Tuchel Admits Bellingham Was Fortunate as England Grind Out Win Over Latvia England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged that Jude Bellingham was "lucky" to avoid a red card during the Three Lions' 3-0 victory over Latvia in Monday’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley. Despite the comfortable scoreline, England faced difficulties in breaking down their determined opponents, with Tuchel conceding that his side "struggled" to find their rhythm. Bellingham, known for his passionate style of play, found himself in hot water after receiving a yellow card in the first half. Shortly after halftime, he lunged into a reckless challenge on Raivis Jurkovskis, raising concerns that he might be shown a second yellow. Tuchel wasted no time in taking precautions, immediately substituting the Real Madrid star for Phil Foden to prevent a potential dismissal. "A bit lucky," Tuchel admitted post-match. "We took the decision straight away to not take the risk and take him off." At the time of Bellingham’s exit, England were still clinging to a slender 1-0 lead courtesy of Reece James’ stunning first-half free-kick. The hosts struggled to extend their advantage against a Latvia side ranked 136th in the world. However, Harry Kane doubled the lead shortly after Bellingham's removal, easing the tension before Eberechi Eze sealed the win with a late goal. England Yet to Hit Top Gear Under Tuchel Despite back-to-back victories to open his tenure, Tuchel admitted England’s performances have been far from perfect. Following a lackluster 2-0 win over Albania in his debut match on Friday, England again found it difficult to impose themselves against a much weaker opponent. "It was not an easy match," Tuchel reflected. "We saw a lot of good things, created good chances, but needed a free-kick to unlock it. I’m happy with the attitude, energy, and desire, but we will get there." He also pointed out that England’s tempo dropped in the second half, making it harder to break down the Latvian defense. "We slowed the game down too much and made little movement, which makes no sense," he explained. "But the second goal was better as we showed acceleration from one of our midfielders. We encourage everyone to have those late surges forward, but we struggled a bit until the goal. I’m learning about the players and the game, so it’s an interesting process." James and Rogers Shine One of the biggest positives for England was the performance of Chelsea right-back Reece James, who marked his first international start since September 2022 with a superb goal and an assured display. Having played under Tuchel during Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League-winning campaign, the German coach is well aware of James’ quality and was pleased with his impact. "I know Reece and the quality he has is amazing," Tuchel said. "He has every right to be proud and happy with his performance. He looks sharp, and there is no doubt about his quality." Tuchel also highlighted James' versatility, explaining how he can be used to create an extra advantage in midfield when England are in possession. "If you dominate a match like today, he can be a hybrid midfielder to help create overloads. His quality is at the highest level," he added. Additionally, the England boss was impressed with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who made his first start for the national team. The young midfielder has been a standout performer for Villa in their run to the Champions League quarter-finals and showed glimpses of his potential on the international stage. "I’m happy with him. He deserved to start," Tuchel said. "A match where we are so dominant could suit him more playing from the wings. He felt more freedom there, and there was more space. He did well." Looking Ahead England will next be in action in June when they take on Andorra, where Tuchel will hope to see continued improvements in his team’s attacking play and overall cohesion. While the wins have come, the German tactician will know that tougher tests lie ahead, and performances will need to improve if England are to mount a serious challenge at the World Cup.