It was another high-profile game when Thomas Tuchel’s England let a lead slip in the second half and went on to lose. But unlike the last time, it was not one for recriminations. The England support can accept losing when their team plays with cut and thrust.
More to the point, they can accept losing to Spain who, at times, played football from a different stratosphere. They were driven by Jude Bellingham, who ran on adrenaline and played to the point of maximum expression. They had positive surges either side of the interval, especially the one towards the end of the first half when goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane put them in charge, hauling them back after Lamine Yamal’s second-minute goal.
The biggest takeaway was Spain’s slickness. There is a reason why they won the World Cup in the summer. Why they won the European Championship before that.
They are the best team in the international game by a distance. Nobody can live with them. England did well to stay within a puncher’s chance of a result in this Nations League opener; Bellingham was still throwing them in stoppage time.
Crucially, as Tuchel and England try to look forward after the heartbreak of the World Cup semi-final defeat against Argentina, there was no negativity from the Wembley crowd. Even in the face of England’s defending, which was dreadfully loose. We were denied the chance to see how the fans would react to the announcement of Tuchel’s name when the teams were read out in the countdown to kick-off.
Because, after going through the starting XI and the 12 substitutes, Tuchel’s name was not read out. But there were none of the dreaded boos at the full-time whistle. The match turned on a Kane penalty miss in the 54th minute.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
