Thomas Tuchel must fix the left-back problem among SIX key issues

There are 44 days before Thomas Tuchel takes over as England manager and sets his sights on winning the 2026 World Cup.

Following the disappointment of Euro 2024 and the lessons learned from Lee Carsley's six-match spell as interim boss, Mail Sport looks at Tuchel's inbox.

What to do with Harry Kane?

Kane's style of play for England was probably best summed up by his involvement in the moment that changed the course of the match early in the second half.

The way the England captain seized possession deep in midfield and dropped a 35-yard pass onto the toe of Jude Bellingham in the Republic of Ireland penalty area said everything about his vision, awareness and range of passing.

It was a beautiful piece of creative football and it earned England a penalty, which Kane scored.

But why did England's number 9 drop so low to get the ball in the first place?

Against Greece on Thursday, Kane was on the bench and Ollie Watkins played from the shoulder of the centre-backs. This allowed the likes of Bellingham to find space behind him.

With Kane in the team, England play differently and that is not always for the better. It is a puzzle that Tuchel must solve.

To tame Bellingham or set him free?

To understand how good Bellingham is, you have to see him play live. His influence on games is fundamental.

Here – albeit against limited opposition – Bellingham was arguably England's best player and is without doubt the man around whom Tuchel's team should be built.

However, it does entail risks. His positional discipline may be poor and his temperament needs to improve. He was shown a yellow card towards the end of the first half at Wembley after running 40 yards to complain about a referee decision that had nothing to do with him.

FA sources claim the Real Madrid star is a positive and beneficial influence behind the scenes in the English camps, but that is not always evident on the pitch.

Like all mavericks, he will require careful and nuanced handling from Tuchel.

Is pace the future or is that just an illusion?

Missing an entire midfield against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, Carsley had little choice but to try something different.

No Phil Foden, no Cole Palmer, no Jack Grealish and no Bukayo Saka. It meant England started both matches with two flyers in wide positions.

Chelsea's Noni Madueke was excellent at Wembley, as he was in Athens, while Newcastle's Anthony Gordon brings a similar straight wing play on the left.

It's in stark contrast to the steady trickery of England's regular attacking players. Foden and Palmer, for example, like to drift in. This could lead to traffic congestion in that area, where Bellingham likes to work.

So what's the answer? The probability is a combination of both. Madueke and Gordon will certainly have a tougher time against a better caliber international full-back. But Carsley's tenure has shown one thing: there are alternatives available to what we became accustomed to under Gareth Southgate.

That should provide comfort to Tuchel and his staff.

What do we do as a left back?

It was a problem in the eurozone and it is a problem now. Lewis Hall and Rico Lewis performed more than adequately against Greece and Ireland, but are arguably not quite ready to guide their country through a World Cup qualifying campaign.

The answer to the problem is Luke Shaw, but he is simply never fit. The Manchester United defender is currently out of action again.

Now that Newcastle's Kieran Trippier has retired from international football, Tuchel will open that particular cupboard and find it pretty bare, and that's a real problem.

Modern football coaches ask so much of the full-back and Tuchel will be no different. He'll be able to make it in other positions if necessary, but not so much in this one.

Can he bottle the Carsley Effect?

Apart from the horror show at home to Greece, when England lost after an experiment with Bellingham at number 9, Carsley's six-match spell was progressive and largely impressive.

He has removed the daunting prospect of Nations League play-off matches that loomed in March if England had not won their group, and he has done so by selecting his players and using his ideas, philosophies and tactics.

Just as importantly, he has ensured that the culture of belonging and selflessness that Southgate has developed over the past eight years has been maintained. Many England players were seen here thanking Carsley for what he has done for them over the past three months.

He has used 31 different players and handed out eight debuts. Last night alone, four players scored their first goal for England. That hadn't happened since the 1930s.

Tuchel will want to put his own stamp on this squad and this team and that can only be a good thing.

But despite what Harry Kane said last week, this is an England team that players really want to play for and the former Chelsea coach must secure that feeling.

Who will challenge Jordan Pickford in goal?

The victory in Athens last week amounted to a three-goal difference and was deserved. It gave England back control of the group.

But at 1-0, goalkeeper Pickford made two brilliant saves, one in each half. They were as important as any goal scored by an English player in this Nations League campaign.

The Everton keeper had a poor game at home against Greece as England lost – who wouldn't? – but other than that, he has been exemplary for as long as anyone can remember.

Pickford has become the consummate international goalkeeper. He is a brilliant reactive shot stopper and distributes the ball brilliantly. He has also developed the composure that top goalkeepers need, ensuring he owns the defensive third of the pitch when teams counter-attack.

So that's all good. But none of his students are in his league and they also lack tournament experience. Tuchel will pray for Pickford's continued form and fitness.