England Groundhog Day…Again | OneFootball

It ended England 2 Andorra 0.

It felt like so so many other England games you have ever seen, especially in qualifying for tournaments.

Groundhog Day again (and again and again…) as England have lined up an endless series of poor to average opponents from nations ending in A, where you know our boys are going to win but you aren’t going to enjoy very much, if at all, of the 90+ minutes that leads to a win by two or three goals.

I think there are two big main problems with England.

Players who you see doing some amazing stuff at times for their clubs, find themselves too scared to try and do the same when called up for England and getting their chance. The fear of doing something wrong is a thousand times stronger than the hope of doing something progressive and exciting, so they join in with this never ending theme of endless passing from side to side and backwards, where keeping possession is prized above all else. England had 83% possession and yet the Andorra keeper only made five saves, pretty much none of them that difficult apart from one from Elliot Anderson on his debut.

Great to see the lifelong Newcastle United fan getting his chance and he deserved his man of the match award. However, a bit embarrassing how the commentators and media went so over the top about it, needing to do so because the match was so rubbish. Anderson was good against poor opposition and all we can hope is that he is given more chances against better opposition, rather than reverting to the usual suspects.

England got their two goals from rare crosses that they actually put in, an own goal and a Rice header.

Just an idea but maybe running with pace and purpose at poor opposition, putting more crosses in, playing one-twos in the final third, just might see more chances created and goals scored, than endless passing to nowhere.

The Newcastle United trio did themselves no harm in this tedious victory.

Dan Burn probably had more touches than any other player as Andorra camped in their own half, the Newcastle defender never troubled in defence as he played the full game and was a threat at corners a couple of times, though most of the crosses were woeful.

Gordon and Livramento were given the last 20 minutes and helped inject a little bit more spark and intensity, along with fellow subs Rogers and Gibbs-White.

Anthony Gordon must wonder just how Marcus Rashford played ahead of him. The fact Rashford is getting in the squad is beyond belief but starting???

As for Harry Kane, what’s that all about?

Why is he playing in games like these, unless it is him insisting so that he can try and boost his goals total achieved for the most part against really poor teams in games like this, against more poor teams like Andorra?

Honestly, Kane just walks around up front, no movement or runs to try and unluck a set defence, no sprinting to pressure defenders and goalkeeper. Just standing around waiting to try and get more soft international goals.

Surely playing Watkins on his home ground was the way to go, yet he didn’t even get on the pitch. I think Harry Kane is limited enough and dubious as to whether he deserves his place still at the age of 32 and so minimal movement, but on top of that, if other strikers never get a chance, how can they be expected to effectively step in during tournaments if Kane is unavailable?

Roll on Tuesday and yet another Groundhog Day against a country that ends in A, Serbia are more of a challenge than Andorra but it sums up just how generous the groups are that England get, when Serbia are seen as a major hurdle to overcome in qualification.

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 September 2025 international schedule for Newcastle United players:

Thursday 4 September

Slovakia 2 Germany 0

Nick Woltemade making his third appearance for Germany but starved of service. Germany missing many of their best players, especially creatively. Germany deservedly beaten in their opening World Cup group qualifier. Rudiger and Tah especially poor in defence.

Friday 5 September

Brazil 3 Chile 0

Bruno Guimaraes putting in a top class performance in this dominant World Cup group qualifier victory. Topping it off by scoring the third and final goal, Bruno rated man of the match. Joelinton not named in the matchday squad and it appears he has stayed in Newcastle to make sure he comes back from injury against Wolves in eight days time.

Slovenia 2 Sweden 2

Emil Krafth remained on the bench as Sweden drew their first of six World Cup group qualifying matches. Anthony Elanga with a very good performance and scored a top quality goal when running from the halfway line, playing a one-two and applying a class finish, to give Sweden the lead on 18 minutes. Having departed as part of a double substitution on 64 minutes at 1-1, Anthony Elanga watching on from the bench as Sweden once again took the lead, only for heartbreak as a last gasp bit of poor defending allowed Slovenia a 90th minute equaliser.

South Sudan 1 DR Congo 4

Great news for Newcastle United and DR Congo, as Yoane Wissa looking good fitness-wise and in form. An assist and a goal, then subbed when 4-0 up to save him for Tuesday’s massive game against Senegal,, which could well decide which of the two qualifies for the 2026 World Cup finals.

Italy 5 Estonia 0

A typical quality all action display from Sandro Tonali. A match that Italy had to win and which they did very convincingly. The United midfielder one of a number of players rested once the match was won, Tonali subbed off at 3-0 on 76 minutes.

Denmark 0 Scotland 0

A first senior call up for Will Osula but the Newcastle United forward watched from the bench, as Denmark failing to score and disappointed not to win an opening World Cup group qualifying match they could and should have won.

Saturday 6 September

England 2 Andorra 0

The Newcastle United trio did themselves no harm in this tedious victory. Dan Burn probably had more touches than any other player as Andorra camped in their own half, the Newcastle defender never troubled in defence as he played the full game and was a threat at corners a couple of times, though most of the crosses were woeful. A first half own goal and a good second-half Rice header from a James cross, were the goals that earned the win. Gordon and Livramento were given the last 20 minutes and helped inject a little bit more spark and intensity, along with fellow subs Rogers and Gibbs-White.

Sunday 7 September

Germany v Northern Ireland (Nick Woltemade) World Cup group qualifier

Monday 8 September

Israel v Italy (Sandro Tonali) World Cup group qualifier (Neutral venue – Hungary)

Greece v Denmark (Will Osula) World Cup group qualifier

Kosovo v Sweden (Emil Krafth, Anthony Elanga) World Cup group qualifier

Kazakhstan U21s v England U21s (Lewis Miley) U21s European Championship group qualifier

Tuesday 9 September

DR Congo v Senegal (Yoane Wissa) World Cup group qualifier

Serbia v England (Anthony Gordon, Dan Burn, Tino Livramento) World Cup group qualifier