Well, that was much better wasn't it….not! Once again we see an inept performance from our National team who didn't seem to want to compete with the opponents extra skill, strength, speed and will to win that the impressive Senegal side showed. Let's be honest here, Senegal thoroughly deserved this memorable win for them and quite frankly, but for Dean Henderson in goal it could have been even more embarrassing for the home side.

Thomas Tuchel made ten changes, yes ten, from the Andorra match and unfortunately his team looked like a bunch of strangers not knowing who was doing what. It really is a worrying time for England at the moment and although the manager and players keep saying there is no need to panic, well, I'm sorry, I am panicking! We have some tough games coming up, we don't meet up again until September so what will Tuchel do to arrest the slump? Good players do not become bad players overnight but there really does seem to be a lack of a spark or something between the players and the coach, is it me or do you agree?

Anyway, on to the match, and we did have the perfect start, as on seven minutes after a bright attack Anthony Gordon fired in a shot which the keeper, Edouard Mendy, blocked but the ball ran loose across the goal and there was the ever-reliable Harry Kane to pounce and score from close in. It was his 73rd England goal and what would we do without him?

However, the warning signs were already there as Henderson had to make several early saves before eleven minutes were up. The speed in which Senegal showed when turning defence into attack made England look even more pedestrian than usual. On 15 minutes a cross from the left found Ismaila Sarr and he headed brilliantly at goal. It looked goalbound until Henderson pulled off a fine save to disappoint his club colleague. The goalkeeper was playing a dangerous game though, spending much of his time way out of his goal, especially remembering the speed that Senegal showed. Typical of England lately too, a good attack down the right to Bukayo Saka ended indecisively, followed by pass, pass, pass, and the ball found its way right back to Henderson. Another wasted good position and indicative of the way England are playing at the moment.

The appointment of three women as the officials was a brave move, but to be fair Stephanie Frappart stood no nonsense from any of the players and certainly showed who was boss. She was a little lenient towards some of the challenges at times though and she reminded me of Rachel Reeves, and that was rather worrying.

On 28 minutes Kyle Walker was clear on the right and his cross looked certain to be put into the net by Gordon, but somehow the Newcastle player put it wide. As the half progressed it became increasingly obvious that an equaliser would eventually come. England were being shut down quickly and pressured into passing errors. On 36 minutes Senegal so nearly scored and England were again indebted to Henderson for keeping an excellent effort by Idrissa Gueye out of his goal. Then, just four minutes later Senegal scored that deserved equaliser.

Nicholas Jackson got behind Myles Lewis-Skelly and managed to hook the ball back across goal. The England defenders seemed transfixed, sleeping or both as Sarr roared past Walker to fire home from close range. Just before the break Walker was then booked for a late challenge, and Senegal had impressed with their energy, speed and skills, everything that England weren't showing. The number of times Senegal won second balls was very alarming.

The second-half began with England's slow and laborious build-up whilst the first attack by Senegal was quick and decisive and so nearly gave them the lead until the final shot flew over the bar. Once again the warning was there. A raft of substitutions gave me a view of the picture of the evening. As the manager brought on Curtis Jones, Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White for Kane, Gordon and an anonymous Conor Gallagher, there, still sat warming the bench, was a forlorn looking Ivan Toney who looked unloved and unwanted!

The substitutions paid off though as within two minutes Senegal took the lead! A long ball finds Habib Diarra running clear of defenders on the right-wing. He sprinted into the box, completely unchallenged, before firing a shot through Henderson's legs to the joy of the travelling fans. At this point Herr Tuchel looked like a flummoxed Albert Steptoe on the line not knowing quite what to do next. (Albert Steptoe? Come on, he's a lookalike isn't he?) To be fair, two chances then fell to England as they tried to hit back, as first, Gibbs-White shot straight at the keeper, and then Mendy did well to push a fine Saka shot round the post. Declan Rice and Saka then went off, being replaced by Chuk ( memo to self: must remember to call him Noni) Madueke and Jude Bellingham.

Chances came and went at either end with Henderson again saving after England lost possession once more. Good play by Eberechi Eze ended with a defender deflecting the cross for a corner. Talking of which, we did win a number of corners in this match but we rarely ever do anything from them. But as I wrote that we won another corner which Levi Colwill challenged well for. The ball dropped down and Bellingham fired home what everyone thought was an equaliser. But that excitement was ruined by an appeal for hands against the England defender The referee eventually went to the VAR screen and lo and behold we still haven't done anything from a corner, as the goal was disallowed for a rather harsh handball when it hit Colwill's shoulder. But there you go, that's VAR for you.

The manager then saw the light as with seconds left he brought on the forlorn Toney to try and change the game. When England won a free-kick wide on the right it looked hopeful again but what happened next was Keystone Cops time. Madueke's free-kick was awful and didn't even clear the first defender stood on the edge of the Senegal box with three of his colleagues. They played the ball out and Jones was caught cold and robbed in possession enabling a high speed chase with a four against one situation. Needless to say it was jackpot time as substitute Chiekh Sabaly took possession and easily beat Henderson to seal a famous victory.

Can't wait for the cricket Test Matches to start!! Have a good summer folks.
           

Source Notes