Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon has publicly supported England manager Thomas Tuchel's assertion that controlling games through possession is not a natural part of English football's identity. Gordon's comments come after England's World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in July, a match that saw intense scrutiny of Tuchel's tactical decisions.
Gordon, who scored England's opening goal in the semi-final, admitted he was surprised to be substituted while England were 1-0 up. However, he defended Tuchel, attributing the team's collapse to wider cultural issues rather than the manager's choices. He suggested that England's struggle to maintain possession under pressure is a long-standing issue.
Having moved to Barcelona, Gordon stated he has gained insight into the Spanish approach to ball control. He believes England should embrace their physical strengths and play a more direct, counter-attacking style, rather than attempting to emulate nations like Spain. Gordon also noted that players 'could have done more' to control the game against Argentina.