Thomas Tuchel set for clarity about England's progress after forgettable victory over Andorra | OneFootball

A trip to Belgrade is next up for England after a routine win over Andorra in World Cup qualification

It was Coldplay’s concert at Wembley later on Saturday night that explained why England were returning to Villa Park after 20 years away, and the visit of minnows Andorra did always feel like the warm-up act, not the main event.

The scoreline, a two-goal victory, was another underwhelming one, but the performance at least was better than first time round. The context — and there can sometimes be a tendency to overlook it — is that England have won all four of their qualifiers and are well on track to reach the World Cup, potentially as soon as next month.

The goals, two excellent headers, came either side of the break, Christian Garcia nodding a belter past his goalkeeper for an Andorra own goal, and then Declan Rice applying the finish Reece James’s cultured cross deserved.

Noni Madueke took risks when others were all too often safe, and it was his delivery into the box that was headed into his own net by Andorran defender Garcia for the game’s first goal. That said, he lost the ball on occasion, as did his Arsenal team-mate Eberechi Eze, who had two shots blocked from presentable opportunities and could have been more decisive.

Involved: Noni Madueke

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Harry Kane never got his customary goal or three against qualifying minnows, such was Andorra’s well-organised blockade. Marcus Rashford, similarly frustrated, curled wide when he should have scored.

Elliot Anderson fared well on the occasion of his England debut. The 22-year-old shone for the Under-21s as they successfully defended their European crown in Slovakia earlier this summer and was trusted at the base of midfield in a 4-3-3 system which allowed Rice and Eberechi Eze to push on either side of him.

Anderson collected from deep, skipped challenges, and used his body effectively to dispossess and shield the ball once he had it.

The Nottingham Forest man even squandered a decent chance for a debut goal, pressing well and winning the ball high up, laid off by Kane but unable to beat the hand of Iker Alvarez. Seen primarily as a No8 by Tuchel, his performance at No6 was polished.

At right-back, Reece James saw lots of the ball throughout, and you sense he could be an important player for Tuchel’s England, just as he was when the German was in charge at Chelsea. His cross for Declan Rice’s header — the second goal — was a peach.

The introduction of substitutes was never going to disrupt England’s rhythm, which started, stayed, and finished as one of total domination from the hosts. But neither did it improve that rhythm, as Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers struggled to make an impact.

Morgan Gibbs-White combined well with Madueke and saw a late flying volley gathered by goalkeeper Iker Alvarez as 2-0 threatened but never managed to become three.

If this affair taught Tuchel little besides his team’s continued need to unlock packed defences more easily, the trip to Belgrade should provide clarity about how his side are shaping up.