Last night, England conceded two goals in the final ten minutes of their game with Angentina, to crash out again at the semi-final stage.
Tuchel was employed to win the 2026 World Cup, and to ensure, in exactly this kind of situation, being a goal up in the latter stages of a game, being abler to close out the result at win.
He failed to do that.
In fact, his England side bottled it even more than those under Southgate. Falling back to defend deeper and deeper.
Like they did against Mexico and Norway.
England hung on in those two games, but to defend half an hour, an Argentine side looking to win back to back cups, was always going to be a tall order.
On those final twenty minutes, Argentina scored twice, hot the post twice, and Pickford saved two headers on the line. It could and should have been a heavier defeat.
In the 35 minutes between England scoring and the end of the game, England enjoyed just 19% possession.
Tuchel's substitutions were defensive players replacing attacking ones, so that when Argentina did level, there wasn't the players on the pitch for England to fight back.
Tuchel had one job: not to repeat Southgate's mistakes. But he did, and more.
Better to live one day as a lion, than a life as a mouse.
Argentina wanted to win from the start, I heard to described as they went into the game prepared for a knife fight, while England saw it as a step to the final. A friendly referee didn't punish repeated fouls on England, so they were emboldened. Breaking up England's play, so it became a battle, one that meant England tired.
But they did score. A fine goal, but then sat on it, invited pressure. Invisted Messi to play by ceeding space and time for him to pick out passes.
And punish.
Harry Kane will be 36 at the next tournament, and he has hinted he would be too old. What will England do without him?
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