Thomas Tuchel has openly acknowledged that England’s own handling of the ball turned them into a danger to themselves during their 3‑2 loss to Spain. The Three Lions, who entered the match as the reigning world and European champions, made a series of costly errors that allowed Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal to find the net.
Having completed the entire World Cup qualifying campaign without conceding a single goal, England’s defensive record has now slipped, with nine goals let in across their last three fixtures – against Argentina, France and Spain. While the recent results have exposed a degree of fragility when facing top‑class opposition, Tuchel insists that the problem does not lie in the team’s defensive shape.
Instead, he points to the mistakes made while England were in possession, particularly during the deeper phases of their build‑up play. “It’s not a concern yet,” Tuchel said ahead of England’s next Nations League encounter 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 look at it in isolation, within the structure and the units of the sides, I was quite happy and I think it was a step ahead.” He went on to explain that the primary issue was the frequency of individual errors when the ball was in the English players’ 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.
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 remarks came after a wave of criticism aimed at his tactical approach during England’s World Cup semi‑final loss to Argentina, where he chose to sit back on a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second.
In the aftermath, Tuchel suggested that England’s footballing DNA does not naturally revolve around prolonged possession, unlike the styles traditionally associated with Spain, Argentina or 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. Despite the scrutiny, Tuchel believes his side displayed the core attributes of English football in the Wembley showdown against Luis de la Fuente’s Spain. “There was a lot of discussion about this before the Spain game,” he noted.
“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 highlighted the positive moments, emphasizing that England pushed forward even after taking the lead. “We kept attacking when we were a goal ahead. We were even more dominant and more of a threat.
We had the world and European champions on the edge of a defeat. In the decisive moments we played our best football.” Tuchel also admitted that England’s loss of momentum towards the end of the match was partially self‑inflicted. “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.” Looking ahead, England’s schedule includes a series of Nations League fixtures: an away match against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, at 7.45 pm; an away clash with Croatia on October 3 at 5 pm; and a home game versus the Czech Republic again on October 6 at 7.45 pm.
Tuchel’s comments suggest that while the defensive framework is sound, the coaching staff will be focusing heavily on improving decision‑making and technical execution in possession, especially in the final third and during the transition from defense to attack. In addition to the tactical adjustments, the manager hinted at a broader cultural shift within the squad. He believes that fostering a greater comfort with the ball, encouraging players to retain possession under pressure, and reducing the frequency of hurried passes will be essential for England to compete consistently against the world’s elite.
This could involve more targeted training sessions that simulate high‑press scenarios, as well as integrating a higher degree of positional rotation to keep players engaged and aware of their surroundings. Tuchel’s perspective aligns with a growing consensus among analysts that modern football demands not only a solid defensive base but also a proactive, ball‑centric approach. Teams that can combine compact defending with fluid, confident possession tend to dominate the elite level.
For England, the challenge will be to blend their traditional physicality and work ethic with a more nuanced, possession‑oriented style that reduces the likelihood of self‑inflicted errors. Fans will have the opportunity to engage directly with the coaching staff through a Q&A session hosted by Sky Sports News England reporter Rob Dorsett on Tuesday morning. Supporters are encouraged to submit their questions via the Sky Sports website or app, with the most compelling queries receiving answers from the manager. In summary, while England’s defensive organization remains a strong point, Thomas Tuchel has identified possession‑related mistakes as the primary factor that turned the team into its own biggest threat during the Spain defeat.
The upcoming Nations League games will serve as a testing ground for any adjustments made to the team’s approach, and the manager’s focus will be on tightening up individual decisions, improving composure under pressure, and ultimately ensuring that England’s own ball‑play no longer undermines their defensive solidity.