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LAURA WOODS: ENGLAND TO END 58 YEARS OF HURT?

A Southgate Special Beckons in Berlin

The Euro 2024 final against Spain will be tough for England – the toughest test yet by some distance actually.

Their young wingers, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, have been amazing. Dani Olmo has come into the team virtually out of nowhere and played out of his skin. Rodri will just always be the unsung hero in every team he plays for.

I’m going to sing the Manchester City midfielder’s praises specifically here. That man is a juggernaut of a footballer. He is also on one of those Rodri-style winning runs with Spain at the moment that scares me a bit, if I’m honest.

Spain score goals and play attractive, fluid football. England, in contrast, haven’t been doing that… until the semis. But we have been excellent defensively, an area deemed our weak spot pre-tournament, and we have been winning ugly.

This might not be an end-to-end, open game of attractive football. England might do a Gareth Southgate special. Why not one more ugly win, eh? England on penalties?

No Substitute For Winning

I still think some of the criticism of Southgate’s substitutions has been warranted.

We haven’t played our best football and, at times, have been screaming from our armchairs at late changes and reacting only after we’ve gone behind or not being positive enough when we go ahead – which also dates back to Euro 2020.

But the change of formation in the last two games in Germany has worked and the manager’s substitutes against the Netherlands were perfect.

Southgate is the England manager and that comes with a lot of noise and always will. But we’re into another final and that’s what’s important for now.

No Start For Semi-final Hero

There’s definitely an argument to say Ollie Watkins deserves to start against Spain but I don’t think Southgate will do that.

His winner against the Netherlands was a typical Watkins finish – I love him as a player. From the start of this tournament, the England bench has won us matches. The changes, even if late, have contributed and changed games to get us this far.

Even though we might not have seen the best of him in Germany yet, Harry Kane is world-class and dropping him for a European Championship final is not going to happen.

Nobody likes to be an ‘impact sub’ but Watkins, and the rest of the nation, will remember that goal of his forever.

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Spain Are Serious Adversaries

Spain are the favourites because they have come through the toughest side of the draw and won every game.

They have six victories to England’s three and have taken some serious scalps in the process like knocking out the pre-tournament favourites France and the hosts Germany as well as beating defending champions Italy in the group stage.

Spain have also scored the most goals (13 to England’s seven) and conceded fewer than us too (three to our four).

Yamal, meanwhile, is fearless. He is a world talent that we are going to revel in for years and years.

I watched him a lot in the Champions League for Barcelona this season and was really excited to see him star for Spain at the Euros – but I still couldn’t have predicted this level of stardom.

The picture doing the rounds of him being bathed by Lionel Messi was the icing on the cake. He is the real deal.

So it’s pretty clear why Spain are favourites going into the final – but it’s a final.

Anything can happen… it’s coming home!

Gareth Going Regardless

I think whatever happens in the final against Spain, Southgate will go.

I’ve heard other managers talk about cycles before; having the sweet spot with a group of players only lasts so long and sometimes your cycle ends and you’ve taken a team as far as it can go.

I think Gareth is at that point. His demeanour has been different this tournament. He is slightly sharper in his interviews, seems tired of it and is referencing “the noise” a lot more.

He also spoke about his players being crippled by a fear of public embarrassment in the group stages – although we seem to have shaken that I do think that belief is largely created by the manager.

I am a really big fan of his and I don’t like to criticise because my memories of him have been incredible… and still are. I would love for him to get the send-off and the recognition he deserves and win us the Euros.

His record with England is already impeccable – it deserves some silverware.

Final Word: The Future’s Not Orange

England fans were so heavily outnumbered in the BVB Stadion in Dortmund for the semi-final against the Netherlands. It was a sea, and wall, of orange in there.

The Dutch were in very high spirits and had been all day; I saw them partying in the streets long before kick-off and they completely dominated Dortmund.

And they were singing our songs too. The number of Dutch people who sang ‘You’re going home, you’re going home, England’s going home’ to me was unbelievable.

They had the bottle to sing Sweet Caroline too but, when the game started, it was the English fans who sang the loudest, stayed on their feet and willed their team on to win.

The supporters were there with their tops off, bellies out, tattoos on show and flags flying… and I have never felt prouder. We completely outshone them.

Unfortunately, my orange friends, it’s you going home. Auf wiedersehen.

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