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Thomas Tuchel's tactics... the phrase has got a lovely alliteration to it.
And we've got another chance to chin-stroke over the England head coach's selections and style with a vast 35-man squad split over two friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
We're going to try to make it as easy as possible to get inside Tuchel's giant football brain with quick charts and explanations. And if you get stuck, our handy glossary is just a click away.
Let's begin:
The Harry Kane injury plan
The Harry Kane injury plan
The case for Cole Palmer at No10
The case for Cole Palmer at No10
Harry Maguire gatecrashing Tuchel's XI
Harry Maguire gatecrashing Tuchel's XI
5 charts to understand Tuchel masterplan
5 charts to understand Tuchel masterplan
1. Tuchel's 'attacking engine' style
We're all still enjoying guessing at Tuchel's best XI. Our expert views and your chance to have a go at picking your XI is here. Our chief England writer John Cross has previously identified the six 'Tuchel untouchables' - Jordan Pickford, Marc Guehi, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
Later in this piece, after you've digested our five key graphics, Cross puts his neck on the line with his starting XI for England's World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17.
And he goes head-to-head with former England and Premier League defender Graeme Le Saux, who - as the founder of super computer Machine Football - has picked his data-led England XI.
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Machine Football has developed a model that divides different teams’ approaches into eight major playing styles - and places Tuchel's approach firmly in the same 'attacking engine' style - alongside Premier League teams like Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.
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(Image: Machine Football)
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If you're a tactics nerd and want to read more about the definitions of these eight different styles, click here.
2. Tuchel only plays this way - there's no turning back!
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This graphic shows that each time Tuchel's managed a title-winning club he's played in the same style.
In practice, Tuchel's 'attacking engine' approach needs technical players - specifically in wide areas.
Tuchel’s sides like to play direct passes through the lines to gifted attackers who can isolate defenders in one-v-one dribbles.
3. He likes set-plays but is not a long-ball merchant
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Much has been written about the Premier League's obsession with set-pieces this season - and Tuchel is leaning into that trend with specialists Rice and Saka nailed on to start, and giants Dan Burn and Harry Maguire in contention for centre-back places.
But looking at the chart above as a snapshot of Tuchel's Dortmund style, it shows his sides focus on:
Short, intricate passes to pull defending teams apart
A high chance creation - average of 14.6 shots per 90 minutes
A creative-focused midfielder (eg Elliot Anderson) to play incisive through passes - average of 14.9 per 90
Lots of control of possession - shown by a low value of interceptions and blocks
Where Declan Rice provides the energy and tempo Tuchel likes, Elliot Anderson brings creativity. The 23-year-old is one of only two English 'Playmaking 6s' within Europe's top five leagues (alongside Curtis Jones), averaging just under 10 progressive passes per 90 minutes for Forest this season.
4. 'Direct and aggressive' - Why Rashford is a Tuchel favourite
As such, England need wide players who thrive in the transition and who are aggressive and direct - like Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford.
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Across his career, Tuchel has consistently gravitated towards a specific type of wide player – Ousmane Dembélé, Ángel Di María, Leroy Sané – what Machine Football's model classifies as a 'Dynamic 7.' These players are progressive, direct and excel in transition. Rashford fits that profile. Anthony Gordon, does not.
Machine Football has Gordon - Rashford’s direct rival for the wide left starting berth down as an 'Incisive 7' rather than a 'Dynamic 7' - meaning Gordon likes to drift centrally and create overloads in the middle.
That can be very useful when you have a centre-forward who drops deeper to get involved in build-up, vacating the space for wide players, like Roberto Firmino, Nick Woltemade or even Harry Kane.
But Tuchel’s England also play with a number 10, putting more impetus on Kane to focus on his presence as a box threat while also meaning wingers need to provide the width to avoid taking up positions too similar to England’s other attackers.
What’s for certain is that, with Tuchel’s demand for direct, touchline-hugging, technical wingers with pace, the Southgate days of Phil Foden on the left hand side are long gone.
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5. Graeme Le Saux's data-led XI v John Cross's 'eye test' XI
Graphic showing Machine Football gives a score out of 100 for each player's 'cohesion' with team-mates - note Rice and Saka's link-up as well as O'Reilly and Guehi from Man City.
Graphic showing Machine Football gives a score out of 100 for each player's 'cohesion' with team-mates - note Rice and Saka's link-up as well as O'Reilly and Guehi from Man City.
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The cohesion scores (the numbers displayed between players) show how strong the on-pitch relationships are
Marc Guehi’s move to the Etihad has pretty much put Manchester City team-mate Nico O’Reilly in pole position for the left-back position.
Harry Maguire is one headline inclusion here as Guehi’s partner at the back - and we get into that decision more in this piece [insert link to Maguire v Konsa article]
And the other is Cole Palmer at No10 ahead of Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingam, Phil Foden or Eberechi Eze, despite the Chelsea man's stuttering domestic form
(Image: Machine Football / John Cross)
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In good news for the credibility of our England expert, John Cross, his England XI differs in only two selections from Le Saux's super computer version - Bellingham in at No10 and Konsa in for Maguire.
Now, armed with that new information - have a go yourself...
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