Thomas Tuchel's tenure as England manager began with a 2-0 victory over Albania in their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier, but the German coach insists there is significant room for improvement.
A debut goal from Arsenal's teenage sensation Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane's 70th international strike secured the win at Wembley.
However, the match was far from a dominant display, with Albania sitting deep and defending stubbornly for much of the game.
"We can do better; we have to do better," Tuchel told ITV after the match.
"We started well—seven or eight minutes with 100% ball possession, a lot of passes, and high energy."
"But the opponent is tough to break down in a deep block."
"In the Euros last year, they managed to not concede chances."
Tuchel admitted he was disappointed with the lack of pace and movement in the second half, noting, "We were too slow and didn't have enough runs off the ball to get behind their defensive line."
Bold Choices Pay Off
In his first game in charge, Tuchel made several bold decisions, including handing debuts to 18-year-old left-back Lewis-Skelly and Newcastle defender Dan Burn.
Both players impressed, with Lewis-Skelly coolly slotting the opener through the goalkeeper's legs in the 20th minute, while Kane sealed the victory with a 77th-minute effort.
"Amazing player, amazing personality," Tuchel said of Lewis-Skelly.
"He came into camp and immediately showed why it's easy to fall in love with him."
"It is well deserved."
Mixed Night for the Attackers
One of Tuchel's surprise selections was Marcus Rashford, making his first England start in a year.
On loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United, Rashford showed glimpses of quality alongside Jude Bellingham but struggled to consistently make the right decisions in the final third.
Phil Foden, deployed on the right wing, also found it difficult to make an impact.
Tuchel acknowledged the underwhelming performances of both wingers.
"Both of our wingers that started were not as impactful as they can be or as they are in club football," Tuchel admitted.
"I'm not so sure why we struggled to bring the ball to them quicker in open positions."
"We lacked a bit of runs off the ball—too much passing, not enough dribbling, and not aggressive enough towards goal."
Despite the subdued attacking display, Tuchel expressed confidence that his players would adapt and improve.
"They've been very good in recent weeks at their clubs."
"We'll keep encouraging them and give them a structure to show their potential."
England will look to build on this performance as they continue their World Cup qualifying campaign against Latvia at Wembley.