Semi-final heartbreak and Tuchel's tactics
The 25-year-old opened the scoring in England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, but Thomas Tuchel's side conceded two late goals to crash out of the tournament, denying the Three Lions a first final appearance since 1966.
In the aftermath, Tuchel faced intense backlash for his negative late-game tactics and his controversial claim that controlling possession was simply not in England's "DNA".
Now starring for Barcelona following a £70m summer transfer from Newcastle, Gordon has publicly defended his international manager. Sharing a dressing room with eight members of Spain's World Cup-winning squad has given the winger a unique perspective, and he firmly believes Tuchel's assessment was entirely accurate.
Getty Images Sport
Gordon backs Tuchel's DNA claims
Gordon insisted that the tactical shortcomings against Argentina were part of a wider cultural issue, claiming English players cannot replicate the possession dominance seen in La Liga.
"I think culturally it's not just that tournament or that game where we couldn't control the game," Gordon said. "England 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. I think playing in Spain, I can speak with an educated view, and the way they keep the ball is different. I'm not sure we can ever get that."
The winger noted that while English players understand the basics of possession, they lack the innate vision of their Spanish counterparts. "We know how to keep possession, but it's the decision-making of certain players in Spain which just isn’t a natural thing," he added. "I even look at some of the decisions they take on the ball sometimes and think, 'I'm not sure how you've seen that.' They’re definitely built differently."
Stop trying to replicate Spain
Rather than forcing a tactical system that does not fit, Gordon believes England must maximise their own unique physical and athletic strengths to compete with the world's best.
"I feel like we are trying to replicate Spain. Because I'm in Spain now, I know we've got just as good players, but they have different qualities," he explained. "Why try and make the players the same as the Spanish players? Because the Spanish players lack the things that we have, and vice versa. I think we need to stop looking elsewhere as a country, and be proud of who we are."
Getty Images Sport
Embracing the chaos
The challenge for Tuchel and England is to forge a new tactical identity built on directness rather than possession. Gordon feels that shifting away from forced tiki-taka will also win back the support of an English public that demands high energy.
"Playing against Premier League sides who try and play ultra football, tiki-taka football, I always feel like the fans don't appreciate it as much," Gordon continued. "I feel like English fans want to see the English game, and in Spain they appreciate the Spanish style."
He concluded: "The fans in England, they love a kind of basketball game, they love an athletic game, a direct game
"When a team's losing, they don't want to see the team playing out from the back, they want to see a big striker winning headers and a bit of chaos. Maybe it's time to tune into that."
