The Leeds United striker has since been axed from the England squad.
Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks to have missed his England World Cup chance after squandering what Alan Shearer described as an ‘absolute sitter’ against Uruguay.
Calvert-Lewin was back in an England squad for the first time in five years this month but had to wait for his playing return after being named on the substitute’s bench on Friday. He replaced Dominic Solanke on 56 minutes and immediately saw a great chance come his way.
But the Leeds striker glanced his close-range header wide, spurning a great opportunity to make his mark. Former Whites loanee Ben White scored in a 1-1 draw with Marcelo Bielsa’s side but the post-match focus was on Tuchel’s lack of obvious back-up option for Harry Kane, who was rested.
“The number of centre-forwards we had [in the 1990s and 2000s] was unbelievable and there hardly seems to be any now,” Shearer told The Rest Is Football when discussing England’s striker options. “It is alarming, the lack of centre-forwards.
“It was probably a night for Ollie Watkins the other night, with those two playing. Solanke did alright, Calvert-Lewin came on and missed an absolute sitter, so I guess Watkins was sat at home thinking ‘I need to be in the squad.’”
Co-host and fellow former England frontman Gary Lineker appeared to agree that neither the Leeds man nor Solanke did much to guarantee a place, insisting: “When you get a chance, you’ve got to score as a striker.” Calvert-Lewin was later sent back to West Yorkshire as Tuchel cut his squad down.
Thomas Tuchel’s verdict on Dominic Calvert-Lewin return
Speaking after the match, Tuchel was quizzed on the performances of his two strikers and made reference to Calvert-Lewin’s ‘big chance’. The Three Lions boss praised both for their work but has since decided to keep Solanke in the picture amid Kane’s return to face Japan this week.
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"The effort today from Dom Solanke, he worked his socks off, he worked like a dog up there on the first defender,” Tuchel said. "He initiated the press, made a lot of sprints and intensive runs. With injury from Phil (Foden) we took a double change and it took Dom Calvert-Lewin a little bit to get the press right and to play with the same intensity.
“Then Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a big chance for him and he is upset with himself because it was a chance made for him on his head like six metres out so it's normally a clear goal. He could have made like a statement straight away.
"But we played then through the middle and Dom was always available through the middle and we wanted to play a little bit more through the middle in the second half and he did quite well. For me, everyone, they tried to stick to the plan, they tried to put the plan into life and this basically includes everyone and also the two strikers."
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