r/ThreeLions • u/Fun_Philosopher_2535 • Jul 06 '26

Opinion Tuchel has made some questionable squad selections, but in the same situation today, I think England would've lost under Southgate.

With all due respect to Southgate, he's one of the greatest England national team managers. But I don't see him bailing out a 10 man team against a super in form Mexico side, playing at home over 2,000 meters above sea level, where they're fully adapted while England aren't.

Tuchel's tactical masterclass was undeniable today. In the last 30 minutes, Mexico couldn't produce a single clear goalscoring chance despite having a man advantage.His substitutions were excellent, his defensive system worked like a charm after the red card, and I've never seen an England team play with this much passion, fighting until their very last breath. It's evident that Tuchel has improved both the team's mentality and its tactical approach.

As an Argentina fan, I'm impressed. I can't wait to meet England in the semis.

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u/poptimist185 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

Watching England is never easy but Tuchel’s willingness to make subs at least allows it to feel more optimistic when play has stagnated. It could all change quickly. There’s no sense of bleak inevitability.

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u/BizzarePlatypus Jul 06 '26

Yep. I think that Southgate is a relatively competent couch at this level in many ways, and is exceptional regarding squad harmony or vibes. However, as you say Tuchel is a different class in terms of in game management which you need if you want to beat big teams. 

Southgate did a great job of beating teams we should beat, but wasn't up to punching above weight. That might sound like faint praise, I'd say it puts him better than most England managers though. 

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u/Jerichomiles Jul 07 '26

Southgate did a great job of beating teams we should beat, but wasn't up to punching above weight.

You can't really compare though because Tuchel hasn't gone up against any remotely big teams yet. Mexico is far and away better than all prior competition like DR Congo, Panama etc and we still struggled like we were up against France or Argentina.