Effort, spirit and moments - but do England lack all-round quality?

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Effort, spirit and moments - but do England lack all-round quality? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Thomas Tuchel led England to their second World Cup semi-final in the past three tournamentsByPhil McNulty Chief football writerPublished29 minutes agoThomas Tuchel claimed you could bottle up England's mentality and sell it. What you could not sell is their big-game reliability when it matters.

Head coach Tuchel was talking in an outspoken interview after the World Cup quarter-final win against Norway, in which he was highly critical of England's performance in the 2-1 victory. The desperate late collapse that resulted in England losing to Argentina in the subsequent semi-final, missing out on a first men's World Cup final appearance since they won the tournament at Wembley in 1966, raised familiar questions about a string of near misses. England can add this bitter disappointment to successive Euro final losses and the 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat by Croatia, giving weight to the argument they will always be a "nearly" team.

The Details

Effort, spirit and the knack of producing big moments are commendable but will only take you so far - in England's case, not far enough. The devastating late collapse against Argentina joins a catalogue of disappointment now stretching to 60 years. Why England's loss to Argentina felt like most painful in 60 years of hurt Published1 day ago'Passive' and 'crumbled' - did Tuchel's defensive tactics cost England?

Published16 hours agoSome England players disappointed at tactics as Tuchel questions team's DNA Published10 hours agoDo England lack all-round quality? England's World Cup campaign was led by the world-class quality of their two outstanding performers: captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Of the Three Lions' 14 goals so far, Kane and Bellingham have scored 12 between them - six each - with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon the other contributors.

Tuchel was hampered by Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka struggling with illness and injuries, reducing the effectiveness of a pair he would have been counting on. John Stones remains a class act but is now 32, while elsewhere England are solid and reliable rather than spectacular. England do not have class stamped right through the side like World Cup finalists and European champions Spain, or France with their stellar array of attacking talent, and they lack the in-built desire and refusal to be beaten of Argentina, helped along by the enduring genius of Lionel Messi.

What Experts Say

It means their campaign has been restricted, and on occasion rescued, by existing on moments. It has not been characterised by good performances. When England were behind to DR Congo in the last 32, it was Kane's late double that pulled them away from the precipice.

When they were behind against Norway in the quarter-final, Bellingham was the saviour with two goals. It was then that Tuchel may well have given the game away when he heaped praise on England's mentality but lambasted their lack of quality.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.