Finally, some good old fashioned screaming at the telly - in a good way. England showed up tonight, good and proper. The midfield conundrum finally settled, with Foden roaming and a constant menace, Bellingham more shackled to that inside left slot, providing much needed balance (and support for the still woefully out of place Trippier).
The Arsenal contingent remembered that they are excellent players, and played with the energy they displayed all season. Rice can look very ordinary when he doesn't play with purpose, and he brought that in spades. Saka was bright and had the beating of his man all game.
Shit, even Kane looked relatively ok, though his very style, in my mind, made the defensive job much easier for the Netherlands, with no channel runs and rarely a threat anywhere high up here pitch.
It didn't look good early on, Simons thunderous strike making me worry the inevitable was going to happen, but then in weighed the suss ref to award England an absolute bonus penalty. Kane recovered from the suspected broken foot he seemed to be simulating, to sweep home the penalty with the same foot, and then what followed was the awakening of actual England. Foden's feet dancing, Saka probing, Rice and Mainoo pressing and recycling. It was lovely.
Fears crept in during the second half. Had Southgate demanded they return to type, or had Koeman's changes just nullified us? Would we even see any subs? As the minutes ticked by, deja vu looked to be knocking at the door. The game was screaming out for Watkins, and yet it was still a massive surprise to see him actually being subbed on.
What happened next we will see replayed over and over, every four years. An absolute template Watkins goal, the fast diagonal run, the simple first touch to create the angle, the walloped finish to the far post, low, clean and true. Any other Villa fans know that this is what he does. Not just in general, but exactly, systematically, repeatedly.
Now all that remains is the decision about whether we want to carry that threat into the final, or hope that the ref coughs up a chance for our incumbent penalty talisman. Once again it is over to you Southgate.
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