Thomas Tuchel has pointed out that England’s own ball‑play was the main source of danger for the Three Lions during their 3‑2 loss to Spain. The match, which saw Spain’s rising star Lamine Yamal, midfielder Alex Baena and veteran forward Mikel Oyarzabal find the net, exposed a series of costly errors from the English side.
After a World Cup qualifying campaign in which England kept a clean sheet throughout, the team has now conceded nine goals across their last three internationals – against Argentina, France and Spain – highlighting a sudden defensive vulnerability. Despite the apparent frailties when facing top‑tier opposition, Tuchel insists that the problem does not lie in the structural organization of England’s defence. Instead, he believes the issues stem from the way the players handle the ball in possession, particularly during the deeper phases of build‑up play.
"It’s not a concern yet," Tuchel told the press 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 at a higher level than in many other matches. If you isolate the defensive unit, I was quite happy – it was a step ahead. The real trouble came from individual mistakes when we had the ball, especially in the deep build‑up.
Those are errors we cannot afford at this level." He went on to explain that, paradoxically, England became the biggest danger to themselves around the penalty area because of a series of sloppy individual errors. "Purely in defending, I have no concerns and I trust that we can do it," he added, emphasizing that the defensive framework remains solid. The manager’s comments came as part of a broader discussion about England’s tactical approach, especially after the criticism he faced for the conservative strategy employed in the World Cup semi‑final against Argentina, where England chose to protect a one‑goal lead rather than push for a second.
Tuchel’s remarks also touched on a deeper cultural point about English football. He suggested that ball possession is not as ingrained in England’s footballing DNA as it is in countries like Spain, Argentina or Brazil, where teams often dominate games through sustained control of the ball.
"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 Argentina exit. Nevertheless, the German coach defended his side’s identity, claiming that England displayed their characteristic style and courage throughout the 90 minutes against Luis de la Fuente’s side at Wembley.
"There was a lot of discussion before the Spain game," Tuchel acknowledged. "We showed our style and we showed our courage. The players displayed an identity throughout the match. We gave the opponents many problems, but we also created some ourselves through individual mistakes.
Mistakes happen, they shouldn’t, but they did." He highlighted the positive moments, noting that England held the world and European champions on the brink of defeat and continued to attack even while leading. "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 conceded that the team was partly responsible for the loss of momentum towards the end of the match, but stressed that the overall performance offered several take‑aways for future fixtures. Looking ahead, England’s schedule includes a home match against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, September 29, at 7.45 pm, followed by an away clash with Croatia on October 3 at 5 pm, and another home game versus the Czechs on October 6 at 7.45 pm. Fans can follow the live match blog on the Sky Sports website 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.
In summary, Tuchel’s analysis underscores that while England’s defensive shape remains robust, the team’s own possession play, marred by individual lapses, turned them into their own biggest threat. Addressing these errors, improving composure in the final third, and perhaps embracing a more possession‑centric philosophy could help England avoid similar setbacks in upcoming Nations League encounters. The manager’s candid assessment provides a clear roadmap: maintain the defensive structure, eliminate careless mistakes in possession, and cultivate a playing style that aligns more closely with the modern demands of elite international football.