Thomas Tuchel has named his first England squad and instantly upset West Ham fans who are accusing him of a ‘Chelsea bias’.
All eyes were on Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad selection on Friday.
One West Ham star and three from Chelsea were named as part of Tuchel’s maiden 26-man Three Lions squad.
But many feel it should be the other way around.
Hammers captain Jarrod Bowen made the cut while Chelsea trio Levi Colwill, Reece James and Cole Palmer were also called up.
Interim boss Lee Carsley admitted he’d been confronted by West Ham fans at petrol stations after snubbing Bowen.
Carsley was forced to eat humble pie when a raft of withdrawals saw him go cap in hand to Bowen.
The West Ham star accepted the invitation before going on to score a brilliant goal and lay on an assist in England’s big wins over Greece and Ireland the last time the squad got together.
A top England reporter revealed Bowen was set to make the squad ahead of players like Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Furious fans accuse Tuchel of ‘Chelsea bias’ after West Ham star’s England snub
But he wasn’t the only West Ham player many felt deserved a chance in Tuchel’s first selection.
Max Kilman and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were both reportedly on Tuchel’s 55-man long list.
However, Chelsea stars Colwill and James have been picked ahead of them.
James has barely played having spent long periods out injured since Tuchel left Chelsea, making only seven appearances this season.
Yet the Blues right-back has been named in the squad ahead of Wan-Bissaka, who has been West Ham’s best player in his debut season since arriving from Man United.
While the world was already well aware of Wan-Bissaka’s much-vaunted defensive capabilities, he has shown his attacking prowess at West Ham too.
Even in some of the Hammers’ poor results, Wan-Bissaka is often the team’s best performing player.
He is statistically the best full-back in the Premier League in terms of one-on-one defending.
And Wan-Bissaka is also fifth best performing full-back overall.
According to data experts WhoScored, West Ham skipper Bowen has been the fifth best English player in the Premier League this season.
Credit: Getty Images / Harry Murphy – Danehouse / Rob Newell – CameraSport
‘Wan-Bissaka must play cricket’ – Hammers fans don’t hold back on Tuchel
Chelsea’s Palmer being second in that list behind Bukayo Saka.
Wan-Bissaka is statistically the 10th best performing English player in the Premier League – in any position.
So his omission has left Tuchel wide open to criticism.
And West Ham fans are not holding back, accusing the German of ‘Chelsea bias’.
In response to the snub, the prominent West Ham Transfers account on X said: “Wan-Bissaka must play cricket.”
Another Hammers fan added: “Reece James, (Myles) Lewis-Skelly, (Tino) Livramento and (Jarell) Quansah in there over him is ridiculous.”
“Reece James but no AWB, Levi Colwill but no Max Kilman and Jordan Henderson but not Morgan Gibbs-White,” another Hammer said alongside laughing emojis.
West Ham account E20ZoneTV said it is an injustice Wan-Bissaka has been left out by Tuchel.
“Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been robbed of a place in this current England Squad,” the Hammers account said.
“He has been one of the best right backs in the Premier league this season, what the man got to do. Total injustice for all his efforts this season at West Ham.”
Big X account West Ham Central had ‘so many questions’ over Tuchel’s picks.
“So many questions. Why four goalkeepers? Why Lewis-Skelly with his discipline? Quansah who’s sat on LFC bench? Old man Henderson? Old man Walker? Out of form Eze? The injured Solanke? Wan-Bissaka? Spence? Branthwaite? Gibbs-White? Hudson-Odoi? Gallagher? And more I could mention.”
WhoScored named the five highest rated English players statistically to have not been selected.
And of course West Ham’s Wan-Bissaka was among them.
Another large West Ham account, COYIrons, said: “Reece James in the England squad over Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Chelsea bias from Thomas Tuchel.”
One West Ham fan used the Premier League’s player comparison tool to make the point, saying: “Reece James instead of Aaron Wan-Bissaka is an absolute joke.”
Others describe the snub as ‘criminal’ and a ‘disgrace’.
(@rachel_whu) What seems clear is that at 27, Wan-Bissaka’s hopes of playing for England are – for whatever reason – now bleak.
