Andros Townsend refused to lay the blame for England’s heartbreaking World Cup loss at the feet of Thomas Tuchel.
The Three Lions boss has come under serious fire for his tactical decisions that ultimately led to England’s 2-1 loss to Argentina in their World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
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With England 1-0 up, Tuchel brought off goalscorer Anthony Gordon in the 72nd minute and replaced him with Ezri Konsa, a defender.
Konsa’s introduction meant England shifted to a back five as the Three Lions looked to protect their slender lead.
More defensive changes were made by Tuchel 10 minutes later as Dan Burn and Nico O’Reilly entered the game for Declan Rice and Reece James.
But it was all ultimately in vain as Enzo Fernandez scored an 85th minute equaliser before Lautaro Martinez bagged the winner seven minutes later.
A desperate Tuchel threw on Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford after Martinez’s dagger, but it was ultimately too little, too late.
Tuchel has since stated he has no regrets about moving to five at the back and was prompted to make the call because England were having trouble defending crosses in their original 4-4-2 shape.
Townsend: England falling deeper was ‘not Tuchel’s fault’
He’s now found himself an ally in 13-time England international Townsend, who was adamant O’Reilly’s substitution was especially needed given how Lionel Messi had altered his game.
Townsend joined Gabby Agbonlahor and Jeff Stelling on eSPORTY Breakfast, where they debated Tuchel’s tactics.
“Every cross that went in, we didn’t win a header,” Agbonlahor said.
“If you’re going to go to five at the back, you have to win the headers. You can’t be so deep.”
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Townsend hit back: “That’s not Thomas Tuchel’s fault. That’s not Thomas Tuchel’s fault; we didn’t win a header.”
Agbonlahor argued that the personnel changes left England with no out-ball as he lamented the fact Rashford, Saka or Watkins were not brought on earlier to provide just that.
Bringing on O’Reilly over Rashford was the ‘smarter choice’
But Townsend was not having it.
“No, no. I think Nico O’Reilly was the right change,” Townsend said.
“Listen, Gabby, I’ve covered Argentina twice in this World Cup.
“I’ve watched every single game of them. And every game, Messi starts high; he tries to get the ball in the pockets.
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“As the game goes on, he drops deeper, and deeper, and deeper. You saw the positions he was picking up in the second half.
“It was like almost, it was like a centre midfield position on the right. That’s what he likes to do. So, Thomas Tuchel getting Nico O’Reilly on to defend Messi in a higher position, in a left-wing position, is a smarter choice with 15 minutes to go than getting a Rashford to mark Lionel Messi. That doesn’t make sense.
“There was no out ball. We had no out ball. We tried. We had Morgan Rogers. We had Harry Kane and Bellingham trying to press high.
“It was not working, Gabby. I promise you, I’ve watched it twice after the final whistle.”
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