Blameless England star’s presence branded completely pointless in Thomas Tuchel’s slog vs Andorra
Thomas Tuchel’s England won 2-0 against Andorra in turgid fashion with one star getting branded as pointless by talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino.
Tuchel oversaw another drab performance from his England side as they struggled to breakdown a stubborn Andorran defence.
It was an evening that saw a lot of settled possession without much incision or penetration in behind the Andorran defensive line.
Noni Madueke was a standout performer vs Andorra, while Elliot Anderson impressed on his England debut, and Reece James cemented his place in Tuchel’s squad ahead Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Jordan Pickford ‘may as well have not been there’ vs Andorra
Those three were crucial for Tuchel, with Madueke and James playing key roles in England’s goals but aside from that the performance was flat.
Tony Cascarino spoke on talkSPORT in critique of Tuchel’s style and made a sensational statement about England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the circumstances.
| Jordan Pickford vs Andorra | |
| High claims | 0 |
| Saves | 0 |
| Punches | 0 |
| Shots faced | 2 |
When discussing the Everton star, Cascarino said: “When I look at England and their pair of centre-halves, Dan Burn and Marc Guehi have a million touches, they’re not giving the ball away, but there’s no risk element at all to the style of England.
“If that’s the identity it’s don’t give the ball away, don’t take risks and we won’t concede. Jordan Pickford may as well have not been there last night. I left watching the England game to watch Bromley vs Gillingham,” he continued.
“I’m looking thinking, ‘I’m going to watch a bit of League Two’ because the first thing that struck me was, against a low block if you added another forward alongside Harry Kane and had a midfielder like Declan Rice who keeps getting in the box, all you need to do is put a lot of crosses in.
“They had the lack of another body in the box, it was too easy for Andorra, they just sit and you [England] have to send players beyond their midfield.
“Maybe just try and turn the team, I know it sounds simple but it’s not rocket science to beat a team like Andorra by going a bit basic,” he finished.
Thomas Tuchel gets a look at his key midfield fix v Andorra
Football Insider verdict
England have had an issue recently with trying to find a balance in their midfield, with many attack minded or defensively minded midfielders, but no all-action ones who are good technically.
Nottingham Forest’s Anderson provided just that for Tuchel against Andorra, showing the calmness on the ball we’ve become used to seeing him show in the Premier League.
| Elliot Anderson vs Andorra | |
| Passes | 107/114 |
| Passes into final 3rd | 20 |
| Defensive contributions | 4 |
| Long passes | 7/8 |
| Duels | 7/14 |
With Adam Wharton out injured, Angel Gomes apparently out of Tuchel’s plan, and Rice used in a more advanced role, Anderson looks set to make the holding role his own.
The 22-year-old won the player of the match award on his England debut and showcased his abilities in all areas of the pitch, giving Tuchel an extra tool to add to his midfield arsenal in the future.