It was nothing more than a contractual obligation fulfilled. There was little to see here at Villa Park. Or get excited about. England beat Andorra, as they always do. They did not concede against them, as always. And Thomas Tuchel’s record in World Cup qualifying Group K now shows the maximum number of points from four ties – and four clean sheets.
The manager had talked about bringing greater aggression; more speed and penetration, helped by a cleaner and simpler approach. But it was not a game that demanded intense analysis. Rather it was one to tick off and move on from.
It was better than the away fixture against Andorra, which was played in Barcelona in June, when England grubbed home by the only goal after a flat performance, hearing boos at half-time and full-time. But long before this one was over, the thoughts of most supporters had begun to turn to the tie against Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday. That promises to be hostile; the acid test of qualification.
Tuchel had likened the challenge of getting through Andorra’s low block to chewing gum. In other words, deeply monotonous, something to make your face muscles ache. Noni Madueke forced an own goal from the Andorra defender, Christian García, midway through the first half and Declan Rice made it 2-0 midway through the second.
The statistics showed that Andorra touched the ball four times inside the England area. The number was five in June. It was attack versus defence throughout, almost like a training session. The international break for England was always going to be all about Serbia.
Tuchel had sought to set the tone by going with his strongest possible lineup, one that featured players in their very best positions as he sees it, although there were exceptions. The manager had suggested Dan Burn and Marc Guéhi were in competition at left centre-half. He started both, Guéhi preferred to Ezri Konsa in the right-sided role. Rice and Elliot Anderson are the No 8s in the squad. Tuchel put them both in, too, giving the latter his debut as the No 6.
In possession, England were more 4-3-3 than 4-2-3-1, Eberechi Eze in a right-sided No 8 position, Rice to his left. No prizes for guessing how Andorra set up – in a resolute 5-4-1. Tuchel had actually described them on Friday as using a 5-5-0 system.
How do the people of Andorra live these ties? Do they even watch? Because there is literally nothing from their team; zero adventure. They have been managed by the same manager, Koldo Álvarez, for the last 15 years. He does what he does. They do what they do. Then again, this is a nation of 82,000 – roughly the same population as Ashford in Kent.
England needed a goal before the half hour mark, the point at which it was possible to wonder whether the crowd might grow frustrated. They got it. Anderson was lively, looking to progress the ball and he sparked a move that got Madueke into a crossing position. The right winger floated it over towards Rice, who had made a late run for the six-yard box, and it came off the head of García to nestle inside the far corner.
Tuchel watched, at times, from a seated position on top of a Lucozade drinks cooler. Where was the energy, Thomas! But he celebrated the breakthrough with aggressively clenched fists. Relief was a part of it.
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Madueke has Bukayo Saka for competition; Saka is among the posse of injured players to miss this window. And Madueke was game, direct; he tried to make things happen. He had teed up Eze for a shot in the 15th minute, which ended up too close to the goalkeeper, Iker Álvarez. Eze saw another one cleared off the line on 23 minutes by Max Llovera after a cut-back from Rice.
It was thin gruel in the first half, England not sharp enough. The tempo was missing. It was sideways stuff, too often. At least they were not booed off by the sell-out crowd. The fans’ commitment was hugely impressive. It always is.
England pushed after the restart and they looked more creative. Eze worked the goalkeeper after a Madueke burst while Marcus Rashford bent the follow-up wide. Anderson went close after Harry Kane had helped to force a turnover high up, a potential moment to cherish denied by Álvarez’s diving save. Eze lashed high when well placed but the offside flag had gone up – it was not his day – before Rice scored the second with a downwards header from Reece James’s cross.
