Jimmy_D

Oh wow. Has to score there. HAS to score there.

Oof, expect Italy to go into full-on ‘game-management’ mode now.

Both of these looking a bit leggy/nervous to me, and a bit sloppy as a result. Italy seem to be missing Spinazzola quite a bit, went into this as favourites tonight, but just seem to be missing something. Can see England getting a few chances if we get through to face Spain and they play the same high line.

Defenders all over the world must be experts in pressure and reflex points. One hand on a striker’s arm is usually enough to make their legs stop working.

Expect Italy to win this but think it might take extra time for them to do it.

To be honest it’s really difficult to tell how good Spain/Italy are. They’ve both needed extra time in the knockouts, and even the Italy-Belgium match could easily have gone to extra time. They haven’t been blowing teams out of the water so far, while we’ve gone past everyone, including Croatia and Germany, without conceding a goal. I’m not sure it’s as big a step up for us as we’re expecting. Or as big a step up for us as it would be for them, if we manage to avoid slipping up against Denmark.

R16 predictions were poor, but all three that made it through I also correctly predicted for the QF results.

It’s not just that it’s put everyone in the same boat as us, but also that England have a lot more experience of being in this boat, not least shown by Southgate rotating the squad well, and so far not only avoiding any injuries, but also working injured players back into match fitness.

Feels weird to have just watched an England knockout game and not feel like I’ve played it myself!

What a performance! Biggest Euros win in our history! Best defensive showing in the history of the Euros! No other team has gone five without conceding! So England... time to actually turn this promise into results. Semi-final will start at 0-0, this means nothing there now. Time to reset and prepare to put this sort of performance in against Denmark.

This is actually really happening, right?

Henderson scored Full on tournament management mode now, time to start preparing for the semi-final.

That’s actually a sensible change at this stage. If it does come down to a final against Italy, might be our squad depth and tournament management, doing just enough to win games without over extending ourselves, that makes the difference.

Come on England...

That great big huge forehead is good for something!!! GERRRIN!

That’ll do so far

That was a far more difficult finish Kane has managed there than he made it look

That’s the start we all wanted!!!!

Still don’t think it’s sunk in that we actually beat Germany in a knockout game to get here...

Miracle run that Denmark have been on.

Ouch 😕 That looked potentially serious.

That’s incredible technique for that cross.

Ah well. Italy might be through with that ruthless game management at the end, but it still means Belgium are out.

Didn’t really see a foul there...

Close! That would have been some goal!