England's elimination from the World Cup has sparked soul-searching over their inability to keep possession under pressure, but three players omitted by Thomas Tuchel may hold the key to the future.
Tuchel's analysis reveals possession problem
After England's defeat, Thomas Tuchel highlighted Argentina's culture of ball possession, saying: "In their culture, ball possession plays a crucial role. It starts from a young age. That is in the DNA and it demands a lot of self-confidence – natural self‑confidence to always want the ball, to always be in the gaps, to always define yourself through the ball. I think that is a crucial thing: to show courage."
This comment came after England had only 12% possession between Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute opener and Lautaro Martínez's winner in stoppage time. Of England's 39 passes in that period, 12 came from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and only five were in Argentina's half.
FA's DNA philosophy yet to deliver
Despite the FA's "England DNA philosophy" launched in 2014 to produce players who can "intelligently dominate possession," England still lacks top-class central midfielders with technical skills for World Cup semi-finals. Dan Ashworth, who devised the philosophy and returned as chief football officer in May, is tasked with building systems to underpin performance ambitions.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez observed: "We felt them going backwards and backwards rather than going forward. Sometimes when you are winning, you have to go forward anyway. You can't change the gameplan."
New generation of midfielders emerges
Elliot Anderson has become an England first-choice over the past year, and Manchester City's £116m summer signing leads a new generation of midfielders. However, Tuchel omitted Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly, who were arguably the two in-form midfielders in the final month of the Premier League season.
Scott formed a winning partnership with Anderson at the European Under-21 Championship and impressed in Bournemouth's win over Arsenal and draw with Manchester City. Lewis-Skelly, after losing his left-back spot, returned as an all-action midfielder, keeping Spain's Martín Zubimendi out of Arsenal's team and excelling against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
Both players look destined for important roles, alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton. Wharton, like Anderson, Scott, and Angel Gomes, began as a No 10 before moving deeper, possessing a passing range and confidence on the ball that cannot be taught.
As Ashworth and the FA contemplate another round of soul-searching, the answers to England's prayers may already be here.
