​It is customary, at times like this, to mention 1966. Amid England’s repeated inability to replicate the scenes at Wembley six decades ago, however, it may be pertinent to note 1966 was the last World Cup before the introduction of substitutes. England’s defence of their title ended in 1970 after Sir Alf Ramsey’s decision to take Bobby Charlton off against West Germany. If nothing else, it is no longer the most infamous substitution an England manager has made in a World Cup in North America. When Ezri Konsa came for Anthony Gordon in Atlanta, it helped propel Argentina into the final.Thomas Tuchel may note the only three previous managers to take England to a World Cup semi-final – Ramsey, Bobby Robson and Gareth Southgate – all ended up knighted. It is not only his German passport that suggests he need not save a date in his diary for a trip to Buckingham Palace.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe inquest into England’s latest exit can bring in several strands. Ranked fourth in the world, England reached the last four; viewed that way, it is about par. In the context of their history, it is overachievement. But the manner of England’s defeat to Argentina was damning, the 36-minute spell when they had 12 per cent of possession marking a regression. England’s imported managers can somehow end up more English than the English: Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello were both wedded to 4-4-2, while Tuchel, though changing shape, seemed intent on recreating the Battle of Dunkirk, looking for heroic resistance on a small patch of land.It worked against Mexico and Norway but not against Argentina. Over the tournament as a whole, however, there were some echoes of Euro 2024, when England progressed but not always convincingly. Their performance levels were rarely those of potential winners.That is part of the case against Tuchel and his team. England played brilliantly in a 15-minute burst against Croatia, and an opening win was encouraging. Victory over Mexico in the Azteca was epic, first in scoring three goals and then in the rearguard action. But they were atrocious against Ghana, little better against Panama, dreadful in the first half against DR Congo, fortunate against Norway and deservedly defeated by Argentina.Tuchel had talked of adding a “second star” to the England shirt. Too often, his team were second rate. What they often had, and what could be their salvation, was spirit: in a way, both Jude Bellingham and Tuchel were right in their immediate analysis of the victory over Norway, the manager finding fault with the display, the player highlighting the huge effort he and his teammates had produced over 120 minutes in the Miami heat.England were stunned late on by Argentina in Atlanta (Reuters)England were knocked out of the World Cup by Argentina at the semi-final stage (PA)Part of Tuchel’s strategy to win the World Cup consisted of having two world-class attackers. His tough-love treatment of Bellingham in autu