Jude Bellingham was replaced by Morgan Rogers in the closing minutes of England's victory over Albaniaplaceholder image
Jude Bellingham was replaced by Morgan Rogers in the closing minutes of England's victory over Albania | Getty Images
Jude Bellingham expressed his frustration when he was replaced by substitute Morgan Rogers during England’s final World Cup qualifier
Thomas Tuchel has admitted that Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers did not deserve to be left out of the starting lineup for England’s final World Cup qualifier against Albania.
Rogers has played 12 times for the Three Lions since making the step up from the Under-21 team during Lee Carsley’s brief interim stint in charge.
He’s featured in all 10 matches under Thomas Tuchel since his arrival in January, and had notably started in all of England’s last three matches in victories over Wales, Latvia and Serbia.
Rogers has impressed in the No.10 role, amplifying the competition in a position which already has a great pool of talent, with the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and former Birmingham City hero Jude Bellingham all vying for a starting spot.
Thomas Tuchel makes candid Morgan Rogers claim
Morgan Rogers was dropped from Thomas Tuchel’s starting lineup for the final qualifier against Albania, with Jude Bellingham taking his place. It marked Bellingham’s first start for the Three Lions since a 1-0 win over Andorra in June after the Real Madrid man was dropped entirely from the team squad in October while also missing out in September due to a shoulder injury.
Bellingham played 84 minutes against Albania in a comfortable 2-0 victory which saw Harry Kane take his tally to 78 goals in 112 caps, overtaking the Brazilian great Pele for goals on the international stage.
The Real Madrid man was then replaced by Rogers in the final six minutes of the contest, but didn’t seem to take kindly to the decision amid antics which saw him shake his head and wave his arms in the air after his number came up on the board.
Tuchel says the decision to sub Bellingham had been made before Harry Kane scored England’s second as the midfielder was on a yellow card.
He explained: “Yeah he didn't like it but no-one likes it. But that's how it is, Morgan [Rogers] didn't like to be out and didn't deserve to be out but that was the decision. Jude was also on a yellow card and I made the decision before the second goal and the decision stands.”
Could Morgan Rogers start for England at the World Cup?
Based on recent performances at international level, Morgan Rogers has definitely put himself in contention to start in North America based on current form.
Intriguing, he’s not quite hit the heights of last season so far in an Aston Villa shirt this season, but has definitely shown signs of drastic improvement after a slow start.
Thomas Tuchel’s recent comments show he’s clearly a fan of Rogers. While it appears the sentiment is shared by the Villa man, he said, via Goal: “He has that level of confidence, that level of respect already. You can see the way he is, the way he acts. He has been so chilled and calm.”
Former Villa defender Stephen Warnock, meanwhile, shared his take on on BBC Radio 5 Live, commenting: “I felt Jude Bellingham played like a player who was playing for his place with pressure on his shoulders in a position he hasn’t played in before in an England shirt.
“There was a feeling that Bellingham would be a starter for England for years to come. Suddenly, the emergence of Morgan Rogers and the way he fitted into the style that Thomas Tuchel wants has thrown up a lot of questions. We just saw a couple moments of magic – he finds passes which other players can’t find.”
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