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Marc Guehi appeared to question Thomas Tuchel’s tactical approach following England’s heartbreaking World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina. The Three Lions let slip a second-half lead in Atlanta, triggering criticism of the manager’s decision to adopt a defensive posture late in the game.

Guehi expresses disappointment over defensive approach

The Manchester City defender suggested that England became too cautious after taking the lead against Argentina. Anthony Gordon’s strike in the 55th minute put England ahead, but late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez turned the match around dramatically in Argentina’s favour.

“Once we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try and hold on, which at this level is just not enough, so I’m gutted,” Guehi told reporters, as quoted by The Sun. He added, “We should have carried on. We should have carried on pushing. It kind of felt like we scored, and then the mentality was to go back and defend.”

Guehi unsure about England’s future prospects

When asked if this England squad could go on to win a major tournament in the future, a visibly dejected Guehi admitted he could not think ahead so soon after the defeat. “I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s hard to think about the future right now,” he said. “At this moment, it’s just disappointment. That’s all.”

Tuchel’s defensive tactics come under fire

Between Gordon’s opener and Martinez’s stoppage-time winner, England had only 12 per cent possession. Tuchel switched to a 5-4-1 formation during that spell, bringing on Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, and Nico O’Reilly. The move has since drawn sharp criticism from pundits, including Wayne Rooney, while Guehi’s remarks hinted that the players themselves may have shared similar concerns.

“The decisions Thomas Tuchel has made, we have to be honest, have cost us tonight,” Rooney said. “If you’re an attacking player on that pitch and you go 1-0 up and you see the changes which the manager’s making, you’re losing belief. There’s only so many times you can get away with it.

“Then you start thinking, ‘Oh no, we’re going to sit back for this long; how are we going to get through this?’ It’s panic; it’s real panic. You can’t go a goal up and then surrender the ball and any opportunity to get a second goal, because that’s what you want to do.”

Tuchel stands firm despite growing criticism

Despite mounting scrutiny, Tuchel adopted a defiant tone after the defeat, emphasising the accomplishment of guiding England to the semi-finals. “We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros. I’m looking forward to that even though right now it’s difficult to look that far ahead,” said the German. “A lot of big football nations are eliminated before the semi-final, so it is an achievement. No one wants to hear that at the moment; me neither, because we demand the most of ourselves. That’s just the nature of being competitive.”

Tuchel signed a two-year extension in February, keeping him in charge until Euro 2028, and reportedly continues to enjoy the full support of the Football Association. The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain manager has won 16 of his 21 matches at the helm, drawing two and losing three.