If I’m sitting in the England dressing room, I wouldn’t be bothered in the slightest by Thomas Tuchel questioning our performance after the win over Norway.
First, he was right. Second, players only get upset when a manager questions their attitude. That’s personal. That’s when you start looking around wondering who he’s talking about.
Tuchel did the exact opposite. He praised England’s mentality, their resilience and willingness to suffer for each other.
That has been this team’s greatest strength throughout the World Cup. They’ve found ways to win games that could easily have slipped away.
His criticism was simply that England need to play better. Again, he was right. In fact, I wouldn’t even see that as criticism. I’d see it as a compliment. He’s saying, ‘I know how good you are and I know there’s more to come’. Every player wants a manager who believes that.
Jude Bellingham’s prickly response to Tuchel’s comments has inevitably become a talking point, and I’m not convinced their relationship is always the easiest. But context is important.
Thomas Tuchel was right to criticise England’s performance levels against Norway, but he made a point of praising their menality and willingness to fight for each other
Jude Bellingham gave a spiky response to Tuchel’s comments and while I am not convinced their relationship is the easiest, context is important
Bellingham’s reaction was understandable after covering seven miles in the humity with his two goals taking England into the semi-finals – Tuchel should just file his response away
Put yourself in Jude’s position. You’ve just covered seven and a half miles in Miami humidity. You’ve scored the goals that have taken your country into a World Cup semi-final. Your body is exhausted, your emotions are everywhere and the first question you’re asked is whether your manager thinks you played well enough.
You’re probably going to be a little bit spiky. Jude has always been an emotional footballer. That’s one of the reasons he’s so special. He also knows his place in this England team is beyond question. He’s earned that right.
If I was Tuchel, I’d have listened to his answer and quietly filed it away. You don’t start an argument with your best player four days before a World Cup semi-final. You keep everybody together and maybe revisit it months down the line if you ever feel the need. That’s management, and Tuchel’s management of Bellingham over the past year or so is what has brought him to this point. Bellingham is the reason England aren’t already home. First Mexico and now Norway. Without him, England lose.
Now, I went against the grain after Mexico when I highlighted the technical flaws of the team performance and explained why a lot of what I saw that night concerned me. Not everyone agreed and some thought I was being negative. I wasn’t. I thought it was important to look beyond the drama and entertainment, because that informs what happens next. What did happen next? They were played off the park by Norway for large periods and couldn’t get control of the game. It was exactly as I feared.
I hear a lot of people now saying it will just have to be this way: England winning ugly. I don’t buy that, and I haven’t given up on England being better against Argentina on Wednesday.
One of the oldest sayings in boxing is that styles make fights. It has survived because it’s true. One boxer can look completely ordinary against one opponent and sensational against another.
Horse racing has its own version: horses for courses. Football is no different. Some opponents suit you, some don’t. England have spent most of this tournament facing teams they were expected to beat before a ball was kicked.
That creates a different kind of pressure and presents different in-game challenges. Often, you just do what you must to win, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen with England. It’s been a grind.
England were played off the park against Norway despite the victory and the performance was as bad as I feared, but that does not mean they cannot beat Argentina in the semi-finals
As reigning world champions and with Lionel Messi in their team Argentina will go on the attack, which should suit England as they throw bodies forwards
I believe we will see another leval again to Bellingham in Atlanta and Harry Kane is a guarantee, but can England’s wingers chip in with some goals and can the midfield keep the ball?
The Argentina game won’t feel like that. They’re the world champions. They’ve got Lionel Messi. They’ll attack. They’ll commit bodies forward. That suits England, but so will the occasion and the pedigree of the opposition. As a player, I’ve always believed that you find better against better.
This game will ask different questions. The spaces are different. The tempo is different. That’s why I believe we will see a version of England that we haven’t already.
Remember, Argentina have also had a favourable route to this point and have needed extra time, moments of fortune and a fair amount of resilience to get this far.
They’ve made very hard work of beating Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland. Them relying on Messi or Julian Alvarez is no different to England relying on Bellingham and Harry Kane.
The scary thought is, I believe we will see another level again to Bellingham in Atlanta. If any player will rise to that occasion, it will be him. What we need is everyone else to go with him. Kane is a guarantee — but can the wingers finally chip in with some goals? Can the midfield keep the ball for more than a few passes?
I’ve been fairly unimpressed by a lot of what I’ve seen from England so far, but I also know how football works. The biggest games have a habit of bringing the biggest performances, especially from the biggest players. That is why Tuchel was right not to sugar-coat Norway.
His players didn’t need protecting. They needed reminding that there is another level. Criticism isn’t always a warning. Sometimes it’s a challenge. England can answer that against Argentina.
