The thrilling encounter with Spain is over, but when will Thomas Tuchel fix England's defensive problems? The Telegraph reports that this issue has been debated for some time. Tuchel raised it after England's loss to Argentina in the World Cup: can England control possession, pass the ball, and dominate the game like Spain? In reality, England has conceded 13 goals in their last 6 matches, and Tuchel must address this porous defence.

Spain were England's first opponent in this Nations League campaign following the World Cup, and they claimed a deserved victory at Wembley. Spain are now unbeaten in 39 matches. Mikel Oyarzabal, the substitute who scored the winning goal in the previous Euro final against England, scored again in this match.

Perhaps the result should not have been surprising, but what about the manner of the defeat? For England's manager, this is another painful loss.

The team's attitude was not the problem. They played aggressively, the match was entertaining, and they created plenty of chances. The issue lies in how they conceded, the missed opportunities, and ultimately the defeat.

Judging by this performance, England's football DNA—what is often called a "weakness in defence"—can be interpreted as allowing them to squander what should have been a historic victory and boost morale for nothing. Meanwhile, Croatia beat the Czech Republic convincingly in another group match, and England face considerable pressure, needing to win an away fixture on Tuesday.

In reality, England have conceded 13 goals in their last 6 matches—including 4 goals conceded in their 6-4 victory over France in the World Cup third-place playoff. For a top team, this level of defending falls far short. Tuchel must address the defensive issues.

At one point, England led 2-1 surprisingly, and if Harry Kane had not slipped and missed the penalty, things might have been very different.

Tuchel said, "That would have been a huge opportunity to waste."

Perhaps, but there was always a feeling that Spain could raise their game at any moment.

After the match, Anthony Gordon, who had an outstanding display, said England wasted good chances—just as they did at the World Cup. The team needs to break free from constantly missing opportunities.

Interestingly, this was one of England's most creative performances in years. They attacked Spain with intensity and could have scored more, but they could also have conceded more.

To be frank, in the first half, the scoreline could easily have been Spain 4-0 England. Tuchel's team had barely threatened the opposition at that point.

The manager previously stated that England should "embrace chaos" and consider it the best way to win. This strategy is debatable—can chaos really win major tournaments? Yet the England team seemed to follow this approach.

The match was chaotic and admittedly entertaining.

Two players from Spanish leagues helped England create quick, powerful attacks: Gordon, who scored, and Bellingham. But what about the defence? Marc Guéhi played poorly, as did Nico O'Reilly, his Manchester City teammate (leading to speculation about whether they are distracted by upcoming Premier League charges against their club), and Jarell Quansah, playing out of position at right-back when he is clearly a natural centre-back.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's absence from the starting lineup raises questions about Tuchel's thinking. Fourth-choice defender Ezri Konsa expressed frustration at events unfolding before him.

The problem is not just mistakes, but unforced errors—lots of them. The team frequently misplaced passes while in possession, leaving the defence exposed. There is a quality gap between England and Spain, but it is not as large as the vulnerabilities exposed by England's four-man defence. There were consistently poor defensive performances when facing threats from the inform Lamine Yamal. They seemed either unaware or unable to cope inexplicably.

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