00:00England are one win away from sealing their qualification for next summer's World Cup.
00:06Of course, given their recent exemplary record in major tournament qualifying, this isn't a huge achievement.
00:12And Thomas Tuchel's era will be properly judged on what happens in North America in around eight months' time.
00:18Before then, though, the three Lions are in Riga to face Latvia in what is the sixth game of their qualifying schedule,
00:25with the two final fixtures to take place in November.
00:27Last time out, England swept aside fellow home nation Wales in an international friendly at Wembley Stadium,
00:36winning by three goals to nil, courtesy of strikes from Morgan Rodgers, Olly Watkins and then Bakayo Saka,
00:43with all three goals coming in the first half of the match.
00:47We'd seen previously in Belgrade, an England's most recent World Cup qualifier,
00:51that things were starting to come together under Thomas Tuchel, and this was seen again against Wales at Wembley Stadium.
00:58Therefore, it could be possible to say that England are starting to build a philosophy under Tuchel as they head towards the World Cup,
01:06despite some big names being absent for this most recent camp for the three Lions.
01:14Against Latvia, England will, like they have been in every qualifier so far, be the huge favourites.
01:21Despite this, Thomas Tuchel was keen to point out that preparations remain stringent.
01:26Of course, we are aware that we are the favourites, and we are aware that we are the favourites,
01:34and this is also a reality that we expect a win from us, but to be prepared how to win, where to find the spaces,
01:44I think this demands the respect towards the game, because even the teams who play as an underdog like Latvia tomorrow,
01:52they are well-drilled, they know everything about us, because everything is available out there in analysing tools,
01:59so everyone is defensively well-drilled, we expect a deep block in a 5-4-1, maybe a 5-3-2 tomorrow,
02:08so we need to have answers to that, and that comes then with intrinsic motivation,
02:13we will not allow, we don't want to get away with 80%, we don't want to get away with 90%,
02:19we want to put a performance in that makes ourselves happy, that makes ourselves proud,
02:23and this performance should then be enough to beat your team and hopefully get the win,
02:31but we show respect in the preparation, that does not change against whom we play.
02:38At 31, England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is one of the squad's eldest statesmen,
02:43but the appetite for succeeding with his country still remains as strong as ever.
02:47For me, it will be my fifth major tournament consecutive,
02:53and you're going to have challenges along the way in qualification,
02:58and I think we've done really well, we know probably a couple of games we've not scored
03:02as many goals as everyone wants us to score, but the games aren't easy,
03:06and the way teams play is a bit different, but it's great, we've got to get the job done tomorrow,
03:12and it'll be great to get the qualification done and top the group come tomorrow night,
03:17but then we've still got another two good games in November as well,
03:21but it's about getting that momentum with an England shirt on and winning every game you're playing in
03:26and having that feel-good factor.
03:29The prize on offer next summer for the members of England's squad would be immortality in a footballing sense.
03:35The Three Lions have come close to ending their many years of hurt in the two most recent European championships,
03:40but on both occasions they have fallen agonisingly short.
03:45At the World Cup, England reached the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarters in 2022,
03:50and exited on both occasions knowing they could have gone further.
03:54To reach the final in New Jersey would be England's first World Cup final appearance since 1966.
03:59It can certainly be argued that the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel as the England head coach
04:06to be a win-now manager.
04:09England certainly have the players at their disposal to win the World Cup in North America next summer,
04:14and in fact they've had the players to win a lot of the most recent tournaments in international football,
04:20but as mentioned they have not quite got over the line.
04:23Tuchel has a very good record in knockout football in club competitions,
04:28and the FA are hoping that he can transfer this into international football
04:33and finally end England's many years of misery in terms of winning a major competition.
04:40Still lots of football until then, but England are on their way.
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