Thomas Tuchel has argued that England’s own ball‑play was the principal source of their vulnerability in the 3‑2 loss to Spain. The Three Lions committed a number of pivotal errors against the reigning world and European champions on Saturday, ultimately conceding goals to Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal. After an entire World Cup qualifying campaign in which England kept a clean sheet, Tuchel’s side have now allowed nine goals across their last three internationals – Argentina, France and Spain – a stark contrast to their earlier defensive solidity. While the defeats have exposed some frailties when facing top‑class opposition, Tuchel insists the problem does not stem from the team’s defensive shape.
Instead, he points to a series of individual lapses that occurred while England were in possession, particularly during the deeper phases of their build‑up. "It’s not a concern yet," he told reporters ahead of England’s next Nations League fixture against the Czech Republic on Tuesday. "In terms of organised defending, block defending and active defending, we were operating at a higher level than in many other matches." Tuchel explained that when the squad examined the performance in isolation – looking at the structure of the sides and the specific units – he felt satisfied and even saw it as a step forward. The real issue, he said, lay in the moments when the ball was in England’s hands.
"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.
"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." The manager’s comments come amid a broader discussion about England’s tactical identity, a debate that intensified after the World Cup semi‑final loss to Argentina. In that match, Tuchel chose to sit back and protect a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second, a decision that attracted widespread criticism. He later reflected on what he described as a lack of a possession‑centric "DNA" among English players, contrasting it with the innate ball‑control cultures of Spain, 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 Argentinian‑Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball," he said after the tournament. Despite the scrutiny, Tuchel believes his side displayed a clear identity during the Wembley showdown with Luis de la Fuente’s Spain. "I think there was a lot of discussion about this 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 highlighted the positive moments, reminding fans that England pushed the world and European champions to the brink. "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 admitted that the team was partly responsible for the loss of momentum towards the end of the match, but he stressed that the overall performance offered many take‑aways. "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," he concluded.
Looking ahead, England’s schedule includes a home Nations League clash with the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, at 7.45 pm, followed by an away fixture against Croatia on October 3 at 5 pm, and a return match with the Czechs on October 6 at 7.45 pm. Fans can follow live updates via Sky Sports’ match blog and app, and a Q&A session with Sky Sports News England reporter Rob Dorsett is planned for Tuesday morning, inviting supporters to submit their questions.
Tuchel’s remarks underscore a belief that the defensive framework is sound, but the squad must eradicate careless errors when in possession. By tightening individual concentration and reducing the frequency of misguided passes or misplaced touches, England can transform the very possession that currently threatens them into a genuine weapon. The manager’s confidence in the defensive unit, combined with a clear call for greater composure on the ball, sets a roadmap for the upcoming fixtures and, ultimately, for the team’s long‑term evolution on the international stage.