tournament, the German will likely deploy him against an expert dribbler or speedster later.
Livramento is similar in that his defensive abilities surpass his attacking qualities, and Spence will likely be the direct ‘replacement’ of the Newcastle man in the squad.
Ezri Konsa’s role might change
The biggest change to the defensive planning of the German manager as a result of the injury to Livramento could be the position of Ezri Konsa, at least in some matches. Konsa was expected to start in the heart of the defence, but he has played on many occasions at right-back for Aston Villa under Unai Emery, which could be another reason why Tuchel opted for Chalobah – a centre-back – to replace Livramento.
This could allow John Stones, if fit, to step in at centre-back, or Dan Burn, who plays there regularly for Newcastle.
There is also the option of Jarrell Quansah. While most Premier League fans will remember him as a central defender during his time at Liverpool, he has often played at right-back at Bayer Leverkusen, where Tuchel has watched him on many occasions. He is another dual-option for the head coach, that softens the burden of Livramento’s absence.
Versatility is key for Tuchel
The reason why Tuchel didn’t have a knee-jerk reaction to Livramento’s injury and call up and out-and-out right-back like Alexander-Arnold is down to the versatility he has in the current squad. While Livramento’s absence is a big blow, due to his quality and ability to cover left and right-back roles, there are more than enough options in the squad to cover for him.
And selecting Chalobah, a player he knows well, is in line with Tuchel’s strategy of choosing individuals who maintain squad harmony rather than big-name players who might cause a fuss if they are not given regular game-time.
Whether Tuchel’s defensive flexibility proves decisive could become one of England’s defining stories of the tournament. The Three Lions remain among the favourites to reach the latter stages, and our experts have provided their latest predictions for England’s World Cup campaign.
