After the defeat against Argentina, the German coach received no less criticism for personnel adjustments with a defensive tendency in the second half. Notably, Saka - who is considered one of the most dangerous attacking players of the England team - sat on the bench for 90 minutes even though the "Three Lions" needed more attacking options.
This is even more controversial when the Arsenal midfielder only started 3 out of a total of 8 matches for England at the World Cup, mainly due to having to treat an Achilles tendon injury throughout the tournament.
However, in the third-place match against France, Saka scored a hat-trick to help England win 6-4 and close the World Cup with a bronze medal. This made Tuchel's decision in the semi-finals even more controversial.
After the match, the England coach shared: "He did everything right. I just had a premonition that Morgan Rogers would participate in something special, and it really is.
Then it is the match that requires a lot, you are forced to change because of cramps and the diễn biến of the match. Bukayo has proven that he is a key player, that has never been doubted.
I'm not even sure he has a hat-trick. I missed out on the entire list of scorers, but he deserves praise.
For his part, Saka admitted that he always wanted to play more but no longer cared about past decisions.
Of course I really want to play more, but now talking about it is too late. I try to prove my ability on the field and now everything is done, let's move on.
When asked about his Achilles tendon injury, the Arsenal star affirmed: "I am still healthy.
Thus, the England team finished the World Cup in 3rd place overall. Although achieving a temporarily stable position, the issue of playing style as well as the use of personnel by coach Tuchel will certainly continue to cause controversy in the near future.
