Thomas Tuchel has openly acknowledged that England’s own ball‑play was the primary source of danger during their narrow 3-2 loss to Spain. The Three Lions, who entered the match as the reigning World Cup and European champions, made a series of costly errors that allowed Spain’s young talents Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and experienced forward Mikel Oyarzabal to find the net. While England had managed to keep a clean sheet throughout the entire World Cup qualifying campaign, the recent string of fixtures against Argentina, France and Spain has seen them concede nine goals in just three matches, raising questions about defensive solidity at the highest level. Despite the evident vulnerabilities when facing elite opposition, Tuchel insists that the problem does not stem from the team’s defensive structure.
Instead, he points to the mistakes made while in possession, particularly during the deep‑building phases of play. "It’s not a concern yet," the German manager said ahead of England’s next Nations League encounter with the Czech Republic on Tuesday.
He added that, in terms of organized, block and active defending, his side performed at a higher level than in many previous games, and that, when examined in isolation, the defensive units were operating well within the tactical framework he has set. However, Tuchel was candid about the individual lapses that occurred when England had the ball.
"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 warned. He went on to describe a paradoxical situation: when England possessed the ball, they became the biggest danger to themselves around the penalty area, committing too many errors that gave Spain opportunities to capitalize. "Purely in defending, I have no concerns and I trust that we can do it," he affirmed, separating the defensive organization from the technical execution in possession.
The manager’s comments come amid a broader debate about England’s footballing identity. After the World Cup semi‑final loss to Argentina, where Tuchel chose a conservative approach to protect a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second, he faced criticism for what many perceived as a lack of ambition. He responded by suggesting that the English playing style does not naturally prioritize ball possession in the same way as the Spanish or South American football cultures.
"I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it's maybe not in our DNA like it is in Spanish DNA or in Argentinian‑Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball," Tuchel explained after the Argentina exit. Nevertheless, the manager believes that his players displayed the core attributes of England’s style during the Spain match. He highlighted the courage and identity shown throughout the 90 minutes, noting that the team gave the opposition plenty of problems while also creating self‑inflicted issues through individual mistakes. "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 said, acknowledging the dual nature of the performance.
Tuchel also emphasized the positive aspects of the game. England pushed the world and European champions to the brink of defeat, maintaining attacking intent even while leading by a goal.
"We kept attacking when we were a goal ahead. We were even more dominant and more of a threat," he remarked, underscoring the team’s willingness to stay forward‑focused rather than retreat into a defensive shell. Looking ahead, Tuchel outlined England’s upcoming schedule in the Nations League: an away fixture against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, followed by an away clash with Croatia on October 3, and a home game against the Czechs again on October 6. He expressed confidence that the squad will learn from the recent setbacks and build on the positives, aiming to refine the balance between defensive solidity and possession‑based attacking play.
For fans eager to engage, Sky Sports will host a live match blog for the Czech Republic versus England encounter, with a kickoff time of 7.45 pm. Additionally, a Q&A session with Sky Sports News England reporter Rob Dorsett is scheduled for Tuesday morning, inviting supporters to submit their questions about the Three Lions’ performance and upcoming tactics. In summary, Tuchel’s analysis paints a picture of a side that, while defensively organized, needs to eradicate the careless errors that arise when in control of the ball.
By tightening individual decision‑making in the build‑up and maintaining the attacking spirit that has become a hallmark of England’s recent play, the team can aim to transform self‑inflicted vulnerabilities into a more cohesive, threatening unit on the international stage.