Elliot Anderson is a versatile player, and played in multiple positions for Nottingham Forest last season.
He has been deployed as a left midfielder, as a defensive midfielder, a number 10, and as a number eight under Nuno Espirito Santo.
There have been many debates over where Anderson is best suited, and in the early days of his Forest career he was even competing with Morgan Gibbs-White for a starting role.
After receiving his first England call-up, Thomas Tuchel weighed in on the debate and shared where he sees him playing.
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Thomas Tuchel sees Elliot Anderson as a number eight
Thomas Tuchel announced his England squad on Friday afternoon, and revealed the position he sees Elliot Anderson playing in.
Talking about the call-ups, Tuchel said, ‘[Anderson] for me is a more of an eight’ ahead of the two international games coming up.
"It's time for a bit of fresh blood"
Thomas Tuchel speaks about why he picked Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson in his latest England squad 🏴 pic.twitter.com/DhSCwfOevJ
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) August 29, 2025
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Interestingly, during the England under-21s UEFA European Under-21 Championship tournament win, manager Lee Carlsley had deployed Anderson as a number 6.
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However, since he was part of a double pivot, he was given the freedom to be able to join the attack as well.
The German manager seems set to use him further up the pitch, but having experience in other positions will not be a negative.
Elliot Anderson’s versatility will help with his England future
Elliot Anderson’s ability to play any role as part of a midfield is a trait that all managers will love in their players.
The player believes that each position suits different aspects of his game, and he enjoys playing in both.
Speaking at the under-21 EUROs, he said, ‘I do like getting forward in the eight position and trying to get into the box and score. I enjoy the six as well because you get more of the ball and feel you have more control. They both bring good things out of my game’
This can only mean good things for Anderson, and having the ability to shift into different roles could see him get more minutes for the national team down the line.