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Thomas Tuchel criticised England’s “attitude” and felt they “played with fire” in a narrow 1-0 World Cup qualifying win away to Andorra.
The Three Lions laboured against the world’s 173rd-ranked side in Barcelona, squeezing out a third successive win through captain Harry Kane’s 50th-minute strike to top Group K.
Tuchel’s men were jeered off the pitch at half-time and again at the end, leaving the England manager “not happy” with the disappointing display.
“I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I did not like the attitude that we ended the game with,” said the German.
“I didn’t like the lack of urgency and it did not match the occasion – it is still a World Cup qualifier. We will let them know [on Sunday] what we want from them.
“I think we lacked the seriousness and the urgency that is needed in a World Cup qualifier.
“I think we played with fire. I didn’t like the attitude in the end. I didn’t like the body language. It was not what the occasion needed.”
England dominated the ball with 83 per cent possession, but frustratingly could not break down Andorra’s well-organised defence and were mainly restricted to efforts from distance.
Kane slid home the winner from a Noni Madueke cross for his 72nd international goal, but the Three Lions had few clear-cut chances.
England next face Senegal in a friendly at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on Tuesday and Tuchel expects a better performance.
“I think we started well in the first 20 or 25 minutes,” he added. “We created a lot of chances and half chances, and we lost completely the momentum and couldn’t get it back in the first half.
“Got a little bit [back] in the second half, but then ended up in a place that was not good enough in terms of urgency.
“We can just admit that, it’s not what we expect from us. We need to look at it in detail and do better on Tuesday.”
‘They looked bored’ – why were England below par?
There were some mitigating circumstances for England’s lethargic display.
The match came at the end of a long domestic campaign for many of the players and was also played in hot and humid conditions in Barcelona – this fixture played there because Andorra’s national stadium was unavailable after the recent Games of the Small States of Europe.
But those watching clearly expected England to put in a more convincing performance against a side they had beaten six times previously by an aggregate score of 25-0.
“It looked like some of the players were bored in the last half an hour,” former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane told ITV.
“Go and get some more goals and impress the manager who is still new to the job.”
Ex-England defender Lee Dixon added: “They will be getting pelters no doubt about that.
“When you are fourth [in the rankings] and they are 173rd you expect to beat them handsomely, but that wasn’t the case.”
Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown agreed the performance was poor, but the priority was to get the job done in the bid for qualification to next year’s finals.
“It was a big disappointment but they did the job and won the game,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It could have been a lot more convincing in attacking positions. There is going to be criticism because of the team we were up against, but it is job done, move on to the next one.”
Henderson start was ‘well deserved’
Getty ImagesTuchel made five changes from the England team that beat Latvia 3-0 at Wembley in March and played Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones at right-back and Reece James at left-back as he tried to make the most of England’s control of the ball.
And the 51-year-old handed a surprise start to Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson, his first for his country since 17 November, 2023.
Declan Rice, one of England’s key players came off the bench in the 81st minute as Tuchel used the match to have a look at options within his squad.
“Declan [Rice] looked a little bit out of rhythm and I think Jordan [Henderson] deserved to play.” said the England boss. “And also for what Jordan brings to this group, well deserved.
“We started well and then lost the rhythm and precision and also the energy to be more decisive and score more goals.
“It is necessary that we look at it and then present in detail to the players what we don’t like, what we want to do better and what are the standards.”
‘Dangerous’ Madueke takes chance to shine
Getty ImagesChelsea winger Madueke has had a bright start to his England career.
The 23-year-old registered an assist on his Three Lions debut against Finland last September, and his pass for Kane’s winner was his third in six international appearances.
England tried to use his pace to get behind the Andorra defence and Madueke was constantly positive on the ball, repeatedly trying to beat his man.
He created the most chances with four, and also had the most touches in the opposition box of any player (12).
“He was, over the course of the match, the most dangerous. I could feel his hunger to do what was the plan throughout the whole of the match.” said Tuchel.
“The message got across because we had a good 25 minutes, but then the energy and the determination weren’t there anymore. Then it looks like it does.”
Madueke started the match on the left wing to give England width, the opposite side to where he usually plays for Chelsea.
His display could give him a chance of making the position his own as no-one in the England squad has regularly been able to shine in that spot.
