Secondly he has ensured all the players that have come on as substitutes during the games have been efficient. If you think about it, against Slovenia it was Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon who were very good at the end of the game. Against Slovakia it was Ivan Toney who created the goal for Harry Kane, then against Switzerland it was three players who entered the game: Luke Shaw, Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze before their penalty shoot-out, and then obviously Palmer and Ollie Watkins against the Netherlands.
Four games where the substitutes had a huge impact. That is not a random thing and underlines Southgate’s ability to make substitutes at the right moment and to allow these players to feel they are still part of the tournament.
It is very hard to do that because a player like Watkins – who had just played 20 minutes – could have felt like he was not part of it but Southgate has managed to create a whole-group environment where everybody feels part of the team – that is how you win a tournament.
It is about smart and small details, about the cohesion of a team and about making the right decision at the perfect moment. Those trump playing perfectly and having the right tactics any day.
If you read this Gareth: sorry to have doubted you because at the end of the day you were right. I hope the tournament for you will end more like Malcolm than Hamlet.
View from Spain
Dani Gil
England are like the gifted pupil who settles for a pass. Reaching the final of the Euros for the second time in a row is an undeniable success, but the path has been very different to the one taken by Spain, who have shown themselves to be the best team.
Beating England would be the culmination of a great tournament, defeating hosts Germany and three past world champions. On the other hand, if England were to win, it would represent the triumph of results over performance, of winning at any price, without any further legacy.
The much-missed Luis Aragonés said that nobody remembers who finished second, and if England beat Spain we will always know who won in Berlin. But it is indisputable that Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are a breath of fresh air for the world of football. Spain, with their cheerful, daring and uninhibited approach, have won the hearts of all.
Southgate, on the other hand, has produced limited performances from an excellent team of enormous talent. England has probably the best generation in their history but the feeling, from the outside, is that they are not making the most of their huge potential. To put it another way: if Pep Guardiola coached this team, it seems that England would be a great reference for the others. And unfortunately, they are far from being an example now.