Soccer-England should play to strengths instead of copying Spain's template, says Gordon

Winger Anthony Gordon believes England should abandon ​attempts to copy Spain's possession-based style ​of football and instead embrace ‌their ​natural game by leaning more into physical strengths. Following England's World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in July, England manager ‌Thomas Tuchel attracted a backlash after saying ball possession was "not in their DNA" like Spain, where a passing-heavy approach is taught at all levels.

Gordon, who moved to Spanish club ‌Barcelona from Newcastle United in May, agreed with Tuchel and said on Wednesday ‌that he was not sure English players could be taught in a similar way. "Culturally, it's not just that tournament (the World Cup) or that game (against Argentina) where we couldn't control a game," the 25-year-old ⁠told ​reporters ahead of England's ⁠Nations League match against Spain on Saturday.

"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. Playing in Spain I can speak with an ⁠educated view on the way they keep the ball. "It's much different than I've ever experienced in this ⁠country, ​so I'm not sure we can ever get that. We can definitely get better – or maybe go the other way and really play to our strengths, ⁠which is play physical, play direct football and on the counterattack."

After hosting Spain at ⁠Wembley, England visit ⁠the Czech Republic and Croatia before playing the Czechs again at home. The remaining two fixtures of the Nations League group will ‌be completed ‌in November.