James Garner made his England debut on Friday night, and Thomas Tuchel went strong with his post-match verdict.
James Garner was handed a start by Tuchel for the friendly against Uruguay, which finished 1-1.
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James Garner makes his England debut vs Uruguay at Wembley Stadium.
Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield
Ben White opened the scoring for the Three Lions, before Federico Valverde equalised in injury-time from the penalty spot after a VAR intervention.
It was a disappointing display overall by England, although a number of would-be starters did not feature in the game, with Tuchel mainly looking at fringe players.
Despite the poor collective display, Garner had a good game and was named Player of the Match.
But then came Tuchel’s verdict, which was great for Garner, but one that could actually now invite both pressure and attention.
Thomas Tuchel comparing James Garner to Federico Valverde may not help
After the game, Tuchel issued a glowing verdict of Garner, upon being told that no player created more chances or won more tackles in the game, or even completed the most final third passes.
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He said: “James Garner is our mini-Valverde!” Tuchel told reporters in his post-match press conference. “He’s getting there and he played very well.
“He has this natural confidence, very physical, won a lot of balls. In some situations he could be more open in his body position and drive more with a bit more confidence.
James Garner playing for England.
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
“He was involved in some ball losses which lost us some confidence in the last 10 minutes of the first half but was very impressive with how he trained and how he played.”
On the one hand, it is great to hear Tuchel make this kind of comparison, and really talk up Garner’s ability after his England debut.
But his words may also now mean a few other things.
Firstly, that kind of comparison brings about new pressure for Garner. Ultimately, Valverde is unquestionably one of the best midfielders in the world, and arguably the most complete midfielder.
Fans will now be waiting for him to deliver the kind of performances that Valverde does.
And then, there’s the notion that other clubs will have taken notice that a top manager like Tuchel believes Garner is comparable to Valverde.
Plenty of clubs out there would love to sign Valverde, but cannot due to how expensive he would be.
If clubs can’t sign Valverde, they are likely to target players who are like him, with Garner now thrown into that particular mix.
Is James Garner actually better as a full-back or in midfield? 🤔
He's been exceptional just about all season for the Blues!
James Garner of Everton reacts during the Premier League match between Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Credit: Getty Images/Clive Mason.
Now, of course, Garner did sign a new contract with Everton earlier this year, which is a major relief. That will make it very difficult for interested clubs to prise him away.
But that doesn’t mean that some clubs won’t still come calling, to attempt to sign a player who is becoming more and more complete with every passing week.
Tuchel has essentially just glamourised the Everton star, and we’ll now see what The Friedkin Group are all about
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