England head to Prague on Tuesday looking for a response after their Nations League campaign started with a frustrating defeat at Wembley.
Thomas Tuchel’s side led Spain 2-1 at half-time on Saturday through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.
Kane then slipped while taking a penalty that could have made it 3-1, before Spain fought back to win 3-2 through Álex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal.
Czechia also started Group A3 with nothing.
Santi Denia’s first game in charge ended in a 2-1 home defeat to Croatia. Adam Karabec cancelled out Luka Modrić’s opener, only for Marco Pašalić to head Croatia’s winner.
That result ended Czechia’s 19-match unbeaten run at home, so England shouldn’t expect an easy night despite the hosts’ lengthy injury list.
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What are the best betting tips for Czechia vs England?
England to win
England weren’t horrendous against Spain, but there was certainly room for improvement.
They recovered from conceding inside two minutes, led at half-time and had an excellent opportunity to establish a two-goal cushion from the penalty spot.
There are defensive issues to address, but Czechia shouldn’t pose the same attacking threat as the world champions.
Tuchel also has an excellent away record with England. The Three Lions have won all four of their away games under him without conceding.
Czechia are missing several established players and Saturday’s defeat ended a 19-game unbeaten home sequence.
England should have enough quality to respond.
Jude Bellingham to score or assist
Bellingham was one of England’s best players against Spain.
He created a game-high five chances, assisted Gordon’s goal and won the penalty that Kane subsequently missed.
His recent international numbers are even more impressive.
Bellingham has contributed seven goals and two assists across his last nine England appearances, giving him nine goal involvements since the start of the World Cup.
Tuchel has admitted he will monitor Bellingham’s workload, but if he starts in Prague, his current role gives him plenty of opportunities to influence the final third.
Harry Kane 2+ shots on target
Kane’s penalty miss will understandably dominate discussion of Saturday’s defeat, but he still got himself on the scoresheet against Spain.
England should see more sustained possession against Czechia, which ought to mean more opportunities for their captain.
Kane has also scored in two of his three previous appearances against Czechia.
Rather than asking him to score again, two shots on target gives us another route.
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What have the managers said?
Santi Denia:
Denia was disappointed to begin his Czechia reign with defeat, but took positives from Saturday’s performance.
The Spaniard was particularly pleased with how his players responded after falling behind.
“I’m proud of all the players for their commitment.”
Looking specifically towards England, Denia admitted another difficult night awaits his side:
“It will be a tough game.”
His immediate priority after the Croatia defeat was recovery, with Czechia facing England just three days later. Denia said they will need the entire squad during a demanding run that also includes Spain.
Thomas Tuchel:
Tuchel has made it clear England aren’t heading to Prague looking to conserve energy.
After Saturday’s defeat, the England boss said:
“We need to be proactive and go for it.”
He added that there is “no room” for trying to manage the game economically despite England facing four Nations League fixtures during this extended international window.
Tuchel would actually prefer to make as few changes as possible.
“I would love not to rotate but I am not sure if it’s possible.”
England’s medical staff will assess Bellingham and others before a final decision is made.
What is Czechia’s predicted team?
(4-2-3-1) Horníček; Coufal, Hranáč, Chaloupek, Sláma; Sadílek, Červ; Ambros, Šulc, Radosta; Hložek.
Injured: David Zima, David Jurásek, Matěj Ryneš, Tomáš Vlček, Lukáš Provod, Denis Višinský, Tomáš Chorý.
Doubt: Adam Karabec, Ladislav Krejčí.
Denia has been hit particularly hard by injuries during his first international window.
Karabec scored against Croatia but was later forced off, making him a doubt for Tuesday. Krejčí has also been dealing with a calf problem.
What is England’s predicted team?
(4-2-3-1) Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Konsa, Guéhi, Hall; Anderson, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
Injured: Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo.
Doubts: Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly.
Konsa and O’Reilly trained separately on Monday, putting their involvement in Prague in some doubt.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was an unused substitute against Spain and could come into the starting XI, while Tuchel has suggested he wants to retain a strong core rather than completely reshuffle his team.
Czechia vs England prediction
Both sides are already chasing their first points, but England have more reason to be encouraged by their opening performance.
They caused Spain serious problems and were a missed penalty away from potentially establishing a 3-1 lead.
Czechia’s home record deserves respect. Before losing to Croatia, they had gone 19 matches unbeaten there, and England themselves lost 2-1 on their last visit to Prague in 2019.
But injuries have left Denia with a depleted squad at exactly the wrong time.
England should create enough opportunities for Kane, Bellingham and Saka to make the difference.
Score prediction: Czechia 1-2 England
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