England defender Marc Guehi has broken his silence on the team's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, criticising the tactical approach after taking the lead. The Three Lions went ahead in the 55th minute but subsequently dropped deep, allowing Argentina to mount a comeback and win 2-1, with Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scoring.
Guehi questions defensive mindset
Speaking after the match, the Manchester City centre-back expressed his frustration: "Once we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try and hold on, which at this level is just not enough, so I'm gutted. We should have carried on. We should have carried on pushing. It kind of felt like we scored and the mentality was, go back, defend."
Guehi's comments are the most direct criticism from an England player regarding the team's second-half strategy. Captain Harry Kane had alluded to the shift in approach but focused more on the overall game flow.
Tuchel defends his decisions
Manager Thomas Tuchel, however, defended his in-game choices, claiming the issue was not the tactical plan but the players' execution. "In this moment my feeling was no structure in the world could have helped us," Tuchel said. "Because actually we were too passive and we were not physical enough, we didn't stop runners arriving in our box and the deliveries were wrong too."
The German coach acknowledged the drop in possession after the goal but insisted it was not intentional. "I haven't seen the data yet, but I think just right after the goal the momentum swings completely and ball possession drops dramatically. We couldn't find any duels anymore; that's why we dropped deeper and deeper. It was never the plan, but it happened."
Fallout from the defeat
The loss has sparked widespread debate across English football, with many pundits and fans criticising the decision to sit back after taking the lead. Tuchel introduced defensive-minded substitutes in an attempt to protect the advantage, but the strategy backfired as Argentina found two goals to turn the game around.
England's semi-final exit means they will now face a third-place play-off, while Argentina advance to the final in New Jersey. The result continues England's long wait for a first World Cup final appearance since 1966.
Tuchel also noted the difference in playing style, saying: "I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it's maybe not in our DNA like it is in our Spanish DNA or in our Argentinian-Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball."
Guehi's remarks have added to the pressure on Tuchel, with questions mounting over his tactical flexibility and ability to manage high-stakes matches.
