On July 2 (CEST), in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, England faced the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After conceding early in the first half, Harry Kane scored twice in the second half to secure a 2-1 comeback victory and advance to the next round. After the match, Oliver Brown of The Daily Telegraph wrote an article arguing that the FA's decision to hire Thomas Tuchel, whom they touted as a "master of cup competition tactics," was a mistake.

Tuchel appears confident that the team's star players can always turn things around. In three of the four matches so far, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have played heroic roles in rescuing the team. But beyond relying on the superb match-changing ability of superstars, Tuchel seems to have no other way to handle crises. During his time managing clubs, he led Paris Saint-Germain to the Champions League final in 2020 and Chelsea to the Champions League title a year later. Yet judging by recent performances on the pitch, he looks like an amateur feeling his way forward step by step. Fans now find it hard to believe England can beat Mexico at altitude, let alone face Brazil, Argentina, and France later.

The Daily Telegraph Original

With the team on the brink of elimination at the FIFA World Cup and only 22 minutes remaining before the second-half drinks break, Tuchel scribbled frantically in his tactical notebook. The scene looked particularly odd. Did a manager earning 5 million pounds a year need handwritten notes to convey to his players how dire the situation was?

But to be fair, a small miracle happened after that. His tactical adjustments led to a thrilling comeback. Substitute Anthony Gordon provided two assists, and Harry Kane scored twice to pull the team from the brink of despair and save his job. The striker produced a sublime performance, scoring 13 goals in major tournaments to surpass Pelé's record of 12 goals. But Tuchel cannot always rely on the team's superstars to overcome crises.

After the match, everyone felt only relief at survival, but objectively speaking, England should never have been pushed to the brink like this. While such precarious situations might be commonplace in a semifinal, this was merely a Round of 32 tournament match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But throughout this tournament, Tuchel seems to be walking a tightrope, appearing confident that the team's star players can always reverse the tide, directly confronting elimination crises.

So far, this optimistic belief has paid off. In three of four matches, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have played heroic roles in rescuing the team. But four days later, England will travel to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to face Mexico at altitude. This crucial match is extremely important, and a manager who relies only on comeback victories in desperate situations cannot sustain long-term success.

When assessing FIFA World Cup favorites, we always observe whether a team consistently improves and performs better in each match. England shows no signs of such steady progress and has struggled and appeared timid in most of these matches. The team's defense was riddled with holes. Yoane Wissa squandered a decisive chance, and England nearly fell behind by two goals. Spence's performance was abysmal, and Tuchel watched him with a pained expression. Rashford and Madueke posed little threat on the flanks. When both players were substituted after an hour, English fans even let out scornful laughs. Except for Harry Kane's elite finishing ability, the team displays almost no developed, cohesive tactical system.

The FA initially hired Tuchel believing him to be a master of cup competition tactics, thinking he was skilled at handling the unpredictable nature of tournament matches. After all, he got the job by presenting a detailed plan for England's FIFA World Cup victory. But when the match reached 75 minutes and the team faced elimination, it was hard not to question whether this hiring was worthwhile. Falling behind to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was certainly not part of his grand plan. Beyond relying on Harry Kane's superb ability to change matches, what other methods does Tuchel have to handle crises? Even if Harry Kane delivers a perfect performance, observers still find no clear answers.

Staff members who have worked with Tuchel acknowledge that he possesses outstanding charisma and can unite the team firmly. At halftime against Croatia, assistant coach Anthony Barry's sharp remarks captivated many fans, describing Tuchel's arrival as "like an unidentified flying object, unprecedented." Barry genuinely agreed with the German manager's tactical philosophy, and the team not only obeyed him but believed in him. During his time managing clubs, he achieved numerous successes through meticulous tactical planning. 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 iconic moment was probably after the final whistle of the Champions League final in Porto, when he sprinted across the field backward in joy at defeating Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. His record in various cup competitions is equally impressive. During his 19 months at Chelsea, the team reached three domestic cup competition finals, a truly remarkable achievement. The FA originally hoped the FIFA World Cup stage would be the platform for Tuchel to fully display his managerial talents. It should have been his domain, where he could design flexible and varied tactical systems tailored to each match. Yet judging by recent performances on the pitch, he looks like an amateur feeling his way forward step by step.

England performed poorly throughout this match, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo was more impressive and possessed richer tactical ideas. Tuchel always likes to rely on the team's "finishers," believing they can break through an exhausted defense. This approach worked in this match. The Democratic Republic of the Congo pressed with high intensity early on, but gradually depleted their energy in the second half. However, observers hope he will establish a stable starting lineup more quickly. In this match, he inexplicably selected Rashford and Madueke as the two wingers. He may switch back to Gordon and Bukayo Saka against Mexico. His team selection strategy is erratic, as if he is constantly second-guessing himself and repeatedly reversing decisions.

Without question, Tuchel is clinging to his job solely thanks to Harry Kane's heroic performance.

Had England lost to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the severity of that defeat would have been comparable to the 2016 loss to Iceland that led to Roy Hodgson's sacking, and even the entire management, including FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham, might have faced questions about their responsibility. It was Harry Kane alone who changed the outcome of potential elimination.

Despite the team's joy at advancing, few England fans sang the anthem "Football's Coming Home" with genuine belief.

Barely beating the runners-up from an African qualifying group makes it hard to believe England can beat Mexico at altitude, then travel to Miami to face Brazil, and subsequently directly contest with Argentina and France.

This is England's perilous path to advancement. Everyone in England is already filled with anxiety, yet Tuchel still appears to have no clear plan to break through this impasse.

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