Another level! Tuchel's verdict on England's new left-wing solution
For years it was England's most debated position. Now, it may be their most settled. Anthony Gordon has transformed himself from a World Cup talking point into the first name on Thomas Tuchel's team sheet.
Details: According to Thomas Tuchel, England have found their long-term answer on the left wing in Anthony Gordon. Speaking after the Three Lions' 7-0 demolition of Croatia in Rijeka, the England coach explained the transformation he has witnessed in the Barcelona winger since his summer move from Newcastle United: He's playing with much more aggression now, with more confidence. I see a player full of confidence, full of faith. He's reached another level. The numbers back the German's words: Gordon has started all three of England's Nations League matches on the left and contributed three goals and one assist, scoring in both fixtures against Czechia and opening the scoring in the historic rout of Croatia.
The backdrop makes the story even more compelling. Barcelona signed Gordon for a package worth around €80 million, or £69.3 million, after a turbulent final season at Newcastle in which he scored just six Premier League goals yet set a club record with ten goals in the Champions League. He arrived at the World Cup as the left-wing understudy to Marcus Rashford, scored the opener in the semi-final against Argentina, and was then famously substituted by a Tuchel who later admitted his defensive switch came too early, as England collapsed to a 2-1 defeat. The redemption arc has been emphatic. Gordon himself says the difference is recognition: in England, he felt respected only for his pace and pressing, while in Spain his intelligence and decision-making are finally appreciated, a point underlined by his own statistical jump in shots, key passes and successful dribbles per 90.
It's worth noting that Gordon's club form tells the same story: four assists in his first six La Liga matches and a seamless fit in Hansi Flick's front three, where his relentless running gives Lamine Yamal and the Barcelona attack a different dimension. The irony is rich: the man once doubted as a one-dimensional runner is now the player of the moment in the country that prizes technical intelligence above all. For England, chasing a Nations League group they must win to reach the 2027 finals, and with an eye on Euro 2028, the timing could not be better. Rashford's future at Barcelona remains uncertain, but in the battle for England's left wing, the verdict from the man who matters most is already in: Gordon has reached another level, and he is not coming back down.
Reminder: What a humiliation! England destroy Croatia away and rewrite history.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
