Lionel Messi is all too familiar with opponents parking the bus. England offered nothing innovative when they retreated deep with a World Cup final berth tantalizingly close. That defensive mindset was regrettable, and it came as no shock when Argentina clinically mounted a comeback in Atlanta to exact punishment.
It was an age-old story. England had an opportunity to seize the initiative after Anthony Gordon struck early in the second period, yet they fell back into old habits. Their approach became timid; they appeared frightened of victory. No player calmed things down by keeping possession. Harry Kane? Once again anonymous. The midfield? Dominated, outpaced and outshone by Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández. Thomas Tuchel? Outsmarted by Lionel Scaloni, whose changes proved decisive, and too hasty to adopt a defensive shell with so much time remaining to protect a one-goal advantage.
This was meant to be Tuchel’s moment. The renowned strategist, the high-profile import, the finisher brought in to triumph where Sir Gareth Southgate could not. His tournament had been solid up to now. His adjustments paid off in back-to-back knockout victories, and briefly it appeared his bold decision to start Morgan Rogers on the right flank would pay dividends.
Rogers created the breakthrough in the 55th minute, delivering a cross that Gordon finished at the back post. But from that point onward, England were dreadful. Never mind building an attack, they hardly strung two passes together. Unbelievably, they appeared to believe they could hold out with extreme defence, frantic clearances and constant alarms for over half an hour. Predictably, they were mistaken.
This tendency to protect a lead against elite opponents is deeply ingrained in the English game. It surfaced under Sven-Göran Eriksson at Euro 2004, when advantages against France and Portugal were squandered, and it remained a flaw under Southgate, who was faulted for a lack of proactivity after England scored first in crucial knockout defeats to Croatia and Italy.
The expectation was that Tuchel would break that pattern. He masterminded Chelsea’s upset of Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final. The German coach constantly buzzes on the sidelines, forever plotting his next adjustment, and it must be acknowledged that England’s inconsistent path to the semifinals was partly driven by Tuchel’s shrewd in-game decisions.
At the same time, England’s style has lacked a clear identity. They struggled to break down deep defences and suffered dreadful periods in every match. Tuchel could not coax a full performance from his team, and they managed this scenario appallingly.
The dynamic shifted instantly after Gordon’s goal, with Djed Spence making a heroic challenge to deny Giuliano Simeone. For a stretch, a smash-and-grab looked possible. Cristian Romero forced a stunning save from Jordan Pickford. Mac Allister nodded the ball against the post. England wilted, lacking any intensity. Their defending resembled a lower-division side clinging on in a cup tie; they managed a mere 12% possession between taking the lead and falling behind. Kane dropped deep into his own area to hoof clearances. Jude Bellingham was barely involved. Rogers had one counter-attack but his effort was blocked.
England manager Thomas Tuchel confers with his squad during the first cooling break. Photograph: Cristóbal Herrera/EPA
Given England managed just a single shot on target, advancing to meet Spain would have been an injustice. Argentina faced no real threat of a counter; they could pour forward without fear. The only shock was how long it took them to level through Fernández, who was unchallenged as he rifled in from distance.
Even in their own area, England were poor defensively. Argentina troubled them aerially, and Scaloni sensed the shift in momentum. He sacrificed a holding player to introduce a wide attacker, Nicolás González coming on for Leandro Paredes.
Argentina displayed ambition. Tuchel revealed anxiety. His switch to the five-man backline that had helped England squeeze past Mexico and Norway felt hasty. England invited disaster by removing Gordon, one of their few attacking outlets, and sending on Ezri Konsa.
Fatigue was evident all over the pitch. Reece James and Declan Rice, recently recovered from sickness, faded badly. Tuchel continued to introduce defensive substitutions. Nico O’Reilly came on to join Rogers and Elliot Anderson in the centre. Before long, Dan Burn found himself tasked with marking Messi. The outcome was inevitable.
Such substitutions would have drawn fierce criticism if made by Southgate or Eriksson. Tuchel merely blunted his own side’s attacking edge. He could have forced Argentina to remain cautious by introducing fresh runners like Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze or Noni Madueke. At one stage both Argentinian centre-backs were on yellow cards, yet that vulnerability was never tested.
Questions will be asked about midfield selection. Kobbie Mainoo, a nimble ball-player, did not get a single minute. Jordan Henderson has a tale involving a broken wrist. When Anderson and Rice ran out of steam, no alternatives were introduced. Tuchel made his decisions. He never explained why he selected Mainoo ahead of Adam Wharton and Alex Scott.
England got what they deserved. Bellingham attempted to drive forward with the score tied at 1-1 but was swallowed up by four Argentine players. Extra time never looked likely. Mac Allister struck the opposite post. Lautaro Martínez, yet another offensive change, nodded home the winning goal.
In stoppage time, England launched desperate long balls toward Burn and Ivan Toney. Emi Martínez pouched a cross and collapsed as if injured, but nobody was fooled. Argentina’s keeper had scarcely been called into action since England scored. How could he possibly be cramping?
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