England beat Serbia 2-0, Tuchel still left Bellingham on the bench

The biggest noise at Wembley on a rainy night didn’t come from the goals from Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze. It came when Jude Bellingham got up from the bench and walked onto the pitch. Despite the outcry, Thomas Tuchel stood firm: Bellingham is not part of England’s current starting XI.

Key developments of the England 2-0 Serbia match

England completed the task with a 2-0 win over Serbia in World Cup qualifying. The opening goal came from a typical Tuchel moment: Nico O'Reilly pressed, forcing goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic to make a mistake; the ball bounced out to Saka for a delicate volley.

Serbia under new coach Veljko Paunovic showed a completely different side to the 0-5 defeat in Belgrade in September. They reorganized their defense, waited for the opportunity to counter-attack and almost scored from a backheel by Dusan Vlahovic. However, Eberechi Eze put the final nail in the coffin with a beautiful finish at the end of the match, making it 2-0.

Tuchel, Bellingham and system selection

Tuchel is not a coach to be swayed. The bright red “mind-altering” boots — which look like Crocs — that appeared this week, or the wave of criticism from the Wembley stands, have not swayed him. The message to Bellingham is clear: this could be the frame for next summer’s World Cup, and he is not currently a starter.

The relationship between Tuchel and the fans was already strained. Earlier in Latvia, after he complained about the dull atmosphere at Wembley, the fans responded with a sarcastic question:"Are we loud enough for you?"At Wembley, the chant"Jude!"Bellingham's entrance was even louder than Saka and Eze's goals.

"Worker" philosophy instead of "Galacticos"

Tuchel’s system prioritises structure and discipline. Morgan Rogers is energetic, Reece James is a steady presence on the right flank—pieces who do their jobs. That’s why the German coach stands his ground, even when he has individuals like Bellingham and Eze who can make a difference.

Human Resources and Missed Tests

A game with little significance in the table is often an opportunity to experiment, but Tuchel didn't push too far. Marcus Rashford was given a starting role, moving around but lacking confidence in his touches — a contrast to the explosive image he has shown for Barcelona.

In goal, Dean Henderson and James Trafford have not had a chance. The risk of an inexperienced reserve goalkeeper group looms if Jordan Pickford is injured, something that briefly held Wembley at half-time. Up front, although Tuchel has said he has not closed the door on Danny Welbeck, he has still called up a squad without a real backup for Harry Kane in the context of Ollie Watkins having to play while "uncomfortable".

Tuchel's defensive streak

No decision was perfect, but one number was on Tuchel’s side: seven wins from seven in qualifying, without conceding a goal. His understanding of the English football ecosystem from his time at Chelsea allowed him to be straightforward about Bellingham’s situation — without hiding behind the story of his post-surgery recovery. Instead, Tuchel openly criticized the midfielder’s “excessive habits” and questioned his “character.”

As long as England keep winning and keeping clean sheets, Tuchel has grounds to defend his selection — even if the Wembley crowd continues to scream Bellingham's name every time he warms up on the touchline.

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