World Cup 2026

[D1511]

It was always coming

 

[Ivor]

It was always coming

Wasn’t it just, always dangerous when only one up in any game.

 

[Broucek]

Yeah, one thing to defend against Norway, another against Argentina

 

[Bantamzen]

4-5-1.

The death knell for our game. We were reasonably equal to them when we pushed them, but for the sake of all things sane we've seen what Argentina can do when you sit back. Tuchel turned into Southgate at exactly the wrong time.

 

[DarloRich]

I knew that if Argentina scored they would win. I know WHY we went so defensive but you just cant do that against the top level teams, at least not so early. We just let them have the ball over and over because we were so deep and couldn't hold the ball or relive any pressure

 

[YorkshireBear]

Can't invite one of the best teams in the world into your box for 30 minutes and expect to survive the tale!

 

[Loadhaul60059]

Incredibly poor tactics and substitutions have cost us there.

Couple of poor goals to concede as well. Switched off at the corner, and somehow managed to allow Martinez a free header despite having 3 central defenders on.

 

[Trainguy34]

Well that was atrocious!

 

[D1511]

Konsa came on for Gordon in the 72nd minute......and England went far too deep too early in the game. If you fall deep and concede an area 30 yards from goal to the greatest player the world has ever seen, then that's what will happen. They've thrown that away......or rather Tuchel has. I wonder if Bellingham will have something to say on the tactics.......

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jul 2026 ==

And I know it's raw, but to add a bit of perspective......

Possession Argentina 64.3% England 35.7%
xG Argentina 1.84 England 0.53
Shots Argentina 15 England 5
Shots on Target Argentina 5 England 2
Hit woodwork Argentina 2 England 0
Total passes Argentina 590 England 325
Pass accuracy Argentina 91% England 84%
Touches in Opp box Argentina 28 England 7
Goalkeeper saves Argentina 1 England 3

That's quite a lot of metrics if we can all try to be objective for a moment......

 

[Ivor]

The mentality I really thought after going one up would be to yes manage the game but focus on grabbing a second but no which you could see as the game progressed wasn’t going to happen.

 

[Peter0124]

I wonder if Bellingham will have something to say on the tactics.......

I wonder why Bellingham smacked the Argentinian substitute's head at the end

 

[Cowley]

I thought they were there for the taking after half time, but their positive substitutions just destroyed us.

Going negative was just the worst choice and we deserved to lose unfortunately.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Outmanaged not outplayed

Dreadful tactics and substitutions

I wonder why Bellingham smacked the Argentinian substitute's head at the end

Because he can’t process failure. Or as my kids call it Real Madrid syndrome

 

[Bantamzen]

I knew that if Argentina scored they would win. I know WHY we went so defensive but you just cant do that against the top level teams, at least not so early. We just let them have the ball over and over because we were so deep and couldn't hold the ball or relive any pressure

The thing is we didn't need to go defensive, we had got around them, and could have done it again. But sitting back against a team that had literally turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win late on in an earlier round was just insane. I'm bloody angry right now. At the start I would have accepted losing to a better team if we had put in a shift, but that last 15-20 minutes...

 

[Jamesrob637]

Oh
P00
Spain to win it now

 

[D1511]

Oh
P00
Spain to win it now

I reckon Spain were probably going to win it no matter what happened tonight, but at least we can all support them now!

 

[Cowley]

Okay, I started typing out my thoughts while watching Tuchel being interviewed and found myself thinking about the wider picture.

Does he stay on?

He took us to the semis on his first showing and alright, that second half was awful, but there are some positives to take away from this aren’t there?

I get the feeling that he’ll learn from it.

 

[JD2168]

England went too defensive too early, one thing against Mexico & Norway but completely different against Argentina with the quality of Messi & De Paul who came on & ran things.

Taking Gordon off was a severe mistake as it removed a pacy outlet which prevented England from getting an outlet. It just invited pressure & England crumbled in the second half.

 

[Trainguy34]

I saw at one point in the second half that we had only had 12% possession post goal compared to Argentina's 88%.

 

[JD2168]

I saw at one point in the second half that we had only had 12% possession post goal compared to Argentina's 88%.

Correct, the amount of possession England had after the goal from Gordon was just 12%.

Trying to get a goal after being this negative was near impossible

 

[Haywain]

we had got around them, and could have done it again.

If we had been able to get hold of the ball.

 

[Bantamzen]

I saw at one point in the second half that we had only had 12% possession post goal compared to Argentina's 88%.

Honestly that wouldn't be a problem if the possession was us winning the press and going forward. A lot of good teams sit a little back, let the opposition maintain possession in midfield then pick them off. But sitting as deep as we chose to, i.e. basically inside the box was suicide against a team that can score from pretty much 30 yards out or less. If we were going to let them have most of the ball, the line should have been a lot higher up, and we should not have set in a 4-5-1.

 

[Ivor]

He took us to the semis on his first showing and alright, that second half was awful, but there are some positives to take away from this aren’t there?

I get the feeling that he’ll learn from it.

I’m not sure he needed to learn as he’s been around long enough & involved in many big games but I thought the last 25-30 minutes he seemed to know little but again me & many of us are all armchair managers & the same at the final whistle visiting stadiums to support our teams or down the pub or our front rooms.

I suppose we all know what we would have done but I for one never played anywhere near pro football other than Sunday Football at park level so what do I know at the end of the day?

 

[brad465]

Okay, I started typing out my thoughts while watching Tuchel being interviewed and found myself thinking about the wider picture.

Does he stay on?

He took us to the semis on his first showing and alright, that second half was awful, but there are some positives to take away from this aren’t there?

I get the feeling that he’ll learn from it.

This is my thinking, he messed up in this game, but getting rid of him after this tournament isn't doing anyone any favours. He also hasn't exactly done any worse than Southgate at a World Cup, and he got us further than any manager in 28 years, plus I cannot think of any other manager who could do a better job that is likely to be available and wanting to do it.

The FA would also look foolish getting rid of him now, when they kept Hodgson on after failing to get out of the group stage in 2014.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I reckon Spain were probably going to win it no matter what happened tonight, but at least we can all support them now!

At least me and my Spanish pal are back on good terms!

 

[SuspectUsual]

Correct, the amount of possession England had after the goal from Gordon was just 12%.

Trying to get a goal after being this negative was near impossible

This is it in a nutshell. Tuchel made a conscious decision to concede possession and with it momentum. He gambled on England somehow surviving 18 minutes plus injury time, and he lost

 

[MboroFC]

Disappointment of tonight aside, this tournament has given us the the most hope and belief in decades.

Best of luck to the lads with their clubs and see you all for the Euros.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Disappointment of tonight aside, this tournament has given us the the most hope and belief in decades.

Best of luck to the lads with their clubs and see you all for the Euros.

With 2018 not far behind.

 

[MboroFC]

Euros 2028 will probably be Kane's last major tournament, at least as first choice. Held in the UK would be extra special as well.

 

[thenorthern]

Argentina were the better side, although England played well for most of the game, Thomas Tuchel in my opinion bears most of the responsiblity for England's defeat.