As the competition for seats on the plane for the 2026 World Cup reaches its final few months, one England man failed his audition miserably in front of Thomas Tuchel during Newcastle United’s 3-1 loss to Manchester City on Saturday night. Eddie Howe’s side exited the FA Cup at the fifth round as, after opening the scoring, their opponents flexed their muscles to brush them aside at St James’ Park.
Savinho scored the equaliser, while Omar Marmoush’s double in the second-half ensured that Harvey Barnes’ early goal felt like a distant memory by the end of proceedings. While the result put an end to Newcastle’s hopes of silverware this term, barring any Champions League miracles as they prepare to take on Barcelona in midweek, there is still so much for the players to compete for.
That, indeed, includes places in the England team. Tuchel has long shown he’s willing to give players a chance, regardless of the club they play for and their reputation, just as long as they showcase their abilities. But while the likes of John Stones and Nico O’Reilly can feel positive following their displays, the same cannot be said for Aaron Ramsdale.
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Aaron Ramsdale’s England Audition Better Off Forgotten About
Needless to say, Aaron Ramsdale is pretty low down in his international manager’s thinking right now, given that Jordan Pickford appears to be the nailed-on starter, while Crystal Palace glovebearer Dean Henderson is tipped to be his understudy after another Premier League campaign defined by composure and penalty-saving heroics, following his FA Cup final exploits last term.
But with the third-choice goalkeeper spot still vacant, the former Arsenal keeper could at least count himself in contention for a place on the bench – a highly desired call-up to a major international tournament, regardless of pecking order. That was until his performance this weekend seemed to push him to the very bottom of an uphill battle.
Rated only 5/10 by the Shields Gazette, his 90-minute display saw him concede three goals, make one error leading to a shot, and complete only 67 percent of his passes successfully. A modern goalkeeper is expected to bail his team out of danger and handle the simple things correctly to avoid complications around the goalmouth, but the fact that he only found his intended target on five of 19 long passes does not bode well for a national team that likes to play out from the back.
James Trafford or Nick Pope Look More Favourable for Tuchel
Nick Pope had long been seen as Newcastle’s number one until recent weeks, when he was usurped by Aaron Ramsdale. However, given the track records of both goalkeepers, it is still widely felt that the former, now 33, would be the preferred option if Thomas Tuchel were to look to the Geordies for inspiration when deciding who deserves the final goalkeeper spot in his 26-man squad.
Pope’s experience, combined with the fact that he has been consistently playing first-team football, would likely be the deciding factors. However, it is their opposite number on Saturday night, James Trafford, who could eventually pip them both. Last season, the 23-year-old conceded only 16 goals in the Championship with Burnley, keeping an astonishing 29 clean sheets.
Although he has since moved into an understudy role, as Gianluigi Donnarumma has been entrusted by Pep Guardiola, Tuchel may see Trafford’s age as an advantage and view him as England’s future first-choice goalkeeper. Any integration into the national team setup could therefore be designed with a view to helping him realise that potential.