Thomas Tuchel says England have found a fresh gear after tweaking his tactical approach during the latest round of Nations League fixtures, a competition he views as preparation for Euro 2028.
The head coach wanted his squad to maintain their intensity and aggressive pressing while also allowing players more freedom to trust their instincts, provided they remained disciplined enough to cover for teammates when needed. The adjustments appear to be paying dividends. Following a defeat to Spain at Wembley, England bounced back with three victories, including a commanding 7-0 win over Croatia in Rijeka sandwiched between two wins against Czechia. The results have effectively secured England's passage into the quarter-finals and helped shift focus away from the painful World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina back in July.
Tuchel, reflecting on his first experience managing a major camp following a tournament, described the process as enlightening. "It was new for me and brilliant to see how everyone bought in to the idea of the next steps and the details needed to adjust to maybe unlock the next level," he said. He characterized the football on display as attacking and high-quality, built around winning high balls and taking "calculated risks" with man-to-man marking in opponents' territory. "We did it in all four games and we had four good performances if unfortunately not four wins," Tuchel noted. "We didn't beat Spain but it was always about the reaction and that was on a high level."
Assistant coach Anthony Barry had previously spoken about introducing greater flexibility into England's playing model, prompting Tuchel to explain the thinking behind the changes. He revealed that observations from training sessions showed a gap between what the team practiced and what translated onto the pitch during matches. "So we made some slight adjustments to how we trained – not big ones because we always believed we had something to build on – but slight adjustments in the structure of how we build up and also how we defend," Tuchel explained. He credited having a full two-week period with the squad as instrumental, allowing time for match and training reviews that helped establish shared understanding and tactical patterns among the players.
Defender Jarell Quansah echoed his manager's sentiments, describing a shift toward a more front-footed, aggressive style since the World Cup. "I think it's going all out," he said. "We can really dominate teams with the lads playing in the Premier League at such a high level and high intensity." He emphasized the team's relentless mentality, explaining that scoring a goal doesn't lead to complacency but rather intensifies the push for more. "It's being relentless and ruthless," Quansah said. "As soon as we score a goal, it's not easing off, it's going again, going again, trying to get the next goal, trying to put the next player under pressure. Everyone's working for each other. If someone gets outplayed, the next person is into a tackle."
Quansah also reflected on a difficult chapter from the World Cup, when he was sent off against Mexico in the round of 16 for a high, late challenge on Jesús Gallardo. The dismissal came in the 54th minute with England leading 2-1, and though his side eventually triumphed 3-2 despite being pulled back level, Quansah faced a two-match suspension that ruled him out of the quarter-final and semi-final. "It was horrible," he admitted. "I went into the tackle quite fast so it was a bit unlucky to end up the way it did. Being inside [the dressing room] and watching the team pull through was gut-wrenching but an unbelievable moment as well." He added that the ban was particularly hard to process. "It was tough. And obviously the two-game ban wasn't ideal. You're not just going to move on and forget about stuff. Obviously, it hurts so much. It's not easy to get over something like that and it's not been too long after."
Based on reporting from the Guardian (football).