In new remarks to UK newspapers, Tuchel was pressed on his tactics and overall approach.
“I haven’t looked at the data yet, but I think right after the goal the momentum flipped—possession and chances fell off sharply,” he said.
“We became too passive in our shape. I tried to help—not to make us more passive with a back five, but to make us more active, quicker to close down the wingers, and to avoid gaps opening in the back four.
“We urged everyone to step out and be proactive within the structure, but we struggled.
“We stopped finding duels, which pushed us deeper and deeper. That was never the plan, but it happened.
“We needed to get back on the ball—without that you can’t break the pressure or regain momentum.”
Tuchel said possession “is vital.”
“Maybe it isn’t in our DNA—like it is for Spain, Argentina or Brazil—to take the ball and control the game, and that’s a big issue,” he said.
“I still believe we can show how good we are as footballers. It’s still there—I see it in training and in every camp.”
Tuchel was appointed on the belief he could finally get England over the line.
Gareth Southgate had taken England to a World Cup semi-final and two European Championship finals, but Tuchel’s tactical edge was seen as the key to turning near-misses into trophies.
However, suggestions from some players that Tuchel misjudged things in Atlanta set up an intriguing player-manager dynamic heading into European Championship qualifying.
While Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham still fully backs Tuchel, the criticism since the defeat to Argentina will not have gone unnoticed.
As usual, the FA will review England’s tournament once they return home after Saturday’s bronze-medal match against France.
Although the FA views reaching the semi-final as an achievement, there is clearly much to unpack about the circumstances of the loss to Argentina.