The World Cup exit of England has left many questions unanswered, and former England defender Gary Neville highlighted some of the key issues that cost the team a spot in the final.
Neville pointed out that the Three Lions' midfielders struggled to keep up with the pace of the game, particularly against Argentina, where they were left "absolutely dead out on their feet" in the semi-final. He noted that not a single minute was played by midfielders Kobbie Mainoo and Trevoh Chalobah during England's run to the semi-final.
Neville expressed his surprise at the decision not to play Mainoo, given the struggles of Declan Rice with injury and illness throughout the tournament. "Kobbie Mainoo would be asking a question, wouldn't he?" Neville said. "You'd be wanting answers if you're Kobbie Mainoo after not coming on at all. Because he can handle the ball a bit as well."
The former England defender also criticized Thomas Tuchel's substitutions, suggesting that bringing Harry Kane off could have given England a threat on the break and allowed them to hold onto their lead in the closing stages of the game. Neville proposed that taking off Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane could have brought pace to the counter-attack and provided a different attacking option.
Neville reflected on England's tournament as a whole, stating that they had struggled against teams that could keep possession, particularly in the biggest moments of the game. He noted that the team had been found wanting when playing against tough opponents, highlighting that their World Cup exit was a missed opportunity to reach the final.
