The Spain match proved absolutely that Thomas Tuchel is only one defeat away from the pathetic English media trying to destroy him and get him out of the job.
I believe he has done an absolutely brilliant job and deserves all of our thanks, not abuse.
He only has the players he has got and has done magnificently with them overall, he can’t go out and sign anybody!
I would say that England have the odd superstar such as Jude Bellingham amongst a group of maybe half a dozen very good high class players (namely Anthony Gordon, Elliot Anderson, Lewis Hall, Declan Rice, Harry Kane), plus around another ten or so who are good, then the rest…
My belief is that the semi-final agony in the World Cup final against Argentina and the loss to World Cup winners Spain, were far more down to the shortcomings of the team and squad overall, than any shortcomings from Thomas Tuchel when it comes to tactics and/or substitutions.
Poor play, poor decision making, individual mistakes were essentially to blame. In essence, the team aren’t top quality overall. When key players are missing and/or fatigued, especially in the case of the Argentina match, then the replacements are nowhere near the same level.
England don’t have a top class goalkeeper, nor right-back as things stand, whilst in the middle of defence nobody convinces. Lewis Hall is the only top class player at the back and this is just fact. Maybe if Livramento and Branthwaite can stay fit they can provide two of the answers for Thomas Tuchel, here’s hoping so.
On the other hand, England can and are looking a real force when going forward, as 14 goals in these last four games can testify to.
Last night it was an own goal that sent England on their way, then as he equalled the 125 caps of Peter Shilton, Harry Kane scored his 90th and 91st goals for England. I know loads of them have been penalties and against really weak teams that mostly weren’t playing against England back in the day…at the same time though it is still astonishing from the Bayern Munich striker. Imagine if he could run around as well!!
England totally dominated against the Czech Republic and yet only had one other shot on target apart from the two Kane goals. Anthony Gordon was badly missed and for me players like Eze just play for themselves, not for the team. Alexander-Arnold the same, this on top of the fact that he can’t defend and isn’t so keen on running back to do so.
If the goals hadn’t been gifted by O’Reilly and Guehi against Spain, this could have been a perfect international break.
As for those wanting to diminish the seven goal demolition of Croatia, last night Spain were training at the hour mark and then very fortunate to win late on against Slaven Bilic’ team.
I think Thomas Tuchel will have learnt an awful lot from these last couple of weeks, even more about the players who he can trust (and those he can’t…) and also that for England, attack is for sure the best form of defence.
England are now forming the ability to comfortably defeat average to quite good opposition, with then also clear signs of how they can take on and beat the very best.
Final score: England 3 Czech Republic 0
England team v Croatia:
Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Guehi (Branthwaite 63), Hall (Gibbs-White 72), Anderson (Garner 63), Lewis-Skelly, Rogers, Bellingham (Ngumoha 73), Eze, Kane (Calvert-Lewin 82)
Unused subs:
Steele, Trafford, Lewis, Saka, Gordon, Chalobah
Instead of having three international breaks each for a fortnight in September, October and November, the football authorities have combined the September and October 2026 ones in just one that lasts three weeks. The November 2026 break remains the same, lasting two weeks.
In November it is England v Croatia on 12 November, then Spain v England on 15 November, both of these are 7.45pm kick-offs.