Gary Neville has challenged Thomas Tuchel's assertion that England lacks the 'DNA' to control possession, arguing that the manager's tactical decisions and player selections in the World Cup semi-final against Argentina were flawed. Neville suggested that Tuchel's comments were misguided, particularly given that several technically gifted players were either omitted from the squad or not utilized during the tournament.
Tuchel faced criticism for substituting goalscorer Anthony Gordon shortly after he gave England the lead, replacing him with defender Ezri Konsa and shifting to a five-man defense. Argentina went on to score twice and win the match within minutes of these changes. Despite the outcome, Tuchel defended his tactical choices, stating that no tactical structure could have compensated for the inability to stop runners from the second line and break pressure effectively.
"I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it's maybe not in our DNA like it is in Spanish DNA or in our Argentine-Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball," Tuchel commented.
Neville countered this by highlighting players like Kobbie Mainoo, described as one of England's best in tight spaces, who did not play a single minute in the tournament. He also pointed to the exclusion of Phil Foden, whom Neville considers England's most technically gifted player, from the World Cup squad entirely. Other technically proficient players like Cole Palmer, Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were also left out.
Tuchel's substitutions were also questioned. Instead of a like-for-like midfield replacement for Declan Rice, the manager brought on defender Nico O'Reilly. Full-back Reece James was replaced by center-back Dan Burn, altering England's formation to a 5-4-1. Attacking substitutions, including Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney, were only made in the 96th minute, four minutes after Argentina had taken the lead.
"I did think that he'll look back and think, 'did I send the right message to the players after the goal went in?', putting three defensive players on before he brings on an attacker," Neville said on Sky Bet's Stick to Football podcast. He believes Tuchel will regret the decision, as it signaled a defensive mindset that contributed to the team dropping deeper.
Neville also took issue with the 'DNA' comment directly. "I have a big problem with that. He didn't bring Kobbie Mainoo on, who could handle the ball better than most. He didn't bring Bukayo Saka on, who could probably handle the ball better than most," he stated. "But he also left Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Adam Wharton, Morgan Gibbs-White and Trent Alexander-Arnold at home, technical players. He's left out what would be generational talents."
During the period between Gordon's goal in the 55th minute and Martinez's goal in the 92nd minute, England possessed the ball for only 12 percent of the time, compared to Argentina's 88 percent. England's five shots in the match were their lowest tally in a World Cup game in 60 years.
Peter Crouch, also speaking on the podcast, suggested that England might have been too reliant on individual brilliance, with players like Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane stepping up when needed. He noted that while teams like Spain dominate games, England often produced moments of magic from individuals.
Roy Keane, while acknowledging that bringing on defenders might have been a negative tactical move, conceded that Argentina likely would have found a way to win regardless of Tuchel's decisions. "This idea that if England had been a bit more open, even at 1-0, and started attacking, you'd be saying, 'why didn't you shut up shop, you're leaving too many spaces'," Keane said. "These brilliant teams find a way to win, and that's what they did."
England was scheduled to play France in the bronze medal match, while Argentina was set to face Spain in the final.