ENGLAND star Elliot Anderson was criticised for “basically doing nothing” against Panama and leaving manager Thomas Tuchel with his “hands over his head”.
The Three Lions topped Group L with an uninspiring 2-0 win over the Canaleros on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey thanks to Jude Bellingham’s opener and Harry Kane’s historic goal.
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England star Elliot Anderson was criticised for ‘basically doing nothing’ against Panama Credit: x.com/CBSSportsGolazo
Anderson dropped too deep in between the centre-backs denying England of midfield power Credit: Alamy
Tuchel’s men put together a hapless display in the first half that saw them return to the dressing room with a goalless draw, while group rivals Croatia and Ghana threatened their position as table leaders.
And CBS Sports pundit Mike Grella singled Anderson, 23, out for dropping back in between the centre-backs and depriving England from important midfield power.
Grella, 39, claimed that tactic forced Kane, 32, who became the national team’s all-time record World Cup scorer, to cover in midfield with a whopping ten Panama players in front of him and his team-mates.
The ex-Leeds and Brentford midfielder insisted that tactic overwhelmed England’s midfield and attack so much that Tuchel, 52, was left totally bewildered.
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Grella told CBS Sports Golazo: “Elliot Anderson would come in here between the centre-backs and then it’d be like this:
“Three guys, you could put a blanket over them. Three guys passing five years to each other and this [Panama forward] able to shift no problem.
“Not drawing anyone in. Think about if you’re him [Panama central midfielder]: Happy days.
“Think about if you’re him [Panama centre-back]: Happy days. ‘I’ll help out my [centre-back] partner here, be able to step into midfield. Happy days’.
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“England have to get in these spots [the centre circle] and in these spots [the area between the centre-circle and Panama’s penalty box].
“And too many times we would get a midfielder [Anderson] from the midfield three come out in between the centre-back and basically do nothing and not be aggressive enough – again you’re playing Panama, with all due respect to them.
“And also, in the first half, when Elliott Anderson was coming here [between the centre-backs] you got Harry Kane coming in here [midfield].
“And Tuchel even had his hands over his head. You got Harry Kane coming in here [midfield] and this ball going to him. He’s in front of this [Panama’s four-man] midfield lot.”
This comes after Anderson joined Manchester City from Nottingham Forest following a record £116million deal that made him the most expensive British signing of all time.
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