England 1-2 Argentina: Gary Neville says he will not 'lump in' on Thomas Tuchel as Three Lions issues rear their head once again

Gary Neville says he will not "lump in" on the criticisms of Thomas Tuchel after England's World Cup exit to Argentina, adding that he never expected the team to win the tournament.

The Three Lions boss has come under intense scrutiny for his tactics and substitutions in Atlanta, especially after Anthony Gordon had given England the lead early in the second half.

The new Barcelona winger was taken off in the 72nd minute for Ezri Konsa as Tuchel's side continued to drop deeper under Argentinian pressure. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez eventually scored twice to send the World Cup holders into Sunday's final against Spain.

Neville had a more balanced approach than some to England's exit, and pointed to years of similar issues once again playing their part - including when he was a player.

"Maybe the optimists amongst us thought we were going to win, but I never felt we were. I thought getting to the semi-final is an incredible achievement.

"The reality of it is some of the same patterns emerged that have happened with England in tournaments gone by over the last 20 to 30 years.

"Tuchel chose to try and win the game in the same way he did with 10 men against Mexico, where we were resolute, resilient, tight, compact and got over the line.

"He tried to do the same thing in seeing the game out, but there was an avalanche of pressure with great crosses and we just got done by quality and the second goal is magnificent from [Lionel] Messi with the quality that he has.

"It's something England teams have been guilty of so often. I don't know how you change it. I went to eight tournaments as a player or coach - five of them we were knocked out on penalties. Many of them ended up sagging back on our own box very deep, not on the front foot. The very opposite of what English football is.

"All I can put it down to - and I've experienced what a lot of those England players did last night - is your legs get heavy, you start to come under pressure, protecting your lead, you think you can get over the line by keeping a clean sheet and keeping the ball out of your net, rather than thinking more positively about how you can counter-attack and score the second goal.

"These are patterns that have emerged time and time again. All of us who have played for England are guilty of it, so the idea of me lumping in on Tuchel just isn't going to happen.

"I was just as big a part of the problem as the lads who played last night that sunk deep into our own box. It's something in our psyche, something we've done that puts pressure on ourselves and we've been knocked out of tournaments so many times in this way. It's not good enough.

"We haven't got enough technical ability to play through the middle third. The players at the other elite countries have the ability to keep the ball under possession in the highest pressure of matches. Then you add that little bit of stardust like Messi, you get over the line. We haven't been able to do that.

"It wasn't the greatest of nights for Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. They had quiet nights by their standards. That second goal could come from a little bit of magic, those difference makers. That's what you're looking for on a night like that."

Neville added: "I don't think about his future. I think the pressure for his decision-making is legitimate, he tried to win it in a certain way.

"The majority will disagree with the way he approached that... He will get criticism because he was the big ticket manager to be the difference maker and gamechanger in the tight moments - the fine lines of international football where it's on penalties, or a substitution or the last five minutes of a World Cup semi-final.

"He was brought in to be the person who was able to deal with that and he hasn't got over the line, so he will come under pressure.

"But I never expected England to win this tournament. I didn't think they were good enough. They've been slightly fortunate that they've played some teams along the way as well that were favourable. So the first time they came up against a team who had elite experience of keeping the ball, they've fallen at that first fence of playing against an elite team.

"Ultimately, I don't believe we keep the ball in the biggest matches in the most important moments. It's been a fault of England for many years.

"And the squad Tuchel picked was a counter-attacking squad. He took out the technical players like Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Adam Wharton and he didn't play Kobbie Mainoo.

"Not to bring on Mainoo to try and get a grip of the game and not bring on Bukayo Saka or Marcus Rashford for some pace was a mistake. I think he'll regret that, but he'll know that and reflect on that himself."