England head coach Thomas Tuchel faced a storm of criticism following a shocking 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal, a result that prompted him to declare there was "no need to panic" despite the palpable fury from supporters. The loss, coming exactly one year before the 2026 World Cup, marked Tuchel's first defeat as England manager and led to an embarrassing night where players and coach felt the full force of fan displeasure at The City Ground.

Despite England taking an early lead through captain Harry Kane in the sixth minute, Senegal mounted a formidable comeback with goals from Ismaïla Sarr, Habib Diarra, and Cheikh Sabaly. The victory was historic for Senegal, marking the first time an African nation had defeated England. Tuchel admitted his disappointment but claimed to see positives in how his side reacted after falling behind, noting increased creativity and better combinations.

Assessing the performance, Tuchel stated, "The reaction after two-one just showed me that suddenly I saw what I see on the training ground. We are able to do double movements. We are able to find combinations. We have better distance to each other. We find better combinations with more fluidity. We go through gaps. We have chances with back heels. We have suddenly creativity that we were struggling with before." However, this contrasted sharply with the overall perception of an abysmal performance that lacked a discernible plan or identity, suggesting a regression since Sir Gareth Southgate's departure after Euro 2024.

The "brave new era" under Tuchel has been widely viewed as a false start, despite three wins against modest opposition like Latvia, Albania, and a narrow, unconvincing victory over Andorra. Even those games saw signs of fan boredom, such as paper aeroplanes at Wembley. The hostility at the City Ground, with jeers and shouts of "disgraceful," underscored the growing discontent with England's direction just a year out from the World Cup.

Tuchel made ten changes for the Senegal friendly, but many of his decisions since taking charge have been questioned. The recall of 35-year-old Jordan Henderson was deemed mystifying, with the Ajax midfielder having little impact. Similarly, 35-year-old Kyle Walker, earning his 96th cap, endured a torrid evening. He switched off for Senegal's equaliser, was booked for a wild challenge, and was subsequently targeted by the visitors. Tuchel attributed Walker's struggles to a "lack of rhythm" and insufficient game time due to injury.

These selections raised questions about Tuchel's faith in other players, such as Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold, who saw Curtis Jones preferred at right-back against Andorra, and Chelsea captain Reece James being used as a makeshift left-back. The decision to bring on striker Ivan Toney, summoned from Al-Ahli, only in the 88th minute against Senegal was another puzzling move. Tuchel explained he initially wanted a "more fluid and much more physical player" in Morgan Rogers and felt the game was "too physical" for Toney earlier on.

A significant criticism is the lack of a clear identity or noticeable improvement under Tuchel. The coach, known for using three central defenders with wing-backs at Chelsea, has yet to implement this system with England. He appears to be grappling with defensive selections, partly due to John Stones' injury, and has experimented with Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah. His focus seems to be on pace and power, evidenced by Dan Burn's inclusion, but the pieces are not yet fitting together.

Utilising the prodigious talents of Jude Bellingham effectively remains a challenge. Bellingham, who showed frustration when a late goal was disallowed against Senegal, can operate in multiple positions, but Tuchel has yet to settle on his best role within the team structure. The attacking lineup also appears to be a puzzle, with different combinations used against Andorra (Kane, Palmer, Rogers, Madueke) and Senegal (Kane, Saka, Gordon, Eze), and the potential return of Phil Foden adding another variable.

The wisdom of Tuchel starting his role in January, despite being appointed in October, has also been questioned, suggesting three potentially wasted months when time was critical. However, amidst the criticism, captain Harry Kane offered some context, noting it was only the manager's second camp and highlighting the presence of young, inexperienced players. Kane himself has been a consistent positive, scoring his 73rd England goal and having netted in all four games under Tuchel, his best goals-per-game record under any manager.

Tuchel remains outwardly optimistic, framing the Senegal defeat as a "tough learning" experience and urging calm. "We need to accept the criticism and get better," he said. "The World Cup is not next week. We have two more games in September and then we meet again in the World Cup season. We need these kinds of matches to learn." He emphasized England's perfect qualification record so far – three wins, nine points, no goals conceded – and vowed the team "will be competitive in September."