Roy Keane believes only one England player emerged with credit from the Three Lions’ underwhelming 1-0 win over Andorra in Barcelona.
England preserved their perfect start under Thomas Tuchel but there was little more to cheer about after a drab display against the side ranked 173rd in the world.
Goalless at half-time, it was Harry Kane who found the game’s winning goal, stabbing home Noni Madueke’s low cross into the roof of the net to bring up his 450th senior career goal.
But it was an otherwise tepid display from the visitors who struggled to break down Andorra’s defence and create regular chances in the searing Spanish heat.
With just under a year to go until the World Cup, Tuchel is still getting to grips with his England squad ahead of the tournament.
But Keane believes that Madueke was the only player who improved his chances of getting on the plane to North America next summer off the back of Saturday’s result.
‘It was a very mature performance from him,’ Keane told ITV post-match.
‘We mentioned before the game that he sometimes just has moments but he was a lot better tonight.
‘He was consistent, his movement was excellent – coming short and stretching in behind – and he was one of the players who had something to prove and he affected the game.
‘He got an assist, he was a threat and that’s what you like to see.’
On an otherwise forgetful England display, the former Manchester United captain added: ‘I thought when they scored the goal, they thought it was job done, and I was really disappointed with England’s attitude after the goal went in.
‘Particularly in the second half, I didn’t think it was great. I felt some players looked like they got bored in the last half an hour and I don’t want to see that.
‘Your job every game is to impress the manager and I think only he (Madueke) did that tonight. Deep down, Tuchel will be looking at his staff and saying he was disappointed by more than one or two of those players.’
Tuchel frustrated by tame England display
Tuchel was equally frustrated by England’s performance and insisted that his short time with the squad was no excuse for his side’s lack of cutting edge.
‘I felt us frustrated and a lack of attitude in the last stages of the game, which I didn’t like at all,’ he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
‘I didn’t want to create an atmosphere when we get frustrated easy. I don’t know why we lost our momentum or speed. The last half an hour I did not like at all. Everything is a learning. We are smarter than before and we will talk about it honestly and directly and try to do it better.
‘It surprised me because we started well. We created an xG of three and underperformed with one. It just shows we were not precise enough and had a lack of quality in finishing.
‘It is our second camp, and we can do much better. That includes me. It always takes two to tango and we need to do better on Tuesday. There are no excuses.
‘There was a lack of being aggressive in duels and then it becomes like what we saw and it did not have the quality we wish. There is a lot to do and from there we go.’
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