Other Games - 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup Edition (+ warm-up matches): Villa-watch

[Toronto Villa]

Fair points CL, when he went Gordon/Konsa he should have immediately done Kane/Watkins as well. I think it was South American expert Tim Vickery who has correctly identified that Kane without wingers is a liability and Argentina’s weakness was Kane playing with wingers. I think Managers do get it wrong sometimes not in itself and issue but the magnified nature of an every 4 years WC Semi is quite the moment to have a full on tactical meltdown but I suppose it’s up to the FA now of whether to stick or twist. I’d stick personally but I realise others feel more strongly.

Not bringing on Ollie was the mistake as he would have stretched the game out, held the ball up, chased in behind defenders and helped kill the game off. And while England were under massive pressure already, the players he brought with 5 min to go should have done the job. They failed as much as the managers decisions didn’t get the desired results and ended up dropping the team deeper.

[Chip Butty 111]

Looking at the tournament as a whole England were a disappointment. No style of play, the right back debacle, not knowing his first choice 11 and messing about with the wide players constantly. Relying on Kane and Bellingham to do the business. Bizarre subs at times.
At no point in any game did I think we look decent here.
As Chris Sutton, not his biggest fan BTW, said on the BBC, Argentina tactics were probably the biggest balls up in a generation.
And then his comments post game.
I'm not bothered either way, but I wouldn't be surprised if he goes.

[Toronto Villa]

Most of England’s displays were bang average. Bellingham aside who really stood out? And when it got to top opponents, as ever England couldn’t get the job done. That should be the bigger conversation.

[SamTheMouse]

He was brought in to do one specific thing - not choke massively in a semi-final - and failed. And since he apparently thinks that English players are cloggers and don't have ball retention 'in their DNA', it seems unlikely he'd do any better if he found himself in the same position again.

[Toronto Villa]

He was brought in to do one specific thing - not choke massively in a semi-final - and failed. And since he apparently thinks that English players are cloggers and don't have ball retention 'in their DNA', it seems unlikely he'd do any better if he found himself in the same position again.

He’s right though.

[Monty]

He was brought in to do one specific thing - not choke massively in a semi-final - and failed. And since he apparently thinks that English players are cloggers and don't have ball retention 'in their DNA', it seems unlikely he'd do any better if he found himself in the same position again.

He’s right though.

To an extent, but it's only ever true until it isn't. Spain were the biggest chokers in international tournaments until, rather emphatically, they weren't.

[Meanwood Villa]

I'm in the sack him camp. Everyone saying it's the same old story emphasises he's failed in his remit and he seems to be a prick too.

[VILLA MOLE]

Is he saying England players are unable to retain the ball .  Isn’t that part of his job to coach ?

[Toronto Villa]

He was brought in to do one specific thing - not choke massively in a semi-final - and failed. And since he apparently thinks that English players are cloggers and don't have ball retention 'in their DNA', it seems unlikely he'd do any better if he found himself in the same position again.

He’s right though.

To an extent, but it's only ever true until it isn't. Spain were the biggest chokers in international tournaments until, rather emphatically, they weren't.

It helped that Spain built an incredible football academy where footballer splay the same way so when they get together from club level they look like they are still part of a club. England players look like complete strangers by comparison. Tuchel might just be calling things out that are uncomfortable to hear. I can't imagine at the hydration break he told the players to play even deeper but it kept happening so he tried to address that. Much as he did vs Mexico where it worked only a few days prior and he was lauded for it. Argentina are just a better side and the England players couldn't cope. So yeh, could he have gone another direction, maybe. But that goal had been coming since England took the lead but eveyone focuses on the subs not the fact that these so called top players didn't deliver.

[Toronto Villa]

Is he saying England players are unable to retain the ball .  Isn’t that part of his job to coach ?

In part. But he's also calling out a basic flaw in English players. In the PL, the lauded "bestest" league in the world is full of brillant foreign players who can retain possession better than the English ones.

[CT Villan]

He’s right though.

I don't agree that English players are cloggers - some definitely are, but that's sweeping hyperbole. Tuchel made a massive mistake in the SF and it wasn't his first tactical screw-up of the WC. Do you think Unai would have made the same mistakes ? Klopp ? Pep ?

[Toronto Villa]

He’s right though.

I don't agree that English players are cloggers - some definitely are, but that's sweeping hyperbole. Tuchel made a massive mistake in the SF and it wasn't his first tactical screw-up of the WC. Do you think Unai would have made the same mistakes ? Klopp ? Pep ?

Don't know. Not like Tuchel hasn't been a successful club manager. He's won the biggest prize. Because that's the only comparson. We have not seen Klopp, Pep manage a national side in a major competition. We'll find out soon enough with Klopp and Germany.

[TonyD]

Had he made the right subs at the right time and kept up pace and pressure and still lost I wouldn’t be so bothered. 
The fact he personally orchestrated the biggest tactical debacle I’ve ever seen and then is being a smarmy sneak - he can piss right off. 
I want to be able to look forward to the Euros on home turf without having to look at his stupid face again. 

[Meanwood Villa]

International football is a different kettle of fish to club management in that you get less opportunity to right your wrongs and you are judged completely on your performance in knockout tournaments. There's fewer honours to win as well so I can see how sacking a manager after reaching a semi final in their only tournament seems an overreaction. In my opinion the mitigating factors are what appeared to be a total head loss under pressure and, subsequently, signs of apparent disquiet between the manager and players. Also, he seems a prick. As previously mentioned.

[RamboandBruno]

He was brought in to do one specific thing - not choke massively in a semi-final - and failed. And since he apparently thinks that English players are cloggers and don't have ball retention 'in their DNA', it seems unlikely he'd do any better if he found himself in the same position again.

He’s right though.

To an extent, but it's only ever true until it isn't. Spain were the biggest chokers in international tournaments until, rather emphatically, they weren't.

It helped that Spain built an incredible football academy where footballer splay the same way so when they get together from club level they look like they are still part of a club. England players look like complete strangers by comparison. Tuchel might just be calling things out that are uncomfortable to hear. I can't imagine at the hydration break he told the players to play even deeper but it kept happening so he tried to address that. Much as he did vs Mexico where it worked only a few days prior and he was lauded for it. Argentina are just a better side and the England players couldn't cope. So yeh, could he have gone another direction, maybe. But that goal had been coming since England took the lead but eveyone focuses on the subs not the fact that these so called top players didn't deliver.

I honestly don’t give much of a shit and I really struggled to feel like I had skin in the game this whole world cup. However, whilst you make some valid points about the players Toronto, and Tuchels comments having some validity, the idea that he addressed the problem of England getting deeper by bringing on more defenders for foreards and midfielders, only highlights that he hadn’t done anything but lose the plot.