"I am working from home today" - 29/06/21 Englishman

Apprehension is high as we wait for our first knockout game - half cheering the agonising loses of the World Champions France and the reigning champions Portugal - making sure not to shout from the roof tops about the supposed "easy route" to the final, in case we are the next nation to fall and you receive retribution in the form of a sniggering glare or a brick through the window from the neighbours who heard us.

The wait is torturous and right now the English supporters are like a boyfriend waving goodbye to his better looking half, as she embarks on the sweaty circus show which is the new series of Love Island. He hopes for her loyal best, and has even bragged about the limelight to come with her appearance afterwards. But all in all, he - along with the nation - could well be watching her defect to "Dark Dashing Dan" and the dreams are over in an instant. No shiny white BMW. No, football isn't coming home.

"This English team is full of talent". Yes, I agree Mers but in actual fact it has always been brimming with talent (with perhaps the exception of the Roy Hodgson era). The issue for me, and which has driven the log splitter of trust between the supporters and our national team is how we actually perform - the wooden and weirdly un-cohesive attack and the splintering defence. (I am of course referencing our major tournament performances and not the dazzling displays we love to pull out of England's "enthralling" bag against San Marino in a qualifier).

Is this the manager's fault? Partially. I have also suspected that the spectrum of egos at St George's Park has played a role in England seldom being able to string more 4 one-touch passes together. But the days are gone of Neil "Razor" Ruddock exclaiming "Tika-taka? More like Chicken Tika Gaffer". We have the intricate and skilful players now, which the Spanish probably drool over and would trade a handful of their pragmatic bunch just for Phil Foden. So, how do you turn a group of extraordinary and generational, millionaire, walking-talking Tik Toks into European champions? Positivity.

Gareth Southgate isn't going to pull up any trees, I am sorry to say but I am also not going to dig him out - certainly not before a game of this magnitude. On the other hand, to swing in the other direction like Gary Neville and say; "the best thing about this England team is the manager" would be irresponsible and a lie. Gareth has done a fantastic job of positively protecting his players' egos. When everyone is laughing in camp and certain player's performances haven't been up to scratch for club or country, Gareth seems to react like a new puppy owner who finds a poo in the corner of the sitting room. An arm around the shoulder with a soothing tone, that he'll take the grilling from the press - "next time try and do it on the grass, where it really matters."

Due to the juvenile nature of our squad, this approach has worked for the most part, with a sprinkling of tactics switching between 4 and 3 at the back. That may not be a fair assessment of Gareth's nous, but I am yet to have seen it to have believed that Gareth's got it. And I am sorry but in our opening group game we didn't tactically impose ourselves on Croatia, it was more like playing an undynamic Zagreb than the national side of the 2018 World Cup.

The team selection will be vital and if the British media, namely Matt Law at The Telegraph, has reported accurately (which he has done for every England game this tournament) then we are switching to a back 3. This isn't so much as a roll of the dice but more of covering of the pool table pockets in a reactionary attempt to stop Germany's marauding wing backs. This will surely impact Jack Grealish's chances of a starting spot - a spot which should be as nailed on as Hancock's resignation - and there will now be a coin toss for Saka and Foden to start on the right.

With Kimmich and Gosen's ability - the latter with the footballing IQ to turn Kyle into merely a dog walker and the former with the technical gift to make Luke un-Shaw about his life choices - I don't blame Gareth for this switch, however this is how I would like us to walk out on to the Wembley pitch:

Pickford, James, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Saka, Henderson, Rice, Grealish, Kane and Foden.

There will be a perennial distrust in Pickford on my part, but he has been fantastic in this competition. I will be happier seeing Walker enclosed by the sound defensive capabilities of Stones and Reece while we have the brave and charismatic link up of Saka and Grealish on the alternative flank. Henderson's forward thinking and Declan's motivational-mopping could well be the correct amount of balance required to diminish Kroos and Gundogan's developing partnership. Meanwhile, our front three speak for themselves, although it would be reckless to drop our only scoring man, Raheem. I can only justify his departure by claiming his energy off the bench could well be needed, especially if the great Alan Shearer is right and we are destined for a long night and penalties.

Finally, my prediction is based on the formation switch and the personnel Gareth is likely to deploy: 90mins 1-1, 120mins 2-1 England. Come on England!