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Thomas Tuchel’s demand for England to play with a smile backfired badly as the head coach and his players felt the full fury of their own supporters after an embarrassing defeat to Senegal.
It is exactly one year to the start of the 2026 World Cup, and if this abysmal performance is a realistic indicator of England’s hopes next summer, then the German will need to conjure up a miracle in the next 12 months.
No discernible plan. No identity. No improvement – arguably even a regression – since Sir Gareth Southgate stepped down after defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
England’s Euro 2024 was a tournament of big moments, such as Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick in the win against Slovakia, rather than big performances.
This has continued under Tuchel – but minus the big moments.
The brave new era has been a false start, despite three wins against modest opposition, and even Tuchel must have been shocked to experience the hostility aimed in his and his team’s direction by those fans who remained inside the City Ground at the end of this 3-1 loss.
He may offer up the mitigating circumstances as he made 10 changes from the 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Andorra, plus this was a friendly at the end of a long season. But it was still a sobering, alarming evening as Senegal outclassed England.
England fans turn on Tuchel
It was not meant to be like this – not after only four games – but England’s fans have made their displeasure clear about the direction the team are taking under Tuchel since he succeeded Southgate.
The sound of fury was heard when Cheikh Sabaly killed England off with Senegal’s late third, the anger rising again when the final whistle went moments later.
The German was meant to usher in a fresh atmosphere after Southgate’s eight years in charge, but Tuchel was made noisily aware that England’s followers do not like what they have seen. They expected to have more to be optimistic about a year out from the World Cup.
We have already seen paper aeroplanes, the time-honoured sign of Wembley’s boredom, against Latvia and Albania. Here at the City Ground, where England were welcomed ecstatically before kick-off, fans cut straight to jeering, with shouts of “disgraceful” as the players made their way off.
This is still a tenure in its infancy, but there is no doubt Tuchel is feeling some heat after an uncomfortable few days that saw the Three Lions flirt with humiliation against Andorra before being well beaten by their visitors.
Time catches up with Walker & Henderson
Tuchel, perhaps understandably, made 10 changes for the friendly with Senegal, but there are few decisions he has taken since assuming control that can be described as successful.
Others, meanwhile, have been simply head-scratching.
The recall of Jordan Henderson, who turns 35 next week, was mystifying and raised questions about whether Tuchel believes he has enough leaders in his squad, even flagging up the veteran’s influence in training.
The Ajax midfielder made his first start for England since 17 November 2023 against Andorra but had little impact or influence. Surely this experiment with a fine international servant is over.
And if ever a player performed in the manner that suggested his England career is coming to a close, it was the cruel exposure of 35-year-old Kyle Walker against Senegal on his 96th appearance.
The right-back was the first player to appear for England aged 35 or over since Frank Lampard in June 2014.
Walker, who has struggled on loan at AC Milan from Manchester City, switched off at the far post when Ismaila Sarr equalised for Senegal and was then booked for a wild challenge before being subsequently targeted by the visitors.
What does this say about Tuchel’s opinion of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who saw his former Liverpool team-mate Curtis Jones selected ahead of him at right-back against Andorra, with Walker then preferred on Tuesday night?
Tuchel is clearly unconvinced by the new Real Madrid’s signing’s defensive qualities, but surely he offers more than the fading, slowing Walker and a midfielder in Jones pressed into service in his position.
Chelsea captain Reece James is another right-back option, but Tuchel chose to deploy him as a makeshift left-back against Andorra.
On current evidence, there can be no place for either Henderson or Walker at the World Cup. Time has caught up with them.
Striker Ivan Toney was summoned from Al-Ahli and the Saudi Pro League as Tuchel tested out alternatives to the ever-reliable Harry Kane, but the former Brentford player was called into action only in the 88th minute at the end of this Senegal setback.
No identity and no improvement
Do England have any clear identity under Tuchel? Has there been any noticeable improvement since he took over?
It’s early days, but the answer on both counts must be an emphatic “no”.
England, as they did under Southgate and others, comfortably and unspectacularly see off the game’s minnows in qualifying, beating Latvia, Albania and Andorra with Tuchel in charge.
Even then, alarm bells have been ringing, especially when England struggled to overcome Andorra, ranked 173rd in the world and just above Grenada and Nepal, in their third World Cup qualifier.
These are the sort of results and performances that led to condemnation of Southgate, even though he took England to successive European Championship finals.
Tuchel has not been able to inspire any sort of upturn in quality. But there is also no obvious direction of travel under him so far.
The coach who employed three central defenders with wing-backs at Chelsea has yet to use this tactic with England, and time is running out before the real action starts at the World Cup next summer.
Tuchel has been robbed of the influence of the injured John Stones and does not seem totally sold on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, so he is going through the card of alternatives, with Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah the latest cabs off the rank against Senegal.
Tuchel has yet to nail down the best position to utilise the prodigious talents of Bellingham, who once again showed the flash of temper that boils beneath the surface when he had a late goal disallowed against Senegal.
Bellingham can be a threat as a number 10, a conventional midfield player, or even pushed forward close to the striker. He can even operate in wider positions.
The problem for Tuchel is working out which role is best and settling it within England’s team.
The coach seems no further forward in working out his attacking options, seemingly throwing selections at the wall and seeing what sticks.
He picked Kane, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Noni Madueke against Andorra. Kane was joined by Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze for the loss to Senegal.
Kane and Saka look starters but elsewhere looks a puzzle, with the possibility that Manchester City’s Phil Foden could come back into the picture if he starts next season well.
Tuchel has widespread and attractive alternatives – but he currently seems well away from working out what is best for England and what system to use.
Twelve months may seem like a long way away, but time passes quickly and it once again flags up the wisdom of Tuchel deciding to start work on 1 January despite being appointed in October.
Was this three wasted months when time was of the essence for him and England?
England captain Kane moved to provide context when he told BBC Radio 5 Live: “This is only the manager’s second camp and we have a lot of young players and inexperienced players at this level and international football is different to club football. But these aren’t excuses, this is the reality. We have to be ready for the next season.”
‘World Cup is not next week’
Is it all bad for Tuchel and England? Not at all.
England have won their three World Cup qualifiers and he still has 12 months before his impact can truly be measured.
And, at the heart of it all remains captain Kane, who scored his 73rd England goal on his 107th appearance.
He has scored in all four of England’s games under Tuchel – the first time a player has netted in each of an England manager’s first four matches in charge.
Kane clearly enjoys playing under Tuchel, with 48 goals in 49 appearances under the German (44 at Bayern Munich and four for England), with this his best goals-per-game record (0.98) under any manager in his entire career.
Tuchel is also still upbeat, despite recent evidence, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is a tough learning, but we need to stay calm. We need to accept the criticism and get better.
“We took a very serious approach with the line-up against Andorra to give the signal that this is what counts, and here we made a lot of changes to let them show what they show in training.
“I felt we played with a bit of relief and more risk when we were 2-1 down. We had combinations and through balls. This shows me that the expectations we have of ourselves are holding us back.
“The World Cup is not next week. We have two more games in September and then we meet again in the World Cup season. We need these kinds of matches to learn.”
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