Tuchel has a sense of humour... but there was little to laugh at

SINCE he was caught by a sly cameraman performing an impersonation of Pep Guardiola a few years ago for the benefit of his amused coaching staff, it has been clear Thomas Tuchel has a mischievous sense of humour.

- ANDY DUNN

And in Barcelona, there was confirmation. He started Jordan Henderson. Against Andorra. Just to wind people up, presumably.

You had to laugh. Imagine the flak Gareth Southgate would be getting if he was still in charge and selecting Henderson for a match against Andorra.

No slight is intended against Henderson, who was no worse or no better than most England players.

In fact, he had an OK game. But it really is time to move on. He turns 35 in just over a week’s time. Anyway, you had to laugh - just to stay awake, if nothing else. For these types of games, this was actually a fairly familiar template. Every member of the minnow XI behind the ball, holding out for a good while before tiring and eventually conceding.

It is not unusual.

But it should still not spare Tuchel from the sort of criticism that was sent some of his predecessors’ way for matches that followed this sort of pattern.

Yes, the job was done, but the job was always going to be a formality.