Thomas Tuchel was hired to win semi-finals, but instead he produced a tactical disaster as England capitulated against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta. The FA's decision to give the German a two-year contract extension ahead of the tournament has been exposed by the 2-1 defeat.
Argentina's Resilience and England's Vulnerability
Argentina deserve credit for finding a way to reach a second consecutive World Cup final. The idea that England had the semi-final in the palm of their hand is fanciful. Fifty-five minutes had gone when Anthony Gordon converted Morgan Rogers' cross, but after the hour mark, Argentina have now scored ten goals in this tournament. They can look average for large parts of the game and then deliver when it matters. England had only seven touches in the Argentina penalty area during the entire contest, leaving them vulnerable.
Tuchel's Tactical Errors
England were in a good position after Gordon's goal, but the loss was on Thomas Tuchel. From tactical tweaks to substitutions, he could not have done more wrong after taking the lead. Early briefings suggest the Football Association have no intention of changing the manager, but they were daft enough to give him a new contract. Tuchel was originally brought in on an 18-month deal with one brief: to win the World Cup. He has failed to complete that brief. Getting to the last four was commendable, but the manner of the failure was dismal.
Questioning the Appointment
The FA ditched the principle that the manager of a major football nation should hail from that nation, ignoring every English coach, because they thought Tuchel was a game-changer. Unfortunately, he changed the game in Argentina's favour. Over his tenure, has he really been that impressive? The qualifying campaign would have been a walk in the park for any manager, and at the tournament, England have shown only flashes of being a very good team.
Comparison with Other Managers
In Lionel Scaloni and Luis de la Fuente, the two finalists have federation men in charge. One is already a World Cup winner, and the other has a European Championship to his name. Neither will be on the £5-million-a-year salary Tuchel earns, which he will continue to earn over the next two years. Up until the serious business, Tuchel has clearly had a ball managing England, finding it amusing that England turned to a German to help end years of hurt. But he fell short.
FA's Justification and Future
The FA will point to reaching the semi-finals as justification, but Tuchel was hired to win semi-finals, not to produce a tactical disaster when it mattered most. He can take a couple of months away before the next fixture in late September. The FA will have to stick by their decision. Would it have made any difference had Tuchel not been given a new deal ahead of the tournament? Probably not, but it was a silly decision at the time and looks even sillier now.
