By Ian King
The street to 2026 continues
The Tuchel Period is upon us. The brand new England supervisor kicked off his spell in cost (and bid for a spot on the 2026 World Cup finals) with a workmanlike 2-0 win in opposition to Albania on Friday evening. A win is a win, and the supervisor was forthcoming about his workforce’s shortcomings afterwards. Latvia began theirs with a 1-0 win in Andorra, however extra broadly their type has been wretched. Andorra, the Faroe Islands, Armenia, Liechtenstein and Moldova are the one groups they’ve overwhelmed within the final 4 years.
First ever assembly
That is the primary time that England have ever performed Latvia, whose soccer affiliation was initially arrange in 1922 however who had a break of fifty years earlier than reforming in 1990 because the nation gained independence from the Soviet Union. The England ladies’s workforce beat the Latvia ladies’s workforce 20-0 in 2021 in a World Cup qualifier.
Key gamers
If there was one factor that England have been lacking on Friday evening it was targets, and Latvia’s lowly place ought to give Tuchel the chance to let his gamers run wild a bit. If he begins once more – and he was withdrawn in opposition to Albania – Marcus Rashford more and more looks like a participant who might actually do with a aim after 9 appearances for Aston Villa with out one, although it ought to be added that he’s actually come shut and that his performances since his mortgage have broadly been respectable.
There’s not a lot celeb to be discovered within the Latvia workforce. They solely have one UK-based participant, and that’s defender Daniels Balodis of St Johnstone, who signed for them on the finish of the January switch window. Their high goalscorer is Jānis Ikaunieks of RFS. He’s scored 12 targets for them in 64 appearances, and he’s one among simply two gamers of their squad to have reached double figures alongside fellow striker Vladislavs Gutkovskis, who’s scored 11 in 51.
Workforce Information
Anthony Gordon was the participant who changed Rashford on Friday evening, solely to limp away himself and subsequently be withdrawn from the squad. Whether or not which means Rashford will get one other begin is open to query, nevertheless it’s hardly as if Tuchel is in need of attacking choices as a substitute and a possibility could have opened up for Morgan Rogers, who was launched concurrently Gordon on Friday evening, to be thrown into the combo. Latvia emerged from their journey to Andorra with no contemporary harm considerations.
Prediction
Thomas Tuchel survived his first take a look at because the England supervisor and Latvia ought to be extra comfy opponents than Albania have been. He could select to relaxation a number of gamers from that match, and as ever getting the end result within the first place must be the precedence. However Latvia are ranked one hundred and fortieth within the present FIFA rankings whereas England are ranked 4th, and a 4-0 win completely shouldn’t be past the house facet, and it might be extra.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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