England face Spain at Wembley in the Nations League on Saturday night in their first game since the World Cup. The match carries significant weight for Thomas Tuchel, with the potential to set the tone for the rest of his reign as England manager.
Incredibly, England's last three games have come against the last three world champions: Argentina in that semi-final, France in the third-place play-off and now Spain. A win, particularly in style, would help England move on from the disappointment of the summer and give Wembley something big to cheer.
Fan mood and Wembley atmosphere
Wembley can be a tough crowd, with fans getting fed-up, bored and frustrated fairly easily. England fans were incredible in the United States in the summer, buying into the team, worshipping Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham and serenading the whole squad to a chorus of Wonderwall.
The fans have largely bided their time with Tuchel, who was critical of them for being too quiet at Wembley. They responded in Latvia last October with chants of "Thomas Tuchel, we'll sing when we want" and "Thomas Tuchel, are we loud enough for you?" Tuchel enjoyed it and called it "good humour."
Perception and squad quality
In the summer, fans chanted his name and got behind him and the team, but then Argentina happened and the majority saw it as an opportunity wasted. Tuchel has said 99.9 per cent of fans who come up to him are largely positive and start talking about Mexico.
This team needs a result on Saturday. Tuchel needs it, to bring back the aura of a world-class, Champions League-winning manager. But this is all about perception, and one result can change everything.
England have a bit of a mix and match squad, but there is passion in the way Kane speaks and quality in the likes of Elliot Anderson, Jarrel Quansah and Alex Scott, who all played - and beat - Spain in the Euros under-21s quarter final last year. It is about proving it. Yes, it's the Nations League, but this tournament throws up some A-List fixtures and is still a competition, and it is very important for Tuchel and his future.
