He will face more about being reactive rather than proactive. But he is there. He carries on and he was amid the celebrations at the final whistle. Give the guy some credit. He has incredible reserves of resilience and transmits that to his team. Can the critics just lay off for once?
Queen’s Under Pressure was played over the tannoy before the shoot-out and while that felt a little cruel but it did not affect England. They missed three of their kicks against Italy in the last Euros final but there was never a chance of them not being converted here. Their preparation was perfect even if they are not playing that way.
The Swiss had defeated the holders in the last round and were always going to be a tough nut to crack and so it proved. They will believe they had the better chances, and struck the goal-frame late in extra-time, but England won. Do not underestimate the importance of togetherness and grit for England who have so often in the past been undermined by a flakiness and lack of belief until Southgate came along.
They owed so much to Saka. He was threat. He was the outlet. But he could not do it on his own. At right wing-back he had the beating of Michel Aebischer. Three times in the first half he went past him, three times there was danger, and with the fourth he prodded the ball back to Kobbie Mainoo who looked set to score but for a vital intervention by Granit Xhaka that deflected his shot narrowly wide.
But chances were few.
For a third successive quarter-final at this Euros it remained goalless at the break which showed, once more, how tight the competition was. And how difficult goals were to come by.
But then the momentum switched alarmingly. Ezri Konsa did well to hold up Breel Embolo, who still got his shot away, and did even better to prevent him make a clean connection with a header but the Swiss were on top. The warning signs were not heeded.
With more than an hour gone, the question was being asked: when would Southgate make changes? He had been criticised for making them late in the previous round against Slovakia. Would he react earlier? In the meantime the Swiss made two substitutions and profited.
They scored. Dan Ndoye created it with his low cross from the right going through Konsa’s legs, with Stones unable to cut it out, only diverting it with Embolo stabbing it home. Immediately Southgate responded by turning to his bench and making a triple substitution. But why did he wait so long?
England needed a response. Southgate needed it and Saka, continuing to be the pick of the players, provided it. He cut in from the right and drove a powerful low shot that gave goalkeeper Yann Sommer no chance as he found the corner of the net, kissing the post on its way in. Switzerland’s lead lasted just five minutes and it was England’s first shot on target.
Southgate kept the shape of the team with Luke Shaw – finally on the pitch - in the back three, Eberechi Eze at wing-back and Bellingham replacing Mainoo as Cole Palmer took his place. Once again England had shifted up a gear after falling behind which shows resolve - although it also begs the question of why it has to come to that.
Even so, the final chance of normal time fell to the Swiss with Embolo distracting his own teammate Ndoye who otherwise would have had a simple header at goal. It was a let-off. England regrouped and, in extra-time, Sommer did well to turn away Declan Rice’s drive from 25 yards.
By now Switzerland looked like they were content to play for the penalty shoot-out. Did England have the courage and ability to break them down? It opened up for Bellingham but he went for placement rather than power and Sommer saved.
Would England play for penalties also? Understandably both sides were tiring, badly, but surely England had to be braver? Kane’s race was run. He had to come off, handing the captain’s armband to Rice and was replaced by Ivan Toney. Kane had actually been pushed into the dug-out as he was challenged by Akanji, clattering into Southgate. It looked like cramp had affected him. He had not played well, either.
So Kane would not be involved in the shoot-out, if it came to that. Before then Alexander-Arnold came on – replacing Foden – was that for penalties? It almost did not come to that with Swiss substitute Xherdan Shaqiri striking the crossbar direct from a corner. It made Pickford smile. Soon he would be in the shoot-out. Soon that smile would be even broader.
