Well, the school kids are backing England; our supermarket staff are encouraged to work in their England tops and the majority of the nation will be tuned in tonight, writes John Walsh.
But will the players produce the kind of performance that is worthy of the support that’s been shown back home?
They will certainly have to step up on the displays we’ve seen so far. I don’t think anybody was kidded by the over-the-top comments from the BBC panel after the penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland.
Although obviously pleased that England won, their exuberance was clearly more to do with the fact that they had another gig to line their pockets in mid-week – when it had looked unlikely.
Oh, and please, could somebody at the BBC please tie the insufferable Gary Linker’s hands behind his back – or tell him to sit on them – because that way he might be at a loss to express his thoughts.
England certainly weren’t brilliant – the five penalties maybe – but their performance didn’t even reach very good. Perhaps good, and certainly a little bit better that what we’d seen in the previous turgid performances to get through the group and stumble past Slovakia.
I’m absolutely convinced that England will have passed the ball sideways or backwards more than any other team in this tournament. Surely a blind man can see we are not on the front foot often enough.
It has been enlightening to see other teams producing exciting, open and attacking football – the way it should be played.
Football is a simple game, divided in two – when you have the ball the objective is to score goals, when you haven’t the task is to regain possession as quickly as possible.
Pressing is the new buzzword – but the best teams have always done that. Back then it was called closing down.
A passing game was always the way the best teams played – but it wasn’t tippy-tappy, it was called push and run. The language of football has evolved but the basics are the same.
From the schoolkids, to the supermarket assistants to the guys down the pubs – they want a performance tonight.
Safety-first Southgate has to take the shackles off the undoubted talent he has at his disposal.
We are all rooting for an England win – but for once let’s do it in style – then same again on Sunday.
