Anthony Gordon backs Tuchel’s claim that possession is not in England’s DNA
Anthony Gordon has supported England head coach Thomas Tuchel’s assertion that controlling matches through possession is not part of English football’s DNA, reflecting on the World Cup semi-final in July in Atlanta when Argentina recovered with two late goals to progress. Gordon spoke about the issue in the aftermath of that defeat and its aftermath, saying the problem was wider than one match.
Gordon, who opened the scoring in that semi-final, said he was surprised to be substituted when England led 1-0 and was replaced by Ezri Konsa after the hydration break when Tuchel shifted to a back five. Tuchel’s tactical choices in Atlanta have drawn intense scrutiny and criticism, particularly after he said “ball possession” was not in his team’s DNA. Gordon added that he thought he would always be scarred by the loss to Argentina.
Gordon sided with Tuchel on the broader possession question and argued cultural factors explain England’s recurring difficulties in controlling games. “Culturally it’s not just that tournament or that game where we couldn’t control a game,” Gordon said. “As a nation we don’t have that strength like the Spanish, where we control games like they do. It’s not in us. I’m not sure it’s something that can be taught.”
Having moved to Barcelona, Gordon said he had seen the Spanish approach to keeping the ball and suggested England could adopt a different profile instead of copying other nations. “Playing in Spain I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball,” he said. “We can definitely get better – or maybe go the other way and really play to our strengths, which is play physical, play direct football and on the counterattack.”
Tuchel, who has talked about embracing the chaos of English football, is unsure whether his side can play with more control, a point Gordon echoed when discussing differences in decision-making on the ball. “It’s not in the English DNA,” Gordon said. “We as English players are educated the same way as the Spanish players, we know how to keep possession, but it’s the decision-making of certain players in Spain. I look at some of the decisions they take on the ball sometimes and think: ‘I’m not sure how you’ve seen that.’”
On his own substitution, Gordon said it felt odd to be taken off after scoring but accepted the routine targeting of wingers for changes. “I’d just scored,” he said. “I’m really good when I play off adrenaline. When I score, I normally don’t have many bad games, because I get into an untouchable mode of confidence. But as a winger I come off most games. It’s normal, it’s usually the position that’s targeted first for substitutions, because the player on the bench in your position is usually quick, and usually really good.”
Gordon defended Tuchel’s choice to move to a more defensive setup against Argentina and said the players could have done more to control the closing stages of the semi-final. “It makes a lot of sense to me why the manager would then go more safe and more defensive [against Argentina],” he said. “As players we could have done more to take the initiative, to control the game. We had the best team, we had the best players in that semi-final, and in the last 20 minutes we didn’t play the best football. That’s something the manager can’t really affect.” Gordon added that his Barça teammates had told him England would have given Spain a tougher game than Argentina in the final, and Spain dominated in New Jersey, winning 1-0 in extra time.
England are scheduled to face Spain in the Nations League on Saturday, the match Gordon was referencing as he discussed possession and tactical identity.