Thomas Tuchel's earlier criticism of Gareth Southgate for playing with fear has come back to haunt him after England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina. The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss, appointed by the FA to win major silverware, saw his own defensive tactics blamed for the 2-1 loss.
England's Defensive Collapse
After Anthony Gordon opened the scoring, England sat back and invited pressure. They retreated to protect their narrow lead, allowing Argentina to launch repeated attacks. An equaliser felt inevitable and arrived when Enzo Fernandez struck with five minutes remaining. At that point, England had six defensive players on the pitch in a 5-4-1 formation, holding only 12 per cent possession between Gordon's goal and Lisandro Martinez's winning header in stoppage time.
Tuchel's Previous Comments
Just over a year ago, Tuchel accused England of 'playing with fear' under Southgate, who was often criticised for being too defensive in crucial knockout fixtures. Following his appointment, Tuchel questioned England's identity at Euro 2024, saying: 'The identity [was missing], the clarity, the rhythm, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of players, the expression of players, the hunger. They were more afraid to drop out of the tournament, in my observation, than having the excitement and hunger to win it.'
Backlash and Future
The submissive nature of the defeat has led to calls for Tuchel's sacking, but the 52-year-old has confirmed he will see out his contract until Euro 2028. According to the source, Tuchel was left red-faced as his own team displayed the same fear he criticised in Southgate's era.
