As the world turns its gaze toward the MetLife Stadium for what promises to be a thunderous World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, there remains...
As the world turns its gaze toward the MetLife Stadium for what promises to be a thunderous World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, there remains an itch under the skin of any English supporter who watched the semi final. The sight of Lionel Scaolini's men swarming forward, only to be met by a retreating England side that had somehow parked the bus without ever being in the lead, was enough to drive a man to drink. And while GoalZaza sets on Thomas Tuchel's tactical reign, you have to ask: did he leave his best cards in the deckWatching the earlier match between England and France, the intensity was admittedly lower, but the pattern was unmistakable. Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford were electric on the counter, stretching defences and forcing errors. Had Tuchel unleashed them against Argentina soon after Harry Kane's equaliser, Scaolini's backline would have been forced to respect the threat. They would have had to drop deep, leave men behind to track those runs, and suddenly the pressure valve on England's own goal would have been loosened. Instead, when England cleared their lines, it was simply to invite another wave of Argentine pressure. That is not tactical flexibility; that is tactical paralysis.Then there is the midfield conundrum that has haunted this squad since the group stage. Tuchel gave Kobbie Mainoo not a single minute on the pitch, and by the Panama game the decision seemed baked in when he brought on Jordan Henderson instead. England lacked balance, control, poise, craft. You cannot expect to break down a disciplined low block or dictate transitional play if your engine room is all muscle and no brains. Jude Bellingham is essential, no question. But pairing Declan Rice and an out of sorts Trent Alexander Arnold alongside him left the side lopsided. I would have taken only one of Rice or Alexander Arnold, with a third more technical and cerebral operator alongside. It need not have been Mainoo, but he was the only one in the squad who fit that bill. The result was a team that could neither hold the ball nor unlock a door. Had they reached the final, Spain would have eaten them alive.So as the world braces for an Argentina Spain showdown that could be remembered as one of the great finals, England fans are left clutching the remnants of what might have been. The security operation is unprecedented with a certain VIP in attendance, but the real drama will unfold on the pitch. Argentina's front line is lethal, Spain's possession game is suffocating, and Tuchel will be watching from the stands, wondering if he bottled the chance to be the man who finally brought it home.
