This was a game that had so much at stake for more than just the guys on the field.
It was also a game that showed us all it’s not always about the best style, but it’s the winning that matters, and that’s something that is influencing the game and the way it is played.
The result proved a lot of doubters wrong and England will be in the final facing an Italian side that is also on the rise. The Italian league is moving forward, like it used to be in days when Gullit, Maldini and Zidane played their football there.
I still think the penalty awarded to England has a big question mark around it, and the referee could have spent more time making the decision as it was such an important one, and I’m not sure it was correct. Having said that yesterday you could see how much the English game had changed on the sense of keeping the ball up to the last minute.
The fans wanted the team to attack and we know how it feels when you are on the field and they motivate you to keep attacking with the noise the fans make. I saw something I hadn’t seen that much of earlier in the game, of how long it took for Denmark to get the ball back.
It was great to watch and it’s what this team is build on. The partnership of Southgate and Holland is so evident the first time I met both in France with the young England team, and spoke to both. The key thing was how easy it was for both to speak and think the same way about the game.
Now they have to finish the job off but that would be far from easy because they are facing a nation that want it more than anything else, too.
Italy play a high pressing game and want to be in control for 90 minutes so it will be a key test to see if England walk right into their trap or they just play their own game. Bring on Sunday! #mmlove