Euro 2024 comment: Bakayo Saka shows the best of British as England continue to display a strong jaw - but little else

Because there was little else. Again.

Prior to Saturday, there was Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick and ‘who else?’ celebrations against the Slovaks after England went to the well again, an oasis in a desert of Three Lions mediocrity spanning four matches.

Make that five with Gareth Southgate’s side still standing. Incredibly.

Bellingham’s moment in Gelsenkirchen was relieving, but the beaming smile and redemption story of Bakayo Saka - played out amid another dirge not far away in Dusseldorf - was truly wholesome and something to behold.

As he stepped up to take his penalty in the shoot-out against the Swiss - showing a fair amount of guts in the process - you admired but inwardly feared for the young man who was the subject of heinous abuse after his spot-kick miss in the final of Euro 2020.

The Arsenal player nailed it. It was cathartic, the tale had finally come full circle. For Stuart Pearce at Euro 96, think Saka on Saturday and the nation was with him. Saka showed the best of British in the process.

Magic briefly triumphed above the mundane for England. Not long after, Trent Alexander-Arnold slotted home the decisive penalty - another nice episode after being the fall guy following game two against the Danes. With respect, Saka’s moment was the one that will truly last in hearts and minds.

Other than that, what else was there at the weekend? A good goal in regulation time from Saka, Ivan Toney’s nerveless spot-kick when he never looked at the ball, Harry Kane crashing into his manager and colliding with the dug-out.

As a collective unit – certainly in their offensive work – England continue to stumble.

They have produced ten efforts on target in five matches at this competition. That many, you say? And they somehow find themselves in a semi-final against the Dutch in Dortmund on Wednesday night.

They have had more lives than ageing Downing Street mouser Larry the Cat.

The one thing that England have got going for them collectively - other than luck and their ability to take penalties so far - is their defence at least.

While their attack has palpably malfunctioned and the Bellingham-Foden axis continues to underwhelm, their backline are displaying the right sort of consistency. It’s just as well.

Ezri Konsa slotted into a back three in the absence of Marc Guehi with minimal fuss on Saturday and his manager will have a call to make with the latter now available again following a one-match suspension.

England’s concession of three goals in five matches - two of which have gone to extra time - is impressive in the circumstances and points to a team who can go far in the competition.

Little else does, but hey ho. And unloved sides can reach finals. Think Germany in the 2002 World Cup and Argentina back in 1990.

England have failed to set pulses racing, but find themselves in the last four. They are doing it the hard way and showing resolution at least. They have displayed a strong jaw so far.

So have France in the other side of the draw, in fairness. Could they meet in Berlin’s Olympiastadion next Sunday?

While the English fare was again pretty bang average once more, they looked slightly more convincing - although not massively - in a 3-4-2-1 formation which morphed into 5-4-1 without the ball as they matched up with the Swiss.

Their shape was disciplined and they had willing disciples such as Saka, whose work-rate was relentless.

While Harry Kane again looked tired, Saka was tireless and fresh as a daisy when it came to penalties.

For England to find a way without their insurance blanket in Kane was something as well. Something they will have to do going forward as well.

Any other positives aside from the obvious? While Saka and Konsa received clear ticks, there was further evidence to suggest that the decision to elevate Kobbie Mainoo to starter in the middle ground was the right call.

Much talk over the last few years has revolved around Foden, the Stockport Iniesta. Mainoo - a teenager from the same town - is the one who is instantly looking the part in the international stakes. Unlike several others, his numbers stacked up on Saturday.

Mainoo is England’s present and future at the tender age of 19. An operator who is easy on the eye in marked contrast to some of his team-mates.

Elsewhere, more questions than answers - not for the first time.

But England are still here in the final full week of competition business and aren’t going away.

Their German counterparts have painted prettier on-pitch pictures but find themselves watching the rest of the tournament - one played out in their own country - from the sofa now after saying Auf Wiedersehen.

That’s tournament football and it is their own arch-rivals from the Netherlands alongside the English, the French and Spanish who will convene in Munich and Dortmund.