Thomas Tuchel's defensive tactics are being blamed for England's late collapse against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, not goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, despite Jude Bellingham's apparent criticism of the Everton shot-stopper.
Bellingham was seen reacting to replays of Enzo Fernandez's equaliser, seemingly complaining that the shot went in "the middle of the goal." However, analysis shows that Pickford was not at fault for the goal that levelled the match at 1-1 before Argentina scored a late winner.
Tuchel's Defensive Approach Backfires
England manager Thomas Tuchel opted to sit deep and invite pressure in the final 20 minutes, despite having a wealth of attacking options on the bench. This approach made Pickford's job significantly harder, as the goalkeeper was forced to deal with a crowded penalty area and numerous crosses.
Tuchel brought on defender after defender, effectively forming a back five that sat deeper and deeper. This allowed Argentina to dominate possession and deliver dangerous balls into the box. Pickford has historically excelled behind solid defences that are adept at dealing with crosses, but he struggles when defenders sit deep in front of him, blocking his eyeline and failing to clear the ball from dangerous areas.
The Equaliser: A Breakdown
For Fernandez's equaliser, Lionel Messi played the ball to the Chelsea midfielder on the edge of the area. With no England player closing him down, Fernandez had time to wind up and unleash a powerful strike. There were seven white shirts between Pickford and the penalty spot, but none between the spot and Fernandez, giving him around 10 yards of space. Pickford, positioned closer to his near post in anticipation of a Messi cross, had to fight for a sightline to the ball.
Fernandez had already been given a sighter earlier, which Pickford saved. The goal was not in the corner, but multiple defensive errors preceded it. Tuchel's switch to wing-backs also opened up space for Messi to exploit, leading to high-quality crosses that England failed to stop or deal with.
Pickford's Performance Under Scrutiny
Despite the criticism, Pickford made several good saves during the match. While he had tough moments throughout the World Cup, the prolonging of England's wait for glory cannot be attributed to him. Tuchel's tactics, or his failure to stem the defensive retreat, made an already difficult job almost impossible for England's number one.
Pickford has previously been seen yelling at defenders like James Tarkowski to stop sitting on top of him, as happened when a deflection led to a goal against Sunderland and a penalty conceded against Leeds United. The same issues resurfaced in Atlanta, with defenders dropping deep and blocking Pickford's view.
