'We lacked seriousness' - Tuchel criticises England 'attitude'

Thomas Tuchel criticised England's "attitude" and felt they "played pinch fire" successful a narrow 1-0 World Cup qualifying win distant to Andorra.

The Three Lions laboured against nan world's 173rd-ranked broadside successful Barcelona, squeezing retired a 3rd successive triumph done skipper Harry Kane's 50th-minute onslaught to apical Group K.

Tuchel's men were jeered disconnected nan transportation astatine half-time and again astatine nan end, leaving nan England head "not happy" pinch nan disappointing display.

"I was astir worried successful nan past 20 minutes because I did not for illustration nan cognition that we ended nan crippled with," said nan German.

"I didn't for illustration nan deficiency of urgency and it did not lucifer nan juncture - it is still a World Cup qualifier. We will fto them cognize [on Sunday] what we want from them.

"I deliberation we lacked nan seriousness and nan urgency that is needed successful a World Cup qualifier.

"I deliberation we played pinch fire. I didn't for illustration nan cognition successful nan end. I didn't for illustration nan assemblage language. It was not what nan juncture needed."

England dominated nan shot pinch 83 per cent possession, but frustratingly could not break down Andorra's well-organised defence and were chiefly restricted to efforts from distance.

Kane slid location nan victor from a Noni Madueke transverse for his 72nd world goal, but nan Three Lions had fewer clear-cut chances.

England adjacent look Senegal successful a friends astatine Nottingham Forest's City Ground connected Tuesday and Tuchel expects a amended performance.

"I deliberation we started good successful nan first 20 aliases 25 minutes," he added. "We created a batch of chances and half chances, and we mislaid wholly nan momentum and couldn't get it backmost successful nan first half.

"Got a small spot [back] successful nan 2nd half, but past ended up successful a spot that was not bully capable successful position of urgency.

"We tin conscionable admit that, it's not what we expect from us. We request to look astatine it successful item and do amended connected Tuesday."

There were immoderate mitigating circumstances for England's lethargic display.

The lucifer came astatine nan extremity of a agelong home run for galore of nan players and was besides played successful basking and humid conditions successful Barcelona - this fixture played location because Andorra's nationalist stadium was unavailable aft nan caller Games of nan Small States of Europe.

But those watching intelligibly expected England to put successful a much convincing capacity against a broadside they had beaten six times antecedently by an aggregate people of 25-0.

"It looked for illustration immoderate of nan players were saturated successful nan past half an hour," erstwhile Manchester United and Republic of Ireland skipper Roy Keane told ITV.

"Go and get immoderate much goals and impressment nan head who is still caller to nan job."

Ex-England defender Lee Dixon added: "They will beryllium getting pelters nary uncertainty astir that.

"When you are 4th [in nan rankings] and they are 173rd you expect to hit them handsomely, but that wasn't nan case."

Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown agreed nan capacity was poor, but nan privilege was to get nan occupation done successful nan bid for qualification to adjacent year's finals.

"It was a large disappointment but they did nan occupation and won nan game," he said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It could person been a batch much convincing successful attacking positions. There is going to beryllium disapproval because of nan squad we were up against, but it is occupation done, move connected to nan adjacent one."

Tuchel made 5 changes from nan England squad that hit Latvia 3-0 astatine Wembley successful March and played Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones astatine right-back and Reece James astatine left-back arsenic he tried to make nan astir of England's power of nan ball.

And nan 51-year-old handed a astonishment commencement to Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson, his first for his state since 17 November, 2023.

Declan Rice, 1 of England's cardinal players came disconnected nan chair successful nan 81st infinitesimal arsenic Tuchel utilized nan lucifer to person a look astatine options wrong his squad.

"Declan [Rice] looked a small spot retired of hit and I deliberation Jordan [Henderson] deserved to play." said nan England boss. "And besides for what Jordan brings to this group, good deserved.

"We started good and past mislaid nan hit and precision and besides nan power to beryllium much decisive and people much goals.

"It is basal that we look astatine it and past coming successful item to nan players what we don't like, what we want to do amended and what are nan standards."

Chelsea winger Madueke has had a agleam commencement to his England career.

The 23-year-old registered an assistance connected his Three Lions debut against Finland past September, and his walk for Kane's victor was his 3rd successful six world appearances.

England tried to usage his gait to get down nan Andorra defence and Madueke was perpetually affirmative connected nan ball, many times trying to hit his man.

He created nan astir chances pinch four, and besides had nan astir touches successful nan guidance container of immoderate subordinate (12).

"He was, complete nan people of nan match, nan astir dangerous. I could consciousness his hunger to do what was nan scheme passim nan full of nan match." said Tuchel.

"The connection sewage crossed because we had a bully 25 minutes, but past nan power and nan determination weren't location anymore. Then it looks for illustration it does."

Madueke started nan lucifer connected nan near helping to springiness England width, nan other broadside to wherever he usually plays for Chelsea.

His show could springiness him a chance of making nan position his ain arsenic no-one successful nan England squad has regularly been capable to radiance successful that spot.