England manager Thomas Tuchel made his displeasure clear after his side laboured to a dull and dispiriting 1-0 win over Andorra, the world’s 173rd-ranked side.
England had several chances, particularly in the first half, but failed to break down a dogged Andorran defence, only making a breakthrough as Noni Madueke – a rare bright spark – teed up Harry Kane in the 50th minute.
The captain’s 72nd international goal spared England’s blushes but they could not build on their lead, with jeers accompanying their exit at half-time and a smattering of boos at the final whistle.
A visibly cross Tuchel told ITV after the game, “We’re not happy with the performance, of course. We started quite well in the first 20 or 25 minutes, but that was the only time it felt like it was only a matter of time.
“We created a lot of chances, half-chances and set pieces. But we completely lost our momentum and couldn’t get it back from the whole of the first half.
“There was a lack of urgency, quality and energy.”
The game was held at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, with Andorra’s home ground not deemed ready to host, and England appeared sluggish in the heat as the match wore on.
Asked about his debrief to the squad, Tuchel replied, “It’s what I’ve said to you just now. I told them I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I did not like the attitude with which we ended this game. It felt almost like [he shrugged dismissively], ‘We have to play it until the 93rd minute.’
“It’s still a World Cup qualifier away from home. I didn’t like it at all. The players know all this because I said it in the dressing-room.
“It’s also necessary to have a look in detail, watch the match again, and we will let them know tomorrow what we want from them.
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“We can just admit it that it’s not what we expect from us,” Tuchel continued. “We need to look at it in detail and do better on Tuesday.”
England face Senegal in a friendly next Tuesday, a significantly tougher test against potential opposition at next summer’s World Cup.
He offered some praise for Madueke, who had the chance to double England’s lead late on, but his back-line pass drifted across the front of goal and was then not turned in by substitute Anthony Gordon.
Asked whether the Chelsea player had advanced his cause to feature in next summer’s squad, the German said, “He was maybe over the course of the match the most dangerous, the most active. I could feel his hunger and desire to [follow the plan]. Yeah, he was one of the few [to follow it].”
