On July 2, Beijing time (CEST), in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup, England faced the Democratic Republic of Congo. After conceding a goal in the first half, Kane scored two goals in the second half, leading to a 2-1 victory and qualification. After the match, Oliver Brown, a journalist for The Daily Telegraph, wrote an article stating plainly that the FA's hiring of the "master tactician in cup competitions" Tuchel was a waste.

Tuchel seems convinced that his team's key players can always turn the tide of the match. So far, in three of four matches, both Kane and Bellingham have played decisive roles. However, beyond relying on the power of his superstars to change the game, Tuchel appears to have no other solution for managing crises. During his club management, he led Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League final in 2020 and Chelsea to the Champions League title a year later. But judging by recent on-field performances, he seems more like an amateur groping in the dark, advancing step by step. Fans now struggle to believe that England can beat Mexico at altitude, let alone face Brazil, Argentina, and France later.

Original text from The Daily Telegraph

With only 22 minutes remaining before the team was nearly eliminated from the FIFA World Cup, and as the second-half hydration break approached, Tuchel frantically scribbled tactical notes—a scene that seemed particularly bizarre. Is a coach earning 5 million pounds per year unable to convey the urgency of the situation to his players without handwritten notes?

However, to be fair, what followed was a minor miracle: his tactical adjustments led to a thrilling turnaround. Substitute Anthony Gordon provided two assists, which Kane converted into two goals, pulling the team from a desperate predicament and saving his job. This player delivered a superb, almost legendary performance, scoring 13 goals in major tournaments, surpassing Pelé's record of 12 goals. But Tuchel clearly cannot rely on his team's superstars to save him every time.

After the match, everyone felt nothing but relief at having survived, but objectively speaking, England should not have been pushed into such a disastrous situation. This kind of nerve-wracking situation might be understandable in a semifinal, but this was merely a Round of 16 match against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yet in this tournament, Tuchel seems determined to walk a tightrope, confronting elimination crises directly, as if convinced that his team's key players can always reverse the course of the game.

So far, this gamble has paid off, with Kane and Bellingham delivering decisive performances in three of four matches. But in four days, England will travel to the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City to face the host nation Mexico at altitude. This crucial match matters, and a coach who constantly relies on comebacks from desperate situations cannot sustain success long-term.

When evaluating FIFA World Cup favorites, we always observe whether a team can progress steadily and improve with each match. England shows no sign of such steady growth, stumbling and being excessively cautious for most of this match. The team's defense was full of holes; Yoane Wissa had a golden opportunity, and England nearly fell two goals behind; Spence's performance was dreadful, and Tuchel watched with an agonized expression. Rashford and Madueke posed no threat on the wings; when both were substituted after an hour of play, even England fans reacted with mocking laughter. Apart from Kane's world-class finishing, this team displays almost no coherent, unified tactical system.

The FA initially hired Tuchel, considering him a master tactician in cup competitions, skilled in managing the unpredictability of knockout matches. After all, his detailed plan for England to win the FIFA World Cup earned him this position. But when the match reached the 75th minute and the team was on the brink of elimination, it is difficult not to wonder whether this signing was worth it. Being behind against the Democratic Republic of Congo certainly was not part of his grand plan. Beyond relying on Kane's exceptional ability to change the game, what other solutions does Tuchel have in a crisis? Even with Kane's perfect performance, no clear answer is visible from the outside.

Staff who have worked with Tuchel openly admit that he possesses great charisma and can effectively unite a team. Assistant coach Anthony Barry's incisive comment at halftime against Croatia earned him many admirers, describing Tuchel's arrival as "like a UFO, something never seen before." Barry genuinely agrees with the German coach's tactical philosophy; the entire team not only obeys but also believes in him. During his club management, he achieved many successes through meticulous tactical arrangements: he led Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League final in 2020 and Chelsea to the Champions League title a year later.

Tuchel's most emblematic moment was undoubtedly when he sprinted onto the pitch after the final whistle of the Champions League final in Porto, exuberant after defeating Guardiola's Manchester City. His trophy record across various cup competitions is equally impressive; in just 19 months at Chelsea, the team reached three domestic cup finals, a remarkable feat. The FA had initially hoped that the FIFA World Cup stage would allow Tuchel's coaching talent to flourish fully, that it would be his domain where he could design flexible and varied tactical systems for each match. But judging by recent on-field performances, he seems more like an amateur groping in the dark, advancing step by step.

In this match, England was lethargic for long periods, while the Democratic Republic of Congo was more incisive and tactically richer in their approach. Tuchel always seems to rely on his team's "finishers," believing they can break down tired defenses. This approach worked in this match—the Democratic Republic of Congo pressed intensely early on, but their stamina gradually depleted in the second half. However, the public hopes he can settle on a stable starting lineup earlier. In this match, he inexplicably chose Rashford and Madueke as twin wingers; for the Mexico match, he might revert to Gordon and Bukayo Saka. His erratic personnel decisions give the impression that he constantly second-guesses himself and reverses his own decisions.

Without question, Tuchel remains firmly in his position only because of Kane's brilliance.

Had they lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the severity of that defeat would have been comparable to the loss to Iceland in 2016, which directly led to Roy Hodgson's sacking, and might even have triggered collective accountability for the entire FA leadership, including CEO Mark Bullingham. It is Kane alone who has rewritten the outcome from elimination.

Although the team reveled in the joy of qualification, few English fans actually sang "Football's Coming Home."

A hard-fought victory against a team that finished second in an African qualifying group inspires little confidence that they can beat Mexico at altitude, then travel to Miami to face Brazil, and subsequently face Argentina and France.

This is England's perilous path forward. Everyone in England is already anxious, yet Tuchel still seems to have no clear strategy for breaking the deadlock.

Traduit par IA.

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