England Criticised by Tuchel After Unconvincing Win

Thomas Tuchel voiced his dissatisfaction with England’s overall attitude following their tight 1-0 victory over Andorra in Barcelona during World Cup qualifying.

Despite a third consecutive win and Harry Kane’s 72nd international goal securing top spot in Group K, Tuchel was clear in his post-match analysis: “I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I did not like the attitude that we ended the game with,” he said. “I think we lacked the seriousness and the urgency that is needed in a World Cup qualifier.”

England held 83% possession but made little of it, often forced to shoot from distance against an organised Andorra side ranked 173rd in the world. Kane turned in the winner after the break from Noni Madueke’s delivery, but chances remained scarce.

The contest, moved to Barcelona due to scheduling conflicts at Andorra’s national stadium, was marked by warm and sticky weather. Some fans voiced their frustration by booing England off both at half-time and when the final whistle blew.

Tuchel’s reaction left no room for ambiguity. “I didn’t like the body language. It was not what the occasion needed,” he said. “We will let them know [on Sunday] what we want from them.”

The England manager was also open about the areas needing improvement before Tuesday’s friendly against Senegal at the City Ground: “We started well in the first 20 or 25 minutes… then lost completely the momentum and couldn’t get it back in the first half… It’s not what we expect from us. We need to look at it in detail and do better on Tuesday.”

While Tuchel’s criticism made headlines, others echoed his concern. “It looked like some of the players were bored in the last half an hour,” said Roy Keane on ITV. Former England full-back Lee Dixon added: “When you are fourth [in the rankings] and they are 173rd you expect to beat them handsomely.”

Michael Brown, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, conceded the performance failed to inspire but acknowledged the outcome was what England needed: “It was a big disappointment but they did the job and won the game… there is going to be criticism because of the team we were up against.”

The fixture presented an opportunity for rotation and experimentation. Tuchel made five changes from the side that beat Latvia, including a first start since November 2023 for Jordan Henderson.

“Declan [Rice] looked a little bit out of rhythm and I think Jordan [Henderson] deserved to play,” Tuchel said. “And also for what Jordan brings to this group, well deserved.”

Curtis Jones lined up out of position at right-back while Reece James moved over to the left as Tuchel sought to exploit England’s dominance on the ball.

One standout was Noni Madueke. The Chelsea winger supplied the decisive assist for Kane and was statistically the game’s most active forward—leading players in chances created (4) and touches in the box (12).

“He was, over the course of the match, the most dangerous,” said Tuchel. “I could feel his hunger to do what was the plan throughout the whole of the match.”

Madueke, more accustomed to playing on the right for his club, started on the left and gave England much-needed width. His confident display may put him in contention for a more regular role in that position.

England now shift focus to their meeting with Senegal on Tuesday, where Tuchel will be expecting a sharper reaction.