England qualify for World Cup: Win in Latvia seals spot in North America - but now it gets tough for Thomas Tuchel

England have sealed World Cup qualification with a flourish, backing up their big win in Serbia with a 5-0 thrashing of Latvia. But there is no call for celebration - Thomas Tuchel's real work starts now.

A routine progression from a group containing opponents ranked 34th, 66th, 137th and 174th in the world was a given. This was a chance for the head coach to get his feet under the table, explore his selection options and begin to instil his principles of play.

The signs from recent internationals are that his message is starting to get across. But there are still huge steps to take if England are going to "push it over the line and put a second star on our shirt", as Tuchel said in his first press conference in the job…

Build bridges with Bellingham

The first issue can be addressed before England meet up for their dead-rubber qualifiers in November. Jude Bellingham's situation is a problem of Tuchel's own making - and one he needs to start patching up.

That "repulsive" comment about Bellingham's on-field behaviour in June and then the decision not to include the recently fit-again Real Madrid midfielder this month has fuelled unnecessary headlines.

The head coach has insisted England are "a stronger team" with Bellingham in their ranks but that they must also have a back-up plan if he's not available.

Well, Tuchel has explored his options to address the latter scenario over the past two camps. In November, he needs to build Bellingham into his team and figure out a way to keep England clicking with the game-changer involved.

Star-name selections

For all the noise around their relationship, the assumption is Tuchel will recall Bellingham. Cole Palmer will also be back after missing this camp with injury. But the prospects of Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jack Grealish are not so clear.

Foden and Grealish are fit, in-form and overlooked right now. Alexander-Arnold is injured but his bumpy start at Real Madrid and difficulty in nailing down a defined role for the national team is a concern.

It seems incredible, given the huge talents of that trio, but Tuchel will now likely freeze one or more of them out of his World Cup squad - or be forced to sacrifice a player who has delivered for him in qualifying.

"We don't collect the most talented players, we build a team," said Tuchel this month. He may favour less illustrious names in their place.

Foden, Alexander-Arnold and Grealish have a battle to win over the head coach.

Who makes it into the attacking spots?

Narrowing down the names for the squad is one thing, fitting them into an XI is another.

Who plays No 10 for England at the World Cup? Morgan Rogers is the current incumbent. But Bellingham, Palmer, Foden, Eberechi Eze and Grealish would all have designs on the position.

Is one of those players better served coming in off the left wing? Or should Anthony Gordon be running in behind on that flank? What about Marcus Rashford firing off shots with his right foot in that zone?

If Bellingham or Palmer win the battle for the No 10 role, does the other go into a reworked midfield? Or is the Elliot Anderson-Declan Rice combination now protected?

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka look like the only players who have locked in their spots in the attack so far - and even the Arsenal man has heard Tuchel this month stating his club-mate Noni Madueke is giving him real competition.

Fringe factors

Ultimately, the core of the World Cup squad is already picked in Tuchel's mind.

There has been plenty of experimentation during his reign and while there could be a spot available for a player absolutely flying at the back end of the season, wildcards seem unlikely to make the cut now.

Instead, Tuchel will be weighing up his fringe options and how they could provide cover and in-game alternatives.

Adam Wharton is in that category and Kobbie Mainoo - a starter in the Euro 2024 final - will hope to be by the end of the season.

And what of Gareth Southgate's old guard? Is the door closed on Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker - or could they add value with their tournament experience like Jordan Henderson?

Fight fatigue

England have a lot of talent to call on but will they be in peak condition in North America? That age-old issue of whether English players can deliver at the end of a long, hard season in the heat of a summer tournament will resurface again.

North America will be hot, humid and draining. There is already talk of late kick-offs to try to limit the impact of the climate, while Tuchel and his coaches put players through extensive heat and humidity testing in June to pre-empt the problem.

The most effective solution will be to retain possession and control the tempo of matches. But that's another age-old issue for England...

Beat the big boys

When sketching out England's prospects of glory, there is also the limiting concern of how they will get on when they eventually run into a big contender.

England haven't played a top side since losing to Spain in the Euros final. They won just two of seven knockout games against top-10 sides under Southgate.

It feels imperative they face top-class opposition in the March international break to see how they will fare against a team which doesn't put 11 players behind the ball.

Can Tuchel the tactician spot solutions Southgate missed?

Hope for a little bit of luck…

As Tuchel noted at his appointment, he will also need some luck with injuries and with refereeing decisions in games next summer.

But as well as keeping his fingers crossed, there's plenty for the German to be getting on with before England's World Cup campaign begins. This is where it gets tough...

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