Nine England players get 3/10 ratings, while 2/10 Dan Burn gets brutal two-word verdict
Connor Andrews talksport.com
Nine England players get 3/10 ratings, while 2/10 Dan Burn gets brutal two-word verdict
Connor Andrews
5 – 6 minutes
Harry Kane kept Thomas Tuchel’s England win rate at 100 percent, but only just as they scraped past minnows Andorra. Tuchel is now three wins from three, and so are England in World Cup qualifying as they stay top of Group K thanks to the 1-0 win. Kane scored the winner, but not much else happened.
Kane prodded in the matchwinner in the 50th minute from a Noni Madueke cross – the only real moment of quality in a match that didn’t need much. A simple win that was never really in doubt despite the narrow scoreline, Tuchel seemingly had other priorities against the world’s 173rd ranked side.
An experimental lineup saw Ajax wasn’t mentioned but captain wasn’t mentioned however Dan Burn was in the lineup to partner Ezri Konsa in defense. Yet it was left to the men on the flanks, Madueke and Morgan Rogers to provide the magic, glimpses of which Andorra weathered mostly with ease.
There wasn’t much of a crowd at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium to witness the event, and rightly so, according to talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham, who has given his brutal player ratings.
Let’s start with the (one) positive…
Assist maker Madueke was the only player to get more than a 5/10 and he was perhaps unlucky to not get more than a single goal involvement too.
“England’s biggest threat, repeatedly caused problems, and involved in the goal,” Durham said before adding: “Missed a late sitter.”
If you think that’s harsh, Rogers had it far worse on the other wing with a 3/10 as he’s ‘brilliant for Villa but awful away to Andorra’ even if the service to him ‘wasn’t great.’
The goalscorer ahead of them, Kane, only got a 5/10, made up from his ‘alert and agile’ winner, although there was ‘not a lot else.’
Two words for a 2/10
The worst rating of the night, a 2/10 was awarded to Burn, and Durham only had two words to go with it: “Just no.”
Midfield partner Jude Bellingham did better with a 4/10 for his ‘total commitment’ but the Real Madrid man certainly ‘lacked quality.’
Cole Palmer didn’t even have the commitment to boast, getting a 3/10 after his 65th-minute substitution. Durham simply stating Palmer was not good enough.
Hard to defend
Jordan Pickford had nothing to do in his performance, but dropped down to a 3/10 for failing to do ‘anything special with the ball at his feet.’
The story was the same for the experimental back four in front of him who all also only got a 3/10. The Curtis Jones at right-back experiment ‘didn’t really work’ and on the other flank it was a ‘surprise’ that Tuchel couldn’t get the best out of his former Chelsea stalwart Reece James.
Centre-back partner Ezri Konsa also failed, with him ‘not doing enough’ as he had so much of the ball.
Bellingham kept up his standard, Burn underwhelmed
Where’s the entertainment?
Henderson wasn’t in the article however someone else did get a mention, Tuchel. Durham surmised: “He isn’t getting the best out of the players.
“He promised to entertain and three games in we’ve definitely not been entertained.
“And imagine not bringing Morgan Gibbs-White on until injury time, what’s that all about?
“Can’t wait to say it to his face at St Georges Park on talkSPORT on Wednesday afternoon…”
Tuchel’s side will need to be much better against Senegal on Tuesday, and at next summer’s World Cup
Adrian Durham’s full England player ratings
Starting XI
Jordan Pickford – 3
Curtis Jones – 3
Ezri Konsa – 3
Dan Burn – 2
Reece James – 3
Jude Bellingham – 4
Jordan Henderson wasn’t mentioned
Morgan Rogers – 3
Cole Palmer – 3
Noni Madueke – 7
Harry Kane – 5
Substitutes
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 3
Eberechi Eze – 3
Speaking to talkSPORT post-match, Tuchel was similarly dissatisfied with what he’d seen.
“What I absolutely don’t like is how we ended this match,” he admitted.
“I think we had a complete lack of urgency and lack of seriousness towards the occasion that we play.
“We play in the World Cup qualifier. That was not the end that we expected.
“I don’t know why we
