Thomas Tuchel has pointed out that England’s own ball‑play turned into a self‑inflicted hazard during their 3‑2 loss to Spain. The Three Lions, who fell to the reigning world and European champions on Saturday, made a series of costly errors that directly led to goals from Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal. Up until that match, England had completed the entire World Cup qualifying campaign without conceding a single goal. However, the recent run of fixtures has seen them leak nine goals across three games – against Argentina, France and now Spain – prompting a fresh wave of scrutiny.
While the defensive shape of the side has been questioned, Tuchel insists the root of the problem lies not in the back line but in the way the team handled possession. "We were not in danger defensively," he said ahead of England’s upcoming Nations League clash with the Czech Republic. "In terms of organised, block and active defending we were operating at a higher level than many of our recent opponents." He continued, "If you isolate the defensive unit, I’m happy with the performance – it was a step forward.
The real issue surfaced when we had the ball. We made too many individual mistakes, especially during the deeper phases of our build‑up. Those errors gave Spain the chance to exploit space and score." Tuchel’s remarks came as part of a pre‑match interview, where he also hinted that the team’s defensive framework remains solid.
"Purely in defending I have no concerns and I trust we can continue to do the job at this level," he affirmed. "What we must eradicate are the lapses that occur when we are in possession, because those are the moments that have cost us dearly." The manager’s comments arrived amid a broader conversation about England’s tactical identity, especially after the criticism he faced following the World Cup semi‑final loss to Argentina.
In that game, Tuchel chose to sit back and protect a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second, a decision that sparked debate about the team’s attacking DNA. He previously suggested that a natural inclination to dominate possession is perhaps less ingrained in English players compared to their Spanish, Argentine or Brazilian counterparts.
Despite the criticism, Tuchel believes his side displayed the very traits that define England’s footballing character. "There was a lot of discussion before the Spain game about our style," he said. "We showed our courage and our identity throughout the full ninety minutes. We gave the opposition many problems, but we also created problems for ourselves through individual mistakes." He highlighted that England pushed forward even when they were a goal ahead, maintaining pressure and creating chances.
"In the decisive moments we played our best football. We kept attacking, we were even more dominant and a bigger threat. The break in momentum towards the end was partly self‑inflicted, but overall there are many positives to take away," Tuchel concluded.
Looking ahead, England’s schedule includes a home fixture against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, followed by an away match against Croatia on October 3, and a return clash with the Czechs on October 6. Tuchel’s focus will be on tightening the team’s composure in possession, reducing the frequency of careless errors, and ensuring that the defensive unit can continue to operate at the high standard he believes it is capable of. For fans wanting to follow the upcoming Nations League action, Sky Sports will provide a live match blog and streaming options via their website and app, with kick‑off slated for 7.45pm on the Tuesday fixture.
Additionally, a Q&A session with Sky Sports News England reporter Rob Dorsett is planned for Tuesday morning, offering supporters the chance to submit their questions about the Three Lions’ performance and future direction. In summary, Tuchel acknowledges that while England’s defensive organization is not currently a cause for alarm, the team’s own handling of the ball created the most significant threats against them.
By addressing these possession‑related mistakes, he hopes to restore England’s confidence and ensure that future matches are decided by the quality of their play rather than avoidable errors.