England were left gutted and frustrated after their World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, with Thomas Tuchel's tactical errors seeing the Three Lions fall short of the chance to end 60 years of hurt. Having gone toe-to-toe with the reigning world champions for 55 minutes, Anthony Gordon gave England a deserved lead when he stole in round the back of Nicolas Tagliafico to turn home Morgan Rogers' cross. But everything from that moment on was pure nightmare fuel for fans.
Tuchel's Defensive Shift Backfires
Tuchel dropped his side back into their own half while bringing on a host of defenders, stifling any counter-attacking opportunities and leaving England sitting ducks at the mercy of Lionel Messi and Argentina's brilliance. The tactical shift invited relentless pressure, and Argentina capitalized, equalizing and eventually scoring the winner.
Glen Johnson Criticizes Approach but Backs Tuchel
Former England international Glen Johnson, who earned 54 caps, criticized Tuchel's approach but insisted his job is not at risk. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, via ignitiongaming.net, Johnson said: “Ultimately, the changes were a bold call and Tuchel believed that they would work. Argentina were putting pressure on and Tuchel was sure that by making the changes this would keep them at bay. In hindsight this wasn’t the case and the game is about small moments and Argentina managed to get back in the game and then score the winner.”
Johnson added: “I believe England had to be bolder, braver, not sit so deep and be more aggressive. Dropping so deep invites pressure. But overall, no, Tuchel should not resign or be sacked. He will be disappointed, but I don’t think his job is in any jeopardy at all.”
Missed Opportunity or Another Near Miss?
Johnson also downplayed the notion that this was England's best chance to win a World Cup since 1966. He noted that England have repeatedly fallen short against top-tier opponents in recent tournaments. “You look at previous tournaments and when England have come up against a really strong team, a top team in the world rankings, they have unfortunately not been able to win. Croatia, Italy, Spain and now Argentina. Up until facing them in each of the competitions, England have been able to win, but then facing a real top side, they unfortunately haven’t, so all of these have been good chances, Croatia especially.”
Consolation in Third-Place Play-Off
England could still better their 2018 World Cup final finish by beating France on Saturday in the third-place play-off. The Three Lions' best World Cup finish since 1966 is fourth place, so a win would mark their highest placement in 58 years.
