Time for Thomas Tuchel to tear it down and start again! Winners and losers from England's insipid international break that proved Three Lions are a million miles away from World Cup glory
The German needs to find solutions – and fast – if England are to meet their supporters expectations and mount a serious challenge in North America
It's getting serious now. We're exactly one year away from the start of the 2026 World Cup and, for Thomas Tuchel, time is fast running out to construct an England squad that he feels is capable of flying out to North America and bringing the trophy home. By his own admission, and the length of his contract, that's the target, but judging by the last international camp of the 2024-25 season, the Three Lions are a million miles off being capable of navigating that final step and getting over the line at a major tournament.
If Andorra was bad, Senegal was worse. After delivering so many high points and memorable moments during the Gareth Southgate era, you could forgive England for a wobble in a World Cup qualifier that they ultimately won. What followed a few days later, though, and after a proper public dressing down from their manager too, was unacceptable. Friendly or not, Tuesday's disastrous showing at the City Ground shows just how much work needs to be done to put things right.
Hopefully the first defeat of the Tuchel era is the sobering wake-up call and reality check that the players need. Talked up, and rightly so, as one of the favourites to win the World Cup after reaching another Euros final, England have regressed, and significantly. Make no mistake about it, play anything like they have over the last two matches and the Three Lions will be lucky to make it through the group stages.
GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from England's final camp of the 2024-25 campaign…
Getty Images SportWINNER: Harry Kane
On more than one occasion at Euro 2024, during another unsuccessful quest to finally win a first men's international trophy since 1966, the finger of blame was pointed squarely at Harry Kane. He dropped too deep they said, he'd lost his sharpness they said. Some went as far as saying he was finished, and that it was time for change and to give someone else a go.
The candidates to step in remain plentiful, but Kane's proved yet again during this international break that he really isn't the problem. Another incredible season at club level that saw him finally end his trophy curse provided further evidence that, in their record goal-scorer, England still possess one of the most lethal finishers in the business.
Granted, he wasn't at his devastating best against either Andorra or Senegal, but the service was severely lacking, to put it mildly. And yet, even feeding off scraps in the second game especially, Kane still managed to score his 72nd and 73rd goals for his country, becoming the first player in England history to score in four games in a row for a new manager. Kane is Tuchel's Mr. Reliable and he remains one of the first names on the teamsheet. One thing he's not is the problem.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Kyle Walker
If Kyle Walker was clinging onto his international career beforehand, it's surely slipped from his grasp now. It would be wholly unfair to rip Walker to shreds, given the service he's given England over his 96 caps, and, at the peak of his powers, there was no better right-back in European football – and certainly not one who could rival his breakneck recovery speed that became something of a comfort blanket for England fans and all the managers he's worked under.
That legendary pace, though, just isn't there anymore at the age of 35, and Walker's dire performance against Senegal should be the straw that broke the camel's back. Switching off like he did for Ismaila Sarr's equaliser, as he failed to sense the obvious danger as Nicolas Jackson prepared to send over the cross, was simply inexcusable.
Tuchel jumped to the defence of the Manchester City defender in his post-match press conference, as he well might, but he'll be asking for big trouble if Walker remains in his starting XI come the World Cup. Take your pick between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James – and don't rule out Tino Livramento – for the right-back berth, but Walker must now be out of the running.
AFPWINNER: Jack Grealish & Phil Foden
Rewind only a year or so ago and the thought of BOTH Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, free of any injury issues, being left out of an England squad would've been unimaginable. Pie in the sky. Surely just a printing error. But when Tuchel named his 26-man travelling party for the games against Andorra and Senegal that was the reality – the Manchester City duo were nowhere to be seen, two of the more glaring omissions that also included another Southgate regular in Harry Maguire.
Given the disappointment of City's season, and the lack of meaningful contributions from the aforementioned, it must be said that fans weren't rushing to the German's door with torches and pitchforks. Based on form alone, there were simply more favourable options.
The drab showings in both matches have at least opened the door to Grealish and Foden winning back their places, not only in the squad but perhaps even the starting XI – of which there's surely now only a handful of guaranteed picks. For Grealish, let's be honest, he urgently needs to escape his current situation at City and ensure he's playing far more regularly over the next 12 months. Foden's position at the Etihad is far less terminal, but he won't need to be told that standards must improve. The challenge is on.
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Getty ImagesLOSER: Ivan Toney
As the second half ticked on against Senegal, the cameras kept panning to Ivan Toney, sat emotionless on the England bench. It was obvious why he was becoming the focus – the Three Lions were toiling in a home fixture against a nation ranked 15 places below them in the FIFA rankings and yet, repeatedly, Tuchel turned to other options.
Despite replacing Kane with 59 minutes gone, Al-Ahli striker Toney was overlooked, with Morgan Rogers becoming the most advanced player in a desperate and disjointed system despite the ex-Brentford man being the obvious like-for-like replacement. The 29-year-old was eventually brought on for Myles Lewis-Skelly with with a couple of minutes remaining; it was far too late.
It begs the question 'why'? Why call up Toney, who was an unused sub in Barcelona in game number one of the camp, if there was no real plan to use him, especially when the game was crying out for someone of his abilities.
The forward's prospects in an England shirt really don't look great. With Kane being Tuchel's undisputed leader of the attack, and the likes of Dominic Solanke and Ollie Watkins likely ahead of him in the pecking order – plus the expectation that Chelsea's new signing Liam Delap will soon come into the picture – there's even a possibility that's the last we'll see of Toney in a Three Lions shirt.