Thomas Tuchel has argued that England’s own handling of the ball turned them into a danger to themselves in the 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 the Spanish side, featuring the youthful Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and the experienced Mikel Oyarzabal, to find the net three times.
Until this encounter, England had gone through the entire World Cup qualifying campaign without conceding a single goal. However, the recent trio of fixtures against Argentina, France and now Spain has seen them leak nine goals in total, a stark contrast to the defensive solidity they displayed earlier in the campaign. While the defensive shape and organization have not been the primary source of concern for Tuchel, he believes the issues stem from the way his team handled possession, especially during the deeper phases of their build‑up.
"It’s not a problem yet," Tuchel said ahead of England’s next Nations League match against 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 structure and the units of the sides, I was quite happy – it was a step ahead." He went on to explain that the team’s biggest weakness was evident when they were in possession.
"We suffered clearly from individual mistakes when we had the ball, especially in the deep build‑up. That is something we cannot repeat at this level. 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 amid a wave of criticism aimed at his tactical choices during England’s World Cup semi‑final loss to Argentina, where he opted to sit back and defend a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second.
After that match, he suggested that England’s footballing DNA does not naturally revolve around ball possession the way it does for Spain or for South American teams such as Argentina and Brazil. "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. The criticism of England’s identity resurfaced after the Spain game, but Tuchel defended his side’s performance, insisting that the players displayed the characteristic English style and courage throughout the 90 minutes. "There was a lot of discussion before the Spain game," he noted.
"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 also highlighted the positive moments of the encounter: England pushed the world and European champions to the brink of defeat, maintained attacking intent even while leading, and at times dominated the proceedings.
"We kept attacking when we were a goal ahead. We were even more dominant and more of a threat. We were a little bit self‑responsible for the break in momentum towards the end of the match. But overall we have a lot of positives to take away," Tuchel concluded.
Looking ahead, England’s schedule includes a home fixture against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, at 7.45pm, followed by an away clash with Croatia on October 3 at 5pm, and a return leg against the Czechs on October 6 at 7.45pm. The team will need to address the possession‑related errors that Tuchel highlighted if they are to avoid repeating the same self‑inflicted setbacks. In addition to the tactical analysis, Sky Sports will be running a Q&A session with England reporter Rob Dorsett on Tuesday morning, inviting fans to submit their questions about the Three Lions.
The live match blog for the Czech Republic versus England game will also be available on the Sky Sports website and app, providing real-time updates for supporters. Tuchel’s remarks also touch on a broader conversation about England’s footballing philosophy. While some pundits argue that the English game has traditionally emphasized physicality and directness, others claim that modern English sides must evolve to incorporate more possession‑based play.
Tuchel seems to be urging his squad to blend the traditional English strengths—such as defensive resilience and aerial prowess—with a more refined approach to ball retention and movement, especially in the final third where individual errors proved costly against Spain. The manager’s focus on eliminating individual mistakes in the deep build‑up suggests a need for better decision‑making under pressure, sharper first‑touch control, and perhaps a more disciplined midfield structure that can shield the back line while transitioning quickly from defence to attack. By reducing the frequency of these errors, England could maintain possession without becoming a liability, thereby enhancing their overall threat level and reducing the likelihood of conceding easy goals.
As the Nations League campaign progresses, the Three Lions will be judged not only on their results but also on how effectively they adapt to Tuchel’s guidance. If they can tighten up their possession play, limit self‑inflicted errors, and retain the defensive solidity that carried them through the qualifiers, they will be well‑placed to compete with Europe’s elite and restore confidence among their supporters. Fans can also take part in a promotional Super 6 competition for a chance to win £1 million, with free entry available via the Sky Sports platform. This adds an extra layer of engagement for the audience as they follow England’s upcoming fixtures and watch the team strive to improve upon the lessons learned from the narrow defeat to Spain.