No-nonsense England get win in World Cup qualifier

Thomas Tuchel said he wanted to give his England team more “clarity”, and there is little as obvious in football as whipping a cross into the box.

- By MIGUEL DELANEY

Such deliveries were for decades the staple of the English game, the articles of faith in the classic 4-4-2, something all the more resonant given that the manager has talked about restoring core values. Meat and potatoes. Get into the mixer. Get the job done.

They were enough here for a 2-0 win over Andorra, as both goals came from deliveries down the right.

As to whether they’re going to be as effective in the heat of America - and white heat of a World Cup knockout - that isn’t actually so relevant right now. Tuchel spoke before the game that England had to go about developing different game models within their overall approach, and one of those he is most concerned about is for matches against teams with 5-4-1 low blocks.

The manager cautioned before the match that qualification is far from confirmed, after all. Tuesday’s away match in Serbia may well define and decide the entire campaign. But, around it, England are going to face a lot of games like this.