England produced a big performance on a big night to all but book their place at next summer’s World Cup finals in North America.
A 5-0 victory over Serbia was everything they deserved, with five different goal scorers finding the back of the net – two for the first time for England – and it was arguably the side’s best performance under Thomas Tuchel.
With five wins from five games and their World Cup spot almost certain, England and Tuchel have moved one step closer to achieving their aim of winning the trophy for the first time since 1966.
Daily Mail Sport’s chief football reporter Craig Hope was there to return his verdict from the Rajko Mitic Stadium.
How did Morgan Rogers do in the Jude Bellingham role and was Bellingham a miss?
Rogers was a joy and no, Bellingham’s absence was not felt. In the wake of Saturday’s laborious 2-0 win over Andorra, there was some suggestion that England could not win the World Cup without Bellingham. Well, this was not a World Cup final, but it was a very significant World Cup qualifier.
For the first time under Tuchel, it felt like a very big performance, proof that enough talent resides even without the player billed as their best.
Morgan Rogers impressed for England in an attacking midfield role during the Three Lions’ 5-0 win over Serbia
He was stepping in for Jude Bellingham, who is currently out injured and missed the camp
And, in Rogers, they have a very talented attacking midfielder indeed. He had a slow start, as did the team, but when he and Elliot Anderson started to combine, England clicked.
Rogers set Madueke clear with one razor-sharp turn and through-ball and, moments later, his impudent flick that provided an assist for the same player was the moment of the match.
The Aston Villa playmaker, like Bellingham, has a swagger about him and can produce those moments of inspiration to break stubborn opposition. Minus the intimidatory ego of Bellingham, could he be a better bet in the No 10 role going forward? Let’s see, but this was very encouraging.
Thomas Tuchel said this game would bring out the best in his players – did it?
Yes! The opening 20 minutes or so were much of the same – pass, pass, pass, zero penetration. But in quieting the crowd during that period they then turned up the noise on their own performance.
During the final 25 minutes of the first half, which brought two goals, it felt like the England that Tuchel had promised on his arrival as head coach. They were progressive, brave and fast. They looked like a Premier League team and the Premier League stars within it looked as if they were enjoying wearing the England shirt.
We have not said that since the semi-final win over the Netherlands during Euro 2024. That continued into a second half in which three more were scored and, for Tuchel, this was much needed.
Elliot Anderson was the star at the weekend – who was the standout this time?
This is not to be unimaginative… but it was Anderson again! Here is my theory as to why he is so courageous and creative in possession: He plays for Nottingham Forest, a team who did not enjoy having the ball under their now-former manager. So, when he does get it, he has to make the most of it!
He is what England have so badly needed, going back all the way to the Euros. Here is a player who gets it and gives it – forward! He breaks the lines, follows his pass, links play, and even wins it back should the move break down.
The England showed up that Thomas Tuchel had promised when he was appointed head coach
Elliot Anderson was the England standout again – he is what England have so badly needed
I have seen Anderson play since the age of 16, when he was a skinny No 10. But he always had something of Paul Gascoigne about him in terms of his gait and skill, and now, with the muscle of a man, he is playing like his fellow Geordie as a game-dictating No 8.
The 22-year-old is the biggest and most important discovery of this international break.
Harry Kane had 12 touches versus Andorra – surely he was more involved here?
Come the hour, the captain had touched the ball 24 times – double his involvement at Villa Park. And, most importantly, one of them was a goal, his 74th for his country.
His pace – yes, his pace! – even drew a red card for defender Nikola Milenkovic when he sought to burst clear in the second half.
So this, on the whole, was a far better example of how to use Kane for England. Surround him with quick wingers and midfielders, like Anderson, who find his feet with quick, forward balls.
Kane will never waste possession when dropping into pockets in the No 10 domain and his one-touch layoffs added to the incisive attacking play that characterised this performance. This, in terms of his contribution to the collective, was his best in an England shirt for some time.
And what about the new-look defence?
Well, they did not have much defending to do at all, and so they scored some goals instead. Both Konsa and Guehi were on target and this could be the centre back pairing Tuchel keeps together leading up to the World Cup.
The manager has to do that now – pick a partnership and stick to it. And Konsa and Guehi feel like a natural pair, given the former likes to play on the right and the latter on the left.
The new-look defence didn’t have much defending to do, but Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi both found the back of the net
Tuchel has also said privately that he sees Tino Livramento as the player who can emerge as his first-choice left back, and the Newcastle man was fantastic here. He helps break predictability by galloping beyond his winger and disrupting rigid opposition.
For once, England were fluid in attack, and that had a lot to do with full backs Livramento and Reece James.
