England’s seven-goal win sets Thomas Tuchel a different test against Czechia

England’s challenge against Czechia is to reproduce the qualities behind their seven-goal victory over Croatia while adapting to a different opponent and an enforced midfield change.

Saturday’s result provides encouragement. It also creates expectations that Thomas Tuchel has already tried to manage before the final match of this international camp.

“We should not expect that result,” the England head coach said in his pre-match press conference.

That is a sensible starting point for assessing tonight’s performance. The scoreline will matter, but how England create chances and respond to resistance should tell us more about their progress.

The previous Czechia meeting needs context

England won 2-0 in Prague last week through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane. However, Pavel Sulc’s first-half dismissal changed the conditions of that contest.

As the Guardian’s match coverage recorded, both goals arrived after the interval, with England facing ten men for much of the evening.

That limits how much we can infer from their control of the reverse fixture. Wembley presents an opportunity to establish the same authority against a full complement of opponents.

Our assessment is that patience will be important if the opening goal does not arrive quickly. England need enough movement around the ball to make possession productive, while avoiding increasingly hurried decisions simply because Saturday produced such an unusual result.

Watch whether their attacks create different problems for defenders. Repeated possession in comfortable areas would offer less encouragement than a smaller number of well-constructed openings.

Scott’s absence changes the midfield question

England must adjust after Alex Scott’s thigh injury forced him to return to Bournemouth.

His performance alongside Elliot Anderson in Croatia gave Tuchel another midfield option. Now England have to preserve their balance with a different combination.

talkSPORT reported before the team announcement that Myles Lewis-Skelly and Trent Alexander-Arnold were expected to return to the starting side.

Whatever the final selection, replacing Scott involves more than finding another player to occupy the same position.

The midfield needs to offer passing options when England build attacks, support players further forward and remain organised when possession changes hands. Those responsibilities have to work together.

If both central midfielders advance, who protects the space behind them? If one stays deeper, does the other have enough support to connect with the forwards?

Those are the relationships to assess, rather than judging the replacement solely through goals or assists.

Tuchel has warned against assuming an easy evening

Tuchel’s assessment of Czechia included their improving build-up play and movement. He also pointed to the problems they had caused Spain.

That suggests England’s work without the ball deserves attention. An aggressive approach can help recover possession near goal, but the players behind the first challenge need to move with it.

Our reading of the task is that England should aim to make Czechia’s next pass difficult, rather than simply sending an individual forward to chase the ball.

If the visitors escape that first pressure, England’s response will be revealing. Can they recover their positions quickly and prevent one successful pass from opening a much larger space?

What would count as another convincing performance?

A controlled victory would strengthen the impression left by Croatia, even with a much narrower margin.

The useful signs would be clear midfield responsibilities, varied routes to goal and a quick response when attacks break down. England also need to retain their composure if Czechia defend effectively for a spell.

The Wembley fixture kicks off at 7.45pm BST. It gives Tuchel one more opportunity to see whether the standards established in Croatia can survive a change of personnel and circumstances.

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