Tuchel’s flexible England system gives Bellingham greater freedom in attack
England assistant coach Anthony Barry says Thomas Tuchel’s more flexible system is helping Jude Bellingham use his range of skills, after England’s 7-0 win over Croatia. The approach gives Bellingham greater freedom to move across the attacking areas, while aiming to keep the team organised through shared principles.
The system also asks other players to move beyond traditional positional roles: full-backs push high, wingers make runs from wide areas and Harry Kane helps in defensive spaces. England’s aggressive counterpress helped overwhelm Croatia, who were four goals behind at half-time. Barry said the early signs were promising, but England must sustain the intensity as they continue their Nations League campaign.
- Tuchel’s flexible system gives Bellingham room to roam.
- England beat Croatia 7-0, leading 4-0 at half-time.
- Barry says fluidity still depends on clear principles.
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Thomas Tuchel took over as England manager in 2024 and introduced a new tactical approach that emphasises flexibility over fixed positions. Instead of players staying in one specific role, defenders push forward to support attacks and attackers help in defence, with the goal of keeping the team more dynamic and organised.
Jude Bellingham is one of England's most important young players and a midfielder for Real Madrid. The flexible system benefits players like Bellingham by giving them the freedom to move across attacking areas and use their full range of abilities, rather than being restricted to a single position.
The new approach represents a significant shift from how England has traditionally played under previous managers. How well this system works over a full campaign, particularly against the strongest opponents, will determine whether it becomes central to England's tactical strategy going forward.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Jude awakening: how a more fluid England are ‘unlocking’ Bellingham’s full potential”.