England’s preparations for this month’s World Cup qualifiers have already hit a bump, as manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed that defender John Stones has pulled out of the squad due to injury.
The 31-year-old, who hasn’t featured for England since last October, was eager to make his return under Tuchel.
But his comeback has been cut short after muscular issues forced him to withdraw from camp.
Tuchel Explains Stones’ Withdrawal
Speaking to reporters, Tuchel explained the situation clearly:
“Unfortunately, John Stones just left.
He came with minor muscular issues and didn’t progress as we thought and hoped he would.
So, he left camp this morning because we will not take the risk. Everyone else is available.”
It’s a cautious approach from the England boss, who doesn’t want to jeopardize the defender’s fitness for the long term.
Harry Kane to Lead England’s Attack
Despite Stones’ absence, England will still field a strong team.
Captain Harry Kane has been confirmed as the man to spearhead the attack against Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday.
Tuchel didn’t shy away from describing the challenge awaiting his side, comparing breaking down Andorra’s defense to “chewing gum.”
He urged his players to show more intensity and enthusiasm than they did during June’s scrappy 1-0 win.
A Tricky Opponent Despite the Odds
On paper, Andorra shouldn’t pose a serious threat.
Ranked 174th in the world, the tiny nation has lost all seven of its previous meetings with England—failing to score a single goal.
Still, Tuchel is wary of a repeat of June’s frustrations, when England lacked sharpness and even faced boos after a sluggish performance in Barcelona.
“I didn’t like it, and it’s also down to me,” Tuchel admitted.
“The structure was not ideal to speed the game up. We made it too easy for Andorra to close us down and slow the match.
This time, we’ve already worked on new solutions to help the players be more aggressive and break down their block faster.”
Eyes on Serbia After Andorra
While England are overwhelming favorites against Andorra, the bigger test lies in their next fixture—a tricky away game against Serbia on Tuesday.
Tuchel knows momentum is key, and he doesn’t want his side stumbling into Belgrade with anything less than three points.
For now, all eyes are on Villa Park, where England will look to turn possession into goals and avoid another nervy night against one of Europe’s minnows.