Tuchel admits it’s Bellingham vs Rogers for England spot – but who’s his best No.10? | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel has essentially admitted Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers will play No.10 in his England side, so it’s time to work out who’s his best option.

Real Madrid superstar Bellingham spent the last four England fixtures sat at home. A shoulder injury and then a lack of minutes kept him out, but given the 22-year-old is one of the best assets available to Tuchel and already has 44 Three Lions appearances under his belt, it was never going to be long until he was back.

That is the case now, and Tuchel has suggested he’s essentially in a fight with Aston Villa star Rogers for the No.10 spot – both men’s preferred position – after the Villan started the last three England games there, scoring and assisting in that time.

Tuchel has said ahead of England’s next fixtures, with a World Cup on the horizon: “Rather than finding a position for the best players to just have them on the field, it is better to have them in their best position and have a competition. At the moment the competition is between the two of them [Bellingham and Rogers].

“They are friends, it can also be a friendly competition – they don’t have to be enemies, they don’t have to hate each other. They are respectful, they are friends and can fight for the position. Can they play together? Yes, but in a different structure. At the moment it is not time to change our structure.”

And so it is time for a deep dive into the stats to see who is England’s best option to play No.10, using FBRef.

Bellingham scored 14 goals and assisted 14 for Real last season, compared to 14 Villa goals and 16 assists for Rogers, but this season’s stats are the most relevant with a World Cup coming at the end of it.

Rogers has played 11 games compared to eight for Bellingham, so the comparison, while not exact, is fair enough.

From 17 shots this season, Bellingham has put 10 on target and scored twice. Rogers has scored once from 12 shots, and six have been on target. But Rogers has two assists compared to Bellingham’s one.

Per 90 minutes, that equates to 0.09 goals for Rogers and 0.38 for Bellingham, with the assist stats very similar – 0.18 compared to 0.19.

Bellingham’s xG also far exceeds Rogers’ so far – 2.4 compared to 0.7.

Bellingham has also been the better passer – completing 233 passes compared to 202, with an accuracy percentage of 85.7, way up from 70.6.

Per 90 minutes, Bellingham creates 5.91 shot-creating actions, which is streets ahead of Rogers’ 1.94.

Rogers has had more touches of the ball but his successful take-on percentage is 34.3 per cent, while Bellingham’s is 42.1 per cent.

But the Villa man has been more of a help defensively, blocking the ball seven times compared to Bellingham’s four, though he has completed two fewer tackles.

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In club football, at least going forwards, Bellingham looks like the favourite over Rogers, though the fact he plays in a team with more quality can tip the scales.

In any case, with Rogers only having played 10 games for England, there is not a large sample size to properly compare him with Bellingham in international football.

However, Rogers has just two goal contributions in those 10 games, while Bellingham has 20 in 44, suggesting he’s the more incisive.