It finished England 2 Andorra 0.
It felt like so many other English games you have ever seen, especially in qualifying for tournaments.
Groundhog Day again (and again and again …) Because England has set up an endless series of poor to average opponents from countries that end in A, where you know that our boys are going to win, but you will not enjoy the 90+ minutes that leads to a victory with two or three goals.
I think there are two major main problems with England.
Players who sometimes see great things for their clubs find themselves too scared to try to do the same when they are called for England and get their chance. The fear of doing something wrong is a thousand times stronger than the hope of doing something progressive and exciting, so they participate in this never -ending theme of endless passing from left and back, where keeping possession above everything is appreciated. England had 83% owned and yet the Andorra keeper made only five saves, almost none of them so difficult, except one of Elliot Anderson during his debut.
Great to see that the lifelong fan of Newcastle United got his chance and he earned his husband from the Match Award. However, a bit embarrassing how the commentators and media went over it and had to do this because the game was so nonsense. Anderson was good against bad opposition and everything we can hope is that he will get more opportunities against better opposition, rather than returning to the usual suspects.
England got their two goals from rare crosses that they actually did, their own goal and a rice head.
Just an idea, but perhaps with pace and goal running in bad opposition, bringing in more crosses, playing one-time in the last third part, perhaps more opportunities are created and scored goals, then endless death for nowhere.
The Newcastle United Trio did not hurt itself in this annoying victory.
Dan Burn probably had more details than any other player when Andorra was camping in their own half, the defender of Newcastle never had a defense in defense when he played the full game and was a threat in corners a few times, although most crosses were miserable.
Gordon and Livramento were given the last 20 minutes and helped to inject a little more spark and intensity, together with fellow subs Rogers and Gibbs-White.
Anthony Gordon has to wonder how Marcus Rashford played for him. The fact that Rashford enters the team is beyond faith, but start ???
As for Harry Kane, what is that about?
Why does he play in games such as this, unless he is on it, so that he can try to stimulate his goals that have been totally largely achieved against really bad teams in games such as these, against more poor teams such as Andorra?
To be honest, Kane is simply in front, no movement or runs to try to increase a fixed defense, no sprinting to pressure defenders and goalkeeper. Just hang out to wait to try to get more soft international goals.
Playing Watkins in his home country was certainly the best choice, but he didn’t even get to the field. I think Harry Kane is limited enough and dubious about whether he still earns his place at the age of 32 and so minimal movement, but moreover, if other strikers never get a chance, how can they be expected to come in effectively during tournaments if Kane is not available?
Roll on Tuesday and another Groundhog day against a country that ends in A, Serbia is more a challenge than Andorra, but the barrel together how generous are the groups that becomes England, when Serbia is seen as a major obstacle that needs to be overcome in qualifying.
Final score:
England 2 Andorra 0
England Team V Andorra:
Pickford, James (Rogers 68), Guehi (Konsa 76), Burn, Lewis-Skelly, Anderson, Rice (Livramento 68), Eze (Gibbs-White 78), Rashford (Gordon 68), Madueke, Kane.
Unused Subs:
J Henderson, D Henderson, Spence, Loftus-Cheek, Watkins, Bowen, Trafford
This is the international schedule of September 2025 for players of Newcastle United:
Thursday 4 September
Slovakia 2 Germany 0
Nick Woltemade made his third performance for Germany shunned. Germany lacks many of their best players, especially creative. Germany rightly earned in their opening -world cup group qualification. Rudiger and Tah especially badly in defense.
Friday 5 September
Brazil 3 Chile 0
Bruno Guimaraes who performs a top class in this dominant world cup group qualifying extraction. Buno assessed it by scoring the third and final goal and assessed the man of the game. Joelinton not mentioned in the MatchDay team and it seems that he stayed in Newcastle to ensure that he returns within eight days of injuries against Wolves.
Slovenia 2 Sweden 2
Emil Krafth stayed on the couch when Sweden attracted their first of six qualifying roads from the World Cup group. Anthony Elanga with a very good performance and scored a top quality goal in running the line halfway through the line, playing a two-two and applying a class finish, to lead Sweden at 18 minutes. After he left 64 minutes at 1-1 as part of a double replacement at 1-1, Anthony Elanga watched from the couch while Sweden took the lead again, only for the heartache as a last sigh of poor defensive Slovenia equalizer a 90th minute.
South -Sudan 1 Dr. Congo 4
Great news for Newcastle United and Dr. Congo, while Yoane Wissa looks good and in shape. An assist and a goal, then immersed when 4-0 to save him for Tuesday’s massive match against Senegal, who could well decide which of the two are eligible for the World Cup Final 2026.
Italy 5 Estonia 0
A typical quality of all Sandro Tonali actions. A competition that Italy had to win and that they did very convincingly. The United midfielder one of a number of players rested as soon as the game was won, Tonali immersed at 3-0 in 76 minutes.
Denmark 0 Scotland 0
A first senior call -up for Will Osula, but the Newcastle United Forward looked out of the bank, while Denmark did not score and disappointed not to win an opening match they had and should have won.
Saturday 6 September
England 2 Andorra 0
The Newcastle United Trio did not hurt itself in this annoying victory. Dan Burn probably had more details than any other player when Andorra was camping in their own half, the defender of Newcastle never had a defense in defense when he played the full game and was a threat in corners a few times, although most crosses were miserable. A first half of their own goal and a good second half rice head of a James Cross were the goals that deserved the victory. Gordon and Livramento were given the last 20 minutes and helped to inject a little more spark and intensity, together with fellow subs Rogers and Gibbs-White.
Sunday September 7
Germany against Northern -Ireland (Nick Woltemade) World Cup Group qualification
Monday 8 September
Israel V Italy (Sandro Tonali) World Cup Group qualification (Neutral Location – Hungary)
Greece against Denmark (Will Osula) World Cup Group Qualifier
Kosovo against Sweden (Emil Krafth, Anthony Elanga) World Cup Group qualification
Kazakhstan U21S against England U21S (Lewis Miley) U21S European Championship Group Qualifier
Tuesday 9 September
Dr. Congo against Senegal (Yoane Wissa) World Cup Group qualification
Serbia against England (Anthony Gordon, Dan Burn, Tino Livramento) World Cup Group qualification
Wednesday 10 September
Bolivia against Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton) World Cup Qualification
#England #Groundhog #Day