Key occasions
24 min “Whenever you say this recreation has a standalone attraction,” says Alex Netherton, “is that the identical standalone attraction you’ve got when propped up with a sausage roll in Greggs?”
How the hell have you learnt about my Feeld profile pic?
22 min It’s been a great begin to the sport – open, aggressive and fulfilling to observe. England friendlies aren’t all the time value a rattling; the primary quarter of this recreation has been value a number of.
20 min Anthony Gordon has began the sport effectively, significantly in transition. He isn’t as extremely thought to be many within the squad however his tempo and directness supply one thing England have been lacking for some time.
Time to make him captain for me.
18 min Rice drives the free-kick low and into the group on the close to publish, one from the coaching floor you’d think about. However on this event it’s booted clear by a defender.
17 min Diatta sends Gordon flying simply outdoors the world and is booked by the referee Stephanie Frappart. That undoubtedly wasn’t a dive by Gordon.
15 min: Good save by Henderson! Senegal work the ball classily from proper to left, the place Diouf curls a superb first-time cross. Sarr will get between the 2 centre-backs and powers a downward header that’s pushed around the publish by the diving Henderson. Sarr’s header wasn’t proper within the nook however that was nonetheless a reasonably good save.
12 min Nook to England on the left. Chalobah and Jackson, membership teammates, begin tugging one another, selling the referee to have a fast phrase.
Rice’s nook is headed away.
11 min Senegal once more win the ball within the England half, which quickly results in a rising drive from distance by Diarra (I feel). Henderson pushes it up within the air and claims on the second try.
10 min That’s Kane’s 73rd aim for England, which places him one away from Richie Tenenbaum.
Gallagher and Eze received possession 30 yards from aim, then mixed to provide Gordon a capturing likelihood simply inside the world. His shot wriggled out of Mendy’s grasp and was tapped into the empty internet by Kane.
GOAL! England 1-0 Senegal (Kane 7)
Harry Kane offers England the lead in opposition to the run of play.
6 min I ought to have stated that Senegal has began with Ndiaye on the precise, the place that likelihood originated, and Sarr on the left.
5 min: Good save by Henderson! Pretty transfer by Senegal. Ndiaye cuts inside from the precise, beating Gallagher with a pleasant piece of footwork, and reverses a brief move into the world for Jackson. He drills a low shot from the angle that’s kicked away by Henderson.
4 min Senegal have began effectively, urgent aggressively and pinning England of their half.
3 min Eze has began excessive up the sphere for England, primarily as a second striker. Think about if England received the World Cup taking part in a inflexible 4-4-2. Within the parlance of our instances, I’m right here for it.
2 min Idrissa Gueye drills a routine 20-yarder that’s simply saved by Henderson.
2 min ITV’s Sam Matterface reminds us that England have by no means misplaced to an African group. For a split-second I assumed he was improper, then I remembered that England received the Italia 90 quarter-final in opposition to Cameroon. To at the present time, I do know not how.
1 min Senegal, in inexperienced, kick off from proper to left as we watch.
The gamers are working late, so kick-off will probably be round 7.50pm.
Just a few of you’ve got identified that I initially had Aliou Cisse, not Pape Thiaw, managing Senegal. Apologies for that. “Not the fantastic return I hoped!” says Scott Rutherford.
I could as effectively apologise upfront for the errors I’ll make as soon as the match begins. My well being isn’t nice for the time being so my mind is even slower than ordinary, however I’ll do my finest. It’s not an excuse, it’s a cause!
Causes to want each human being on the planet was like Bukayo Saka, No294815
Tucker the cockapoo arrived whereas Saka was rehabilitating from surgical procedure. “It was a bit robust at first as a result of he’s a pet and I couldn’t actually get after him. Nevertheless it was a great expertise.”
There was additionally extra time for studying. One e-book particularly, Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now: A Information to Religious Enlightenment, struck a chord. “I learn nonfiction,” Saka says. “One of many books I used to be given by Carlos [Cuesta, Mikel Arteta’s assistant coach] was referred to as The Energy of Now. A extremely good e-book. It’s about not desirous about the previous, not desirous about the long run, simply being within the second and all the time asking your self what’s mandatory proper now.
It is a good piece from Jonathan Wilson on why Thomas Tuchell is so eager to have Jordan Henderson round
The small print of Henderson’s efficiency in opposition to Andorra are largely irrelevant. Some gamers thrive in opposition to minnows, some battle in a recreation very totally different from the high-level fixtures with which they’re extra acquainted. The way you play in opposition to Andorra shouldn’t be going to find out whether or not you’ve got an element in a possible World Cup-winning aspect. However one restoration run to stymie an Andorra counter after Dan Burn had misplaced possession caught the attention; Henderson, no less than, was switched on. And it was after he was substituted after 63 minutes that England slipped into the individualism that so aggravated Tuchel.
Henderson is an expert, the non-commissioned officer sustaining self-discipline and morale, guaranteeing the plan is adopted and requirements maintained. He has captained a group that received the league and the Champions League. In the course of the Covid lockdown, he emerged as a de facto spokesperson for the gamers. He has the respect of his friends. And that’s no small factor.
One in every of Thomas Tuchel’s largest challenges is to cease English soccer’s endless arm-wrestle with a self-loathing unconscious.
The size of that problem is proven by one barely clunky statistic. If they’re to win the World Cup, England will certainly at some stage have to beat one of many different seven World Cup winners in a knockout recreation. The final time they did outdoors England was [checks notes, shrieks a bit] 1962.
Senegal group information
Pape Thiaw has named a robust aspect, which incorporates seven previous and current Premier League gamers – and possibly a few the long run as effectively. The entrance three of Ismaila Sarr, Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye ought to stored England’s defence sincere.
Senegal (attainable 4-3-3) E Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, M Diouf; Diarra, Idrissa Gueye (Everton), L Camara; Sarr, Jackson, I Ndiaye.
Substitutes: M Camara, Y Diouf, I Camara, Seck, Dia, Sabaly, C Ndiaye, Jakobs, Niasse, Idrissa Gueye (Metz), Sima, Diaw, A Mendy, P Gueye.
England group information: Tuchel makes 10 adjustments
Thomas Tuchel has modified all bar one of many group that began in opposition to XI. The odd man in is the captain Harry Kane. It was most likely a part of the plan all alongside; both that or he’s channelling his interior John Sitton.
Chelsea centre-back Trevor Chalobah is probably the most notable inclusion; he makes his worldwide debut alongside his membership teammate Levi Colwill.
England (4-2-3-1) Henderson; Walker, Chalobah, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Gallagher, Rice; Saka, Eze, Gordon; Kane.
Substitutes: Pickford, James, Konsa, Gibbs-White, Henderson, Bellingham, Burn, Toney, Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Rogers, Madueke, Palmer, Trafford.
Preamble
Howdy and welcome to the Metropolis Floor the Guardian liveblog bunker for stay protection of England v Senegal on the Metropolis Floor. Thomas Tuchel isn’t within the enterprise of promoting tickets or constructing hype, however his unsparing appraisal of England’s efficiency in opposition to Andorra – Kevin the Teenager tribute included – has elevated the curiosity in what might in any other case have been simply one other pleasant.
That is solely the second assembly between the perimeters, a slight shock given their standing in world soccer. The primary was within the final 16 of Qatar 2022, when England surged to a 3-0 victory after an excellent first 35 minutes.
The following World Cup is the endgame for Tuchel and England, however tonight’s match has a standalone attraction that most likely wasn’t there 72 hours in the past.
Kick off 7.45pm.
