England's Limitations – A team built on magic moments – not control
We are here again – the final four, a semi final in a major tournament. Last time was 2018. Since then we have been in back to back finals appearances in the Euro’s. This is unprecedented in my lifetime. All those quarter final heartbreaks during the 2000’s, the feeling of never getting past those big moments. Well, this new generation feels distinctly different. Southgate might get his critics for his cautious approach, his desire to defend leads rather than attack for more goals, but he produced more success than England have had ever had. This is our golden era. And yet, we still haven’t won anything. Now we go into another semi-final and the hopes of the nation are elevated, could this be our moment? If it is, then we will win as underdogs rather than the strongest, dominant team left in the tournament.
Out of the four teams left in this competition, it is only England who have not won a major trophy in the last decade. France and Argentina have won the last two, France a Kolo Muani 1v1 away from back to back success. This could be their 3rd final in a row – this is a special squad – one which actually feels stronger than it was in 2018. Argentina are current World Champions, along with back to back Copa America winners. They have the best player the game has seen and a strikeforce which rivals any in world football. This is a team which has right to say it is the worlds best team. And Spain are the current Euro’s champions, stronger now than they were in 2024. Any of these three teams are seen as favourites against England. Do England really have a chance?
Let’s assess the state of this England team. What has Tuchel brought to the team which offers a sense of enthusiasm that this team can really win against Argentina and then a final. Well, it is only due to two players where England have a chance. Our 9 and 10. Tuchel, like Sven before, has embraced the Anglophile approach of the English game, the classic front two, with wingers and two centre midfielders. This as English a team as that we had in the 90’s and 2000’s. Instead of trying to fit players into a ‘progressive’ coach centred system, Tuchel has embraced his world class talents and looked to bring out their best attributes. Kane has been given the freedom to roam and create, and Bellingham has been given licence to play between the lines, dribble and drive, and crash the box. He has been immense and has been the reason England have made it this far. Imagine thinking Rodgers or anyone else was a better option than this man?
Let me just pay some respect to this young man. People may seek to criticise him for ‘trying to hard’, for being the ‘hero’ and for at times having an edge to him which some deem as ‘dis-respectful’ but let me tell you something, this lad has en edge to him which I wish more possessed, he is England’s Michael Jordan, the player who will take on the level of responsibility to be England’s clutch man, while running everywhere to fight and tackle for his team. How dare anyone question this man’s passion and desire to do all he can for his country. Add to that his skill level (Zidane comparison’s are the most obvious – his dribbling technique is like Zizou rebirthed). On top of that is a goalscoring ability, a hunger to attack the box from crosses and rebounds, which is the skill of the best strikers. He is as complete a player that we have produced. And he seems like a quality guy off the pitch too – but a leader not afraid to call out teammates, or even his coach when needed. Give this guy all the flowers. If we have a chance of succeeding – he will be the man to make it happen.
His strikeforce partner Harry Kane will also have an influence, the man who got us through a tougher game against DR Congo than expected, this man is special. He has been for a over a decade now. Bayern didn’t realise how great a player they were getting. He has been immense in Germany. Finally put to rest the ‘can’t win trophies’ tag and proving this season to the best forward in world football. Playing the 9.5 role better than anyone I can remember. England have a strike partnership which can seriously cause damage to any of the remaining teams.
And yet, I worry that this is all we have. And this is where my concerns with England and Tuchel have been this tournament. We’ve made it to a semi-final, but we haven’t shown a level of control or quality in our overall play in any game yet. Except for a 15 minute window at the start of the 2nd half versus Croatia we haven’t looked a sustained threat, or a team able to keep pressure on the opposition.
Whether by design or a tactical strategy to rely on ‘moments’ rather than ‘control’, I worry that we have progressed while not being challenged by a genuine top team. And we’ve still looked nervous in our approach. Is it nerves? Is it the pressure? A sense of relief at the end of each game – yet this is tournament football and the margins at times are close, but each game has felt like it. It will not be good enough against this level of opposition now. So what is it?
I feel we two midfielders in Anderson and Rice who enjoy driving with the ball and being given the licence for their clubs to go forward, but this team needs a more composed retainer of the ball – Adam Wharton is probably our best version of this player, but we also have Mainoo on the bench, who hasn’t had a chance yet. A reliance on using Reece James in midfield has been a failure and was almost a reason for defeat against Norway.
The subs at HT really surprised me and while the 1st half was poor, the 2nd half was a disaster! Taking Rice off and putting Eze on lost any control we had, Norway and particularly Odegaard had more time and space in midfield and they controlled the game with a level of poise which England haven’t shown all tournament. Bellingham playing deeper doesn’t help the team in both its element of control and weakens the attacking line also. James’ introduction sought to bring more control but he just doesn’t have that quality in the middle of the pitch.
I worry that midfield is where we should dominate with the players we have, and instead we look overran and panicked with the ball. Top teams will exploit us more than we have had yet.
A big disappointment has been our wingers – players which many expected to be real threats at this tournament – but all have not delivered to the level expected. The biggest surprise and disappointment has been Maduke but perhaps this is not his issue – he was seen as a finisher in games – to come on against a tired team and exploit a defence/full back with his pace and directness, but he has started games more than expected and has looked really poor – his decision making, movement and timing of runs (offside far too often) has meant we have blunt out in wide areas. Only Gordon has really looked a threat – again though as impact sub in the Congo game.
A team still lacking what is needed
Southgate sought to win a tournament playing a cautious, defensive first, 1-0 approach, which got us to two finals and a semi-final but ultimately wasn’t enough. A new manager was there to take us further – but while Tuchel has shown more desire to be more attacking, England look more vulnerable and have little to no control of any game up to now. He has embraced a team built on ‘moments’ more than control.
A big difference to Spain and France, who have controlled all their games with a level of tactical brilliance and poise, players like Rodri and even Rabiot/Kone have understood what their role is to help control games – providing their forwards more security and sustained pressure. England’s midfield has not done enough to help us control games and this wil be our ultimate downfall.
We are now facing the three best teams in this competition – perhaps we will continue to ride our luck or to rely on the team chemistry and togetherness – which will great to see, feels more ‘plucky underdogs’ than worlds best team. I guess you need to find a way to win at first, and this team has felt agonisingly close for several tournaments now.
But there is a feeling that we are still far off from these three teams – we may have two world class goal scorers – they make the difference – but without control, we rely on magic moments, and there’s no surprise to me that the teams who sustain control, have shown to win more in this current era of football, than the teams reliant on individual brilliance.
The Whitehouse Address
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