England absolutely blew it against Argentina, pulling off a 2-1 defeat from the jaws of victory in the World Cup semi-final, and Thomas Tuchel's tactical misstep is front and center. Taking the lead and then inviting a hungry Argentina to come at them? That's exactly what happened. It was supposed to be a push for the World Cup final, and instead, it was a meek exit the Football Association wasn't expecting from their head coach.
Tuchel's World Cup Flop Leaves Fans Asking "What Now?"
Just reaching a semi-final does not feel like something worth celebrating, not after that kind of collapse. Tuchel's contract is already extended, but he's got to rebuild his squad and his ethos, pronto. The Three Lions are co-hosts for Euro 2028, but they still have to go through the qualifying program next year. Before that, they've got Nations League matches coming up. First, it's Spain at Wembley on September 26, a game that should have been a replay of the World Cup final. Then they'll face Czechia and old foes Croatia in the Nations League too. Some serious questions the 52-year-old coach needs to answer.Harry Kane Can't Do It All, So Who Steps Up?
One of the biggest problems staring Tuchel in the face is the serious lack of alternatives to Harry Kane up front. Kane was insane last season, dropping 61 goals in the Bundesliga, and he bagged six goals at the World Cup. But Kane turns 33 on July 28, and while he'll "surely" be around for Euro 2028, he's already saying it's "too early" to talk about the 2030 finals. What happens if he's not available? Tuchel's gotta find a Plan B or an able understudy. The over-reliance on Kane is clear. Phil Foden got a shot in a false nine role against Uruguay in March, but he underperformed so bad he didn't make the World Cup roster. Tuchel brought two other central strikers, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, but they were barely seen. Watkins, the top-scoring English striker in the Premier League last season with 16 goals, played just six minutes against Panama. Toney, also 30, only got the final throws of stoppage time against Argentina. Morgan Rogers replaced Kane in stoppage time against Mexico, but Kane played every other minute. Dominic Solanke, 28, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 29, are the only other strikers England has used in the last 12 months. Calvert-Lewin had 14 Premier League goals for Leeds, and 35-year-old Danny Welbeck from Brighton had 13. Age isn't on the side of any of these guys. Eddie Nketiah, England's Under-21 all-time record goalscorer, has only scored five Premier League goals in two seasons at Crystal Palace. Maybe 23-year-old Liam Delap, with 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich in 2024-25, will finally figure it out. This could be a problem for a manager beyond Euro 2028, but Tuchel's got to deal with it.Did Tuchel Miss the Boat on Mainoo?
Another question that popped up was why Tuchel didn't trust Kobbie Mainoo more. The kid earned his spot in the England squad after a superb second half of the season under Michael Carrick at Manchester United. What gives there? Tuchel has his work cut out for him, starting with that Spain game on September 26. He needs to not just rebuild, but reshape this England squad, and fast. The road to Euro 2028 starts now, and the pressure is on to avoid another stumble.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.