Thomas Tuchel asserts that England received a crucial lesson from their match against Croatia, emphasizing the need to enhance their defensive organization as the World Cup continues. With a chance to qualify for the knockout stages from Group L by defeating Ghana in Boston on Tuesday night, England could secure the top spot if Panama does not win against Croatia later.
Tuchel is intent on ensuring his team does not overlook any aspects of their performance. He highlighted the importance of aggressive play, noting that his squad was too quick to retreat during the initial half of their 4-2 victory over Croatia. The head coach reflected on the chaotic opening period and the mistakes made, particularly regarding their formation.
“We need to do things better,” he stated. “Defensively we dropped a little too deep from a middle block into a low block and deep block, which is in itself not a problem, but we went a bit too early. We were a bit too man-man focused and didn’t rely enough on our structure to be able to push out again. “If you just look at our goal that we conceded we played a back seven formation, which is just not us. Maybe it is good that we conceded, because it just tells us: ‘Let’s not do this again.’ It makes no sense, it’s not us, it doesn’t play to our strengths. We had too many easy ball losses after ball wins, so we had a huge effort against the ball, win the ball, gave it back straight away. “We need to manage these ball wins better and in ball possession there is also stuff to improve. When do we accelerate the game, and how do we give the man on the ball more options in the gaps and show a bit more confidence into what makes us strong? That’s the beauty of it: we don’t need to invent anything new. “But I was also very clear to the team: we deserved this win. We had a well-deserved win. And we have a lot of positives to take away, and I expect a very different team and a very different setup now. We need to improve especially our structure with the ball to be ready to defend counterattacks before they become dangerous.”
He elaborated, explaining that the goal conceded was indicative of their issues.
“That is a tricky part, to keep the level up,”
Tuchel noted that his team had too many instances of losing possession too easily after regaining it. “But first of all I am very happy because we found an answer to adversity. “We conceded in a very tricky moment, last shot of the first half and then came up with the best 25 minutes, or best 30 minutes, as an answer when. The team knows that. We saw the physical input, we saw the ball wins, we saw the chances and we still have stuff to improve. “It is important to learn from all that and the beautiful thing is that the things that were not so good we do not need to amend anything new. We just need to do our stuff better from the first half.” he added. “The players keep themselves on edge,”
Despite these challenges, Tuchel remained optimistic, affirming, “The guys who did not get the minutes from the beginning are pushing but we try to make sure in training exercises that everyone is pushing. That is why I love the team anyway. At the moment I cannot see any signs of complacency.” He expects a marked improvement in both team performance and tactical setup for the upcoming match against Ghana.
After a strong second half against Croatia, maintaining high standards is critical for Tuchel. “Everyone is speaking about this,” he remarked. “I’m so happy if he does that at half-time – then I don’t have to do it. “I’m so happy if he speaks. You see the quality. The guy is a top coach. He is an inspiration, and he pushes me, and helps me and supports me. It’s just top level.”
Tuchel praised his players for their response to conceding a goal just before halftime, highlighting their performance in the following minutes. “They interrupt and change the identity of a football match much more than I thought [they would],” he said. “Now they break the match almost into four quarters. As a coach, of course I like to have influence [during them] and have my team together. “But overall, I like football more when it’s played in one go in one half because it builds a momentum, which is hard to keep. This just adds to the characteristics of the beautiful game and it [a hydration break] takes away [from that.] But in a point of fairness of course it makes sense that every match here gets them.”
Looking ahead to the match against Ghana, Tuchel is not expected to make significant changes. The opponent recently secured a 1-0 victory over Panama. Declan Rice has practiced after feeling discomfort against Croatia, while Bukayo Saka, who has been managing an achilles issue, has returned to full training and is now pain-free, although he may start on the bench. Marcus Rashford is in a competitive battle with Anthony Gordon for a position on the left wing.
Tuchel will need to evaluate his defensive lineup, with Marc Guéhi aiming to replace either John Stones or Ezri Konsa in central defense. Djed Spence’s speed could prove advantageous against Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo, while Reece James hopes to maintain his spot at right-back.
A notable moment from the Croatia match was a candid half-time talk delivered by Tuchel’s assistant, Anthony Barry. “Everyone is speaking about this,” Tuchel said, expressing his support for Barry’s honesty. “I’m so happy if he does that at half-time – then I don’t have to do it.”
England arrived in Boston under rainy skies, with cooler temperatures expected for the match. The weather forecast indicates a chance of rain and temperatures around 19°C, prompting hydration breaks during the game, a point of contention for Tuchel. “They interrupt and change the identity of a football match much more than I thought [they would],” he noted, expressing his preference for a continuous flow of play.
“But overall, I like football more when it’s played in one go in one half because it builds momentum, which is hard to keep. This just adds to the characteristics of the beautiful game and it [a hydration break] takes away [from that.] But in a point of fairness of course it makes sense that every match here gets them.”
