Thomas Tuchel has voiced the view that England’s own ball‑play turned them into a threat to themselves during the 3‑2 loss to Spain. The Three Lions were undone by a series of costly errors against the reigning world and European champions, conceding goals from Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal. England entered the match on the back of a flawless World Cup qualifying run in which they kept a clean sheet throughout.
However, the recent run of fixtures has exposed defensive frailties, as they have now allowed nine goals across three games – against Argentina, France and Spain. While the numbers suggest a defensive crisis, Tuchel is quick to point out that the problem does not lie in the team’s shape or organisation at the back.
Instead, he argues that the mistakes stem from the way England handle the ball in the final third and during deep‑lying build‑up phases. "It’s not a concern yet," Tuchel told reporters ahead of England’s next Nations League clash with the Czech Republic on Tuesday. "In terms of organised defending, block defending and active defending, we were at a higher level than in many other matches.
If you isolate the defensive structure and the unit work, I was quite happy – it was a step ahead of what we have shown before." The German coach then shifted his focus to the moments when England were in possession. "We suffered clearly from individual mistakes when we had the ball, especially in the deep build‑up, so that is of course something we cannot repeat. Not at this level," he said. "Strangely enough, when we had the ball, we were the biggest danger to ourselves around the box because we just had too many individual mistakes.
Purely in defending, I have no concerns and I trust that we can do it." Tuchel’s comments come in the wake of heavy criticism of his tactical choices during England’s World Cup semi‑final defeat to Argentina, where he opted for a conservative approach after taking a one‑goal lead rather than pressing for a second. After that match, he famously attacked the perceived "DNA" of English players, suggesting that possession‑based football is not ingrained in their cultural identity the way it is in Spain or South America.
"I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in Spanish DNA or in Argentine‑Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball," he said. Despite the backlash, Tuchel believes his side displayed their own identity during the Wembley showdown with Luis de la Fuente’s side. "There was a lot of discussion about this before the Spain game," he explained.
"I think we showed our style and we showed our courage. The players showed an identity and they showed it throughout the 90 minutes.
We gave them a lot of problems. We caused ourselves some problems with individual mistakes. Mistakes can sometimes happen. They shouldn’t, but they did happen." He went on to highlight the positive moments: England pushed forward even after taking the lead, maintained pressure and at times were the more dominant side.
"We had the world and European champions on the edge of a defeat. In the decisive moments we played our best football.
We kept attacking when we were a goal ahead. We were even more dominant and more of a threat," Tuchel said.
He conceded that a lapse in concentration towards the end contributed to the loss of momentum, but he stressed that the overall performance offered many take‑aways. Looking ahead, England face a busy Nations League schedule: an away game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, at 7.45 pm; a trip to Croatia on October 3 at 5 pm; and a home fixture versus the Czechs again on October 6 at 7.45 pm. Tuchel’s message to his squad is clear – tighten up the individual decisions made while in possession, especially in the final third, and the defensive record should improve automatically.
For fans eager to follow the upcoming matches, Sky Sports will provide a live match blog and video coverage via its website and app. A Q&A session with Sky Sports News England reporter Rob Dorsett is also scheduled for Tuesday morning, offering supporters the chance to submit their questions about the Three Lions’ tactics, player selections and future outlook. In summary, Tuchel does not see the defensive shape as the primary issue; he sees England’s own ball‑handling as the culprit that creates self‑inflicted danger.
By reducing individual errors, especially during deep build‑up play, and maintaining the aggressive, attacking mindset that has characterised their recent performances, England can turn those vulnerabilities into strengths and compete more effectively against elite opposition. Tuesday, September 29 – Czech Republic (A), kick‑off 7.45 pm Saturday, October 3 – Croatia (A), kick‑off 5 pm Tuesday, October 6 – Czech Republic (H), kick‑off 7.45 pm Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million – entry is free.