7th December - Why it really CAN 'Come Home'

I'm a self-confessed pessimist when it comes to England, and even football in general. As an Arsenal supporter, my sense of self-worth has been ground down by Arsene Wenger over the years, and his tactical failings or hesitancy in the transfer market. All those false dawns and promising starts, followed by a plague of injuries and embarrassing collapses in March/April, have taken their toll on me. So much so, that when it comes to the Three Lions, I'm equally skeptical. I remember Southgate's early days, playing Jake Livermore in midfield. I remember the time we played a back 5 and 3 defensive midfielders at home to Denmark in the Nations League, and got resoundingly turned over. I'm not immune to recalling the 0-4 thumping against Hungary just a few months ago.

But despite this, I really must admit, that Southgate has a real knack of getting the best out of this crop when it comes to tournament football. Tactically, he was paralysed when Croatia started to dominate the midfield in that Semi-Final in 2018. We then suffered the same consequence in the Euro 2020 Final against Italy. But finally, we are seeing the team rid of the mediocre vermin which inhibited us for so long. Southgate's trusted generals have finally been exposed and we're reaping the benefits. The stat-padding merchant, Mason Mount, for so long the first name on the team sheet, has finally been dropped. He can no longer run around anonymously for 90 minutes, producing a goal/assist once in every 7 games for his country (and also club, this season). Raheem Sterling, the man who gives the ball away every time he touches it, and whom went 14 consecutive tournament games in row for England without scoring (2014-2020), is back home after the awful scenes in his personal life last week.

What we're left with, are young, hungry, optimistic lions, willing to attack and be brave on the ball with every chance they get. Bellingham, Foden and Saka is a trident more fearful than any left in this tournament. Belgium are home, the Germans have exited, the Italians didn't qualify, and the Spanish - who I was never personally sold on as a major contender anyway, too little in the firepower area - are on the first plane out of Doha this morning. Argentina - who will surely dump the Dutch out on Friday - are a one-man team, and by stopping Messi, you remove their entire threat. I'm certainly not sweating over a midfield of Gomez, De Paul, Fernandez, or Brighton's Alexis MacAllister, and neither should you. The Portuguese are rapidly ageing, and can look suspect in defence, whilst the Moroccans and Croatia will be swatted aside by the time the Semis arrive.

Of the remaining sides left, I see this tournament as a three-horse race. What we're left with, is a Brazil side packed with current (or ex) Premier League players with whom our lads are entirely familiar with... Alisson, Ederson, Danilo, Thiago Silva, Fred, Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Fabinho, Paqueta, Raphinha, Richarlison, Antony, Martinelli etc. And a French side, who are missing Kante, Pogba and Benzema through injury. Varane's best days are behind him, Lloris would be benched if Maignan was fit, and Griezmann has gone 12 games without a goal for Les Bleus. (As well as a paltry 8 in 43 at club level since 2020). What we can offer, which the French cannot, is insane strength in depth. As things stand, the likes of Rashford, Grealish, Maddison, and Alexander-Arnold will begin Saturday night on the bench. All of them are capable of coming on and producing a match-winning moment. With the world's fastest right-back in our midst, Mbappe won't have it all his own way against Walker, and the English defence - who have kept a clean sheet in their past 3 games - look an entirely tighter prospect than a French team who are yet to keep one in this tournament, and only 2 in their last 12, leaking goals against Tunisia, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Croatia, Austria, and even Ivory Coast. It's time to ditch the pessimism, because a win on Saturday, and...

... Football's chances of coming home are looking brighter than ever before!