DROP PHIL FODEN! England WERE TERRIBLE! England 0-1 Japan Highlights

Overpaid idiots play for England ! The decent players were on the Japan team !

Lmao hahahahhahaha England

I don't wanna hear anything other than it was Arsenal's fault. C'mon let's all blame the Arsenal players including the non english one's, the Kroenke's, the Arsenal fans, the Arsenal tea lady, Arteta for being Spanish, and of course Herbert Chapman who died in 1934. rubbishSPORT/ sorry I mean talkSPORT will have a field day with this.

Arsenal are the problem right???

Foden and Palmer are so much betetr than Eze and Saka and co right???

Saka and Rice were bloody rubbish today

What happened to ur big aquad u have to win the world club supposedly 😂😂😂😂 u lot are ponny got no chance

phil foden needs to retire or go to saudi

Game didn’t count 😂😂😂

scapegoat again

Well nothing new here is there, no mention of Palmer who gave the ball away for the goal obviously doesn’t fit his agenda. I will say at least Foden and Palmer stayed with the squad unlike the Arsenal cowards who ran home. I know who I would rather play my football with

You go on over Mainoo; get a life; there are so many better midfielders in England that can produce more than Mainoo

If there was a pass-back table 💯 England would be top of the table…..yeap horrible

Palmer is so overrated always has been hence pep got rid of the ugly creature

Saka is better than Foden and Palmer. The end 😂

James garner is the best of the bad bunch

Love the hat 👍🏽

Saka would have been even worse if he on the pitch he trash garbage.

I blame Saka and Rice 😂😂

That UCL win made people think that Tuchel is an elite manager.

Maino was ass

England lads can book their holidays for after the quarter finals this summer.

Okay here’s the thing.

Starting Shape and Philosophy
Tuchel deployed a 4-2-3-1 / 4-2-2-2 hybrid (described variably as 4-2-4 in attacking phases due to fluidity).
• False nine experiment: Phil Foden led the line as a mobile false 9 (no orthodox striker). Cole Palmer operated as a roaming No. 10 alongside him — essentially twin No. 10s.
• Wide roles: Morgan Rogers (right, drifting inside) and Anthony Gordon (left) as athletic wide forwards.
• Full-backs: Ben White (right) and Nico O’Reilly (left) tasked with overlaps and width.
• Double pivot: Elliot Anderson + Kobbie Mainoo as two No. 6s for control.
• Backline: Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa centrally; Jordan Pickford in goal.
Intent: Overload the center with “fun”/creative players (Foden, Palmer, Rogers, Gordon) to generate chances through intricate combinations rather than relying on Kane’s hold-up/playmaking. Tuchel wanted more goal involvements from non-strikers, aggressive forward movement, and a high press. In build-up, England aimed for fluid rotations and box-midfield patterns (a Tuchel hallmark). 
This was ambitious and mirrored Tuchel’s broader England approach (seen in qualifiers): 3-2-5 or inverted full-back build-up in deeper phases, aggressive pressing, and versatile attackers pushing high. But without Kane’s reference point, it became disjointed. 
In Possession: High Volume, Low Quality
England dominated ~70% possession and territory but were toothless (few shots on target, low xG, no goals).
• Strengths attempted: Central overloads and quick rotations between the front four. Foden dropped deep or roamed; Palmer had license to drift.
• Key failures:
• Narrow play: England “narrowed the pitch extremely” in the first half. Full-backs rarely pushed high enough, limiting width and 1v1 opportunities.
• No cutting edge: Without a true No. 9, they lacked hold-up play, aerial threat, or runs in behind. The creative players struggled to win 1v1s or create clear chances against Japan’s deep 5-4-1 (or 3-4-2-1) block. Japan massed numbers centrally and forced England into low-percentage passes.
• Predictability: Japan “figured England out” quickly and picked them off on transitions. 
Out of Possession & Transitions
England were vulnerable on the counter — exactly how the goal arrived (23rd minute): Palmer dispossessed in an attacking area → Japan broke quickly → Mitoma finished clinically after a slick move involving Nakamura.
• Midfield lacked protection/tracking (e.g., Mainoo exposed).
• High line + committed attackers left gaps that Japan exploited with their mobility and compact shape.
Tuchel later noted Japan’s “well-drilled” deep build-up variations (dropping players, crossing lines) made them complex to press. 
In-Game Adjustments (Second Half & Subs)
Tuchel acted decisively:
• ~60th minute: Foden (false 9) off for Dominic Solanke (orthodox striker) — abandoning the experiment. Palmer also subbed for Jarrod Bowen.
• Full-backs refreshed (O’Reilly/White → Lewis Hall/Tino Livramento) to add width and runs.
• Later: Marcus Rashford, James Garner, then desperate long-ball merchants Harry Maguire + Dan Burn (lumping balls into the box).
Impact: Second half showed improvement — more width, dynamic runs, and energy — but still no cutting edge. England pushed late but looked desperate rather than controlled. Tuchel admitted the initial front-four setup “didn’t work” and needed changing quickly. 
Tuchel’s Own Assessment
Post-match, he was pragmatic:
• “We played against a deep 5-4-1… didn’t use the width… offensive players struggled to make a difference in one-on-ones.”
• New formation + absences meant “more questions than answers,” but these tests are necessary.
• Not about false nine vs. true nine — it’s about performing, bravery, and winning duels.
• England got “punished for not a lot” (one counter), echoing the Uruguay draw.
He emphasized perspective: friendlies for experimentation, not panic. 
Overall Tactical Verdict
The experiment largely failed. Tuchel’s desire to integrate multiple creators without Kane created an unbalanced, narrow side that lacked a focal point, width, and transition security. Japan’s discipline exposed England’s over-reliance on individual magic over collective structure.
Positives: Showed Tuchel’s willingness to adapt and test depth (Anderson impressed; second-half tweaks helped). It highlighted squad issues ahead of the World Cup (e.g., life without Kane/Rice/Saka).
This wasn’t Tuchel’s “ideal” system — it was a forced one due to injuries. His preferred patterns (box midfield, high press, versatile rotations) were visible but undermined by execution and opposition quality. Plenty for him to ponder in the next eight weeks before naming the final 26-man squad.

Palmer doesn’t deserve to go he’s been dreadful this year bare minimum

Get rid of Tuchel and bring in Eddie Howe