Anthony Barry understands that England are still searching for the final ingredient. The assistant coach has carefully reviewed the team’s performances and discussed every detail with Thomas Tuchel, even joking that the head coach is “doing my head in”. The central question remains: after the disappointment of losing in the World Cup semi-final, what must England change to go one step further and win a major title?
Although the Nations League campaign has only just begun, the Football Association hopes it can build momentum towards Euro 2028, which England will help host. Barry believes an answer may already be emerging. The focus is on giving the team’s leading players greater freedom to show their full range of qualities, with Jude Bellingham offering the clearest example.
The Real Madrid midfielder produced an outstanding display in Saturday’s 7-0 victory over Croatia in Rijeka, having also impressed during the previous weekend’s 3-2 loss to Spain at Wembley. Operating nominally as a No 10 but with permission to roam, switch sides and create overloads, Bellingham occasionally appeared to be playing a different game from everyone else.
The explanation behind the No 22 shirt he wore at Birmingham is already familiar: he combined the attributes of a No 4, No 8 and No 10. Tuchel now seems to have embraced an idea that began taking shape during Bellingham’s excellent World Cup performances. When a player can influence the match from so many areas, assigning him one rigid position may only restrict him.
“Our Nations League setup gives Jude more freedom to follow his instincts,” Barry says. “He is not confined to one fixed role or area. He can move around, identify the spaces where he believes he can cause problems and, up to this point, that approach has helped him perform at his best.
“The difficulty is that Jude can perform comfortably at an exceptional standard in several positions. Our task is to create a role that allows him to display all those qualities during the same match. Based on the limited evidence we have so far, we may have discovered a way to release his complete potential, but the work must continue.”
This tactical shift extends beyond Bellingham, despite his commanding performances this season. The plan was evident against Croatia, when several England players were encouraged to move into areas not normally associated with their starting positions. The full-backs advanced aggressively, while the wide attackers made sharp runs inside and beyond the defence.
Quick combinations are an important part of the system, but so is the willingness to move into unfamiliar areas, cover teammates and use sound judgment to preserve the team’s overall balance. Harry Kane demonstrated this by retreating into defensive zones when England did not have possession, taking up positions rarely occupied by a traditional centre-forward.
England’s aggressive counterpressing was impossible to miss. Whenever possession was lost, the nearest players immediately tried to recover the ball within two or three seconds. Croatia struggled to cope, particularly during a first half that ended with England leading by four goals. Maintaining that intensity will be crucial, but the coaching staff also believe the team’s more adventurous tactical additions can shape the new tournament cycle, beginning with Tuesday night’s Nations League meeting with Czechia at Wembley. The approach is no longer built around strict positional assignments and is intended to provide greater freedom, perhaps in response to the restraint England displayed during their World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina.
“We have adopted an approach based more heavily on shared principles, giving the players additional flexibility and freedom of movement,” Barry says. “However, that movement is effective only when it rests on clear foundations. International teams have very little preparation time, so a fluid system can easily become disorganised. Fortunately, the intelligence of this squad has made it relatively natural for the players to combine and occupy different areas.
“We are not discarding everything and beginning again. We are building on the existing work and introducing additional elements. The instructions are less rigid than simply telling each player exactly where to remain. There is now more positional rotation, which we believe fits this squad and gives us the strongest chance of breaking through compact defensive units.
“With forwards such as Harry and Jude, whose strengths include movement and an instinctive understanding of the game, the aim is to trust their judgment and create room for them to influence play. That freedom is central to the direction we are taking. We also possess outstanding players capable of attacking the space behind the opposition’s final line, whether through the wingers or the full-backs. In midfield, Elliot [Anderson], Alex [Scott] and Declan [Rice] are all mobile, adaptable and willing to cover enormous distances.”
Kane is set to collect his 125th international appearance on Tuesday night, drawing level with Peter Shilton’s record for the England men’s team. Barry praised the striker’s professionalism, leadership and team-first attitude, highlighting his willingness to work without the ball, retreat into deeper areas and carry out demanding defensive duties.
Barry offered an even more striking assessment: “He is the finest striker of a football I have ever coached.” That praise carries particular significance because Barry previously worked with Cristiano Ronaldo while serving as Roberto Martínez’s assistant with Portugal. Kane’s quality is one major source of Barry’s confidence, although it is far from the only reason he feels encouraged about England’s prospects.
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