Tuchel's World Cup Choke: That Back-Five Gamble Will Haunt England

Anthony Gordon put England 1-0 up. Argentina were on the ropes. Then, 72 minutes in, Tuchel made the switch. Back five. Out went the back four. Supposed to be a defensive boost. Instead, it just gutted England's control.

Argentina didn't hesitate. More attackers flooded the pitch. England’s momentum? Gone. Just like that. The whole game changed. Argentina's pressure became suffocating. Irresistible, frankly.

Oh, the irony. Tuchel, the man who walked into the FA promising to stamp out fear. He ripped into his predecessor for it. Southgate, he said, had played not to lose in the Euro final against Spain. Not to win. Tuchel's pledge was different: front-footed, aggressive. Take control. Grab it by the throat.

And sometimes, it worked. Croatia? Overrun. England's opening match was a romp. Mexico? Crumbled when Jude Bellingham got going. There were glimpses. Real flashes of a team that could dictate terms, even against the best.

But not when it truly mattered. Not against Argentina. The moment called for that very philosophy. Instead? Tuchel chucked it out. Harry Kane and Bellingham were still out there, ready to wreak havoc. He pulled them back. He chose protection. England went silent. Argentina roared. The guy who preached courage. He delivered the exact opposite. When it mattered most.

The FA, bless 'em, are sticking with him. Two-year extension signed before the World Cup. He's locked in for Euro 2028. But the third-place play-off against France. That September friendly with Spain at Wembley. Under close scrutiny, indeed.