Thomas Tuchel has openly acknowledged that England’s own ball‑play was a key factor in their 3‑2 loss to Spain, describing the team as a danger to itself when in possession. The Three Lions, who entered the match as the reigning world and European champions, made a series of costly errors that allowed Spain’s young talents Lamine Yamal, Alex Baena and seasoned forward Mikel Oyarzabal to find the back of the net. After a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign in which England did not concede a single goal, the recent run of fixtures has been far less reassuring.
The side has now allowed nine goals across their last three internationals – a 2‑0 defeat to Argentina, a 2‑1 loss to France and the 3‑2 setback against Spain. While the defensive structure has been questioned, Tuchel insists that the primary issue lies not in the back line but in the individual mistakes made when the team is in control of the ball. "It’s not a concern yet," Tuchel told reporters ahead of England’s upcoming Nations League clash with the Czech Republic on Tuesday.
"In terms of organized defending, block defending and active defending, we were at a higher level than in many other matches. If you isolate the defensive unit, I was quite happy – it was a step ahead of what we have shown before." He went on to explain that the real problem surfaced during the build‑up phase, especially when the team attempted deeper, more intricate passes.
"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 comments came amid a wave of criticism over his tactical choices in the World Cup semi‑final against Argentina, where he opted to sit back and protect a one‑goal lead rather than press for a second.
After that match, Tuchel suggested that England’s footballing DNA does not prioritize possession the way Spanish or South American teams do. "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.
Despite the scrutiny, Tuchel believes his players displayed the core attributes of English football during the Spain encounter. "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, pointing out that England pushed forward even while leading. "We kept attacking when we were a goal ahead.
We were even more dominant and more of a threat," Tuchel said. He also acknowledged that the team’s momentum slipped towards the end, partly due to the self‑inflicted errors. "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 is packed with high‑stakes fixtures.
The next Nations League match against the Czech Republic is set for Tuesday, 7.45 pm at Wembley, followed by an away game against Croatia on October 3 at 5 pm, and a home fixture versus the Czechs again on October 6 at 7.45 pm. Tuchel’s focus will be on tightening the team’s composure in possession, reducing careless turnovers, and ensuring that the defensive unit remains as solid as it has been in recent games. Fans can follow the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app, and there will be a Q&A session with Sky Sports News England reporter Rob Dorsett on Tuesday morning, where supporters can submit their questions about the Three Lions’ performance and upcoming tactics.
The manager’s candid admission about England’s self‑inflicted issues underscores a broader conversation about the national team’s identity, the balance between defensive solidity and creative possession, and the steps required to convert potential into consistent results on the international stage. In summary, Tuchel’s analysis paints a picture of a side that, while defensively sound, must eradicate the habit of making avoidable errors when in control of the ball. By doing so, England can hope to transform their evident talent into a more reliable and threatening force in future competitions.