In quest of a position in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Thomas Tuchel’s England faced Senegal on Tuesday evening, and one player, in particular, has gotten a lot of criticism for his performance at the City Ground.
Following a close 1-0 victory against Andorra on Saturday, Tuchel – only the third non-Englishman to hold the role – made numerous personnel changes ahead of the match against Les Lions de la Teranga, including the return of Arsenal poster boy Bukayo Saka.
The inevitable Harry Kane opened the score after just seven minutes, but Ismaila Sarr equalised five minutes before half-time. Senegal’s Habib Diarra then scored to make it 2-1, as England attempted to deceive on home turf. Cheikh Sabaly scored three in the dying stages.
England’s star struggles in the 3-1 defeat to Senegal.
Caught napping during their opponent’s first goal of the night.
As Tuchel, regarded as one of the world’s top managers, and his entourage prepare for the showcase competition next summer (if they qualify), the performances have been subpar. And against Senegal, there were several stars who drew notice for the wrong reasons.
None more so than Kyle Walker, who is due to return to Manchester City shortly after a loan spell at AC Milan. With his England debut in 2011, the one-time Champions League winner has plenty of experience, but are his days numbered?
Senegal’s first goal came while he was napping, and Sarr took advantage of his bad placement – see it here. As expected, he did not pop off the page after winning zero ground duels. With 53 touches on the ball, you’d expect him to be more involved going forward, but just half of his crosses were accurate, and his defensive figures were as disappointing: four clearances and one interception.
“Kyle Walker has already been beaten for pace, was caught out for Senegal coal, and is now scheduled for a late challenge on Diouf. Walker used to be England’s Mr. Reliable. No more,” reputable journalist Henry Winter wrote about the defender.
Experienced on the international stage, Tuchel’s decision to bring the seasoned 35-year-old stateside may divide opinion, especially given how fortunate they are in the right-back position: think Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tino Livramento, Reece James, and the like.
Walker Labelled ‘Woeful’ By Three Lions Faithul
‘Why is Kyle Walker even in this squad?’
Suffering defeat was not on England’s agenda, and the Three Lions supporters, furious in the face of defeat, have expressed their displeasure with Walker’s performance in Nottingham Forest’s 30,445-strong stadium.
“Kyle Walker is absolutely finished, not good enough for the top level,” one admirer conceded, while another described the Sheffield-born player as ‘woeful’. They asked, “Why is Kyle Walker still playing for England in 2025?” “Poor defender.”
“Kyle Walker is so shocking,” a third fan commented. England’s talent pool is flourishing, and one supporter, writing on X (previously Twitter), maintained that Walker’s inclusion is simply preventing an up-and-coming kid from gaining his Three Lions stripes.
“Why is Kyle Walker even on this team?” He’s so over it and squandering the opportunity of a young youngster.”
Another commented, “Every time I glance up, I see Kyle Walker out of position; how does he keep getting into this England team??? Awful defender who relied on his speed to get him out of bad positions. However, he is losing his speed.”
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