Thomas Tuchel takes aim at three England attackers after Three Lions struggle past Andorra in World Cup qualifying

England v Andorra - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

Thomas Tuchel took aim at three England forwards after the Three Lions struggled past Andorra in World Cup qualifying. England may have collected another three points in their march towards the 2026 World Cup, but the atmosphere at Villa Park told its own story. As the final whistle sounded on a 2-0 win over Andorra, thousands of empty seats glared back at Thomas Tuchel.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Ranked 174th in the world, Andorra barely laid a glove on England, yet the Three Lions never looked like turning dominance into a rout. Tuchel, known for his meticulous standards, was far from impressed with what he witnessed. And in a brutally honest post-match assessment, Tuchel took aim at three of his attacking players, insisting England’s wastefulness kept the scoreline respectable for Andorra.

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WHAT TUCHEL SAID

Tuchel said: “It’s difficult because it's a very different crowd to a Premier League crowd. I think the energy was right, the quality was there and we should've scored more. I think we missed the little moments to accelerate the game. Maybe Ebz [Eberechi Eze] didn't have his best day in the number 10, the last pass from Noni Madueke wasn't clinical enough and Marcus Rashford had good moments but couldn't finish them.

“It's stuff that can happen against a narrow team. The second goal should have come earlier because it gave us a lot of freedom. In general with the effort and attitude I am totally satisfied and it was a much better performance than in June. It would have be deserved to win 4-0 or 5-0."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The spotlight inevitably fell on Eze, Arsenal’s summer signing, who was handed a starting berth but failed to leave a lasting impression. Sloppy in possession and hesitant in dangerous areas, the midfielder struggled to impose himself in a match many thought was tailor-made for him to shine. With competition for places fierce, Eze’s quiet display may have dented his hopes of nailing down a regular starting role in Tuchel’s England, especially when Jude Bellingham will be back.

DID YOU KNOW?

A sell-out 39,202 crowd had packed the stadium expecting goals galore, but the lack of cutting edge left many flat. England have now managed just three goals in two matches against Andorra across the campaign, a statistic that underlines Tuchel’s frustration. With such a gulf in rankings, anything less than a thumping victory always invites scrutiny.

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WHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL?

Tuchel was quick to turn attention to what lies ahead: a trip to Serbia on Tuesday that could define England’s campaign. Unlike Andorra, the Serbs are expected to pose a real threat, both physically and technically.

"We've learned a lot and I'm glad for the players. Now we will prove a point in Belgrade against Serbia," he said. 

Forwards are under pressure to deliver, and supporters are demanding more than just grinding out results.