AFTER the phoney war, amid all its echoes of the second World War, the game itself can't come quick enough. It may be the biggest game England has witnessed in 30 years but it is, after all only a game.

A pretty big one admittedly, with England endeavouring to invoke 1966 and all that, while exorcising the ghosts 1970, 1972 and 1990. There is indeed, an astonishing symmetry to meetings between the two, so much so that destiny practically decreed England and Germany meet again tonight in what is bound to be a momentous occasion, even if it were to be resolved by another penalty shoot out.

That was how their Turin World Cup semi final was decided six years ago. If the truth be told, neither side look as good as the participants on that balmy evening. England have blossomed, most definitely, so much so that their marginal favouritism is perhaps justified and the tide of patriotic fervour could now, conceivably, carry them to the final of what, sadly, has been a non vintage tournament.

Without being disrespectful, were the hosts to go all the way it would probably substantiate that theory. In fact, the same might be true of the other semi finalists. None have produced more than one truly top class performance. Starting tonight, Euro 96 requires something out of the ordinary.

England start with some clear advantages, not least the like-li-hood that they might start both halves the better. Though the temptation for Terry Venables will be to keep them on a leash, the backing of the vast majority in another 76,000 crowd is sure to propel his team forward.

Significantly or not, Germany have started practically all of their games poorly before slowly grinding up a gear or two. Put under pressure from the Italians, especially, and Croatia, they demonstrated a surprising propensity for wayward passing from the back. Even the outstanding libero, Matthias Sammer, looked decidedly uncomfortable when confronted by the Azzurri's pressing game.

Venables will have noted that. It will be fascinating to see what line up he plumps for. With Paul Ince returning from suspension and Gary Neville suspended, he may replace the latter with his equally unfazed 19 year old Manchester United teammate and brother Phil or employ one of England's major successes of the tournament, Gareth Southgate, on the right of a three man central defence and flood midfield.

The English coach's options could be limited, depending on the progress of Paul Gascoigne's twisted ankle and Darren Anderton's strained hamstring. "I'm hoping they will be fit but it's tight," admitted Venables. "Gazza might be struggling and Darren has not done anything now for three days."

The prognosis on Tony Adams and Teddy Sheringham is more positive, even though both were restricted to a limited involvement in England's heavy work rate under a hot sun at Bisham Abbey, which witnessed the largest overseas media presence thus far.

Whatever Venables plumps for, a feature of England's games against Switzerland, Holland and Spain has been the tactical success of interval adjustments and storming starts to the second periods.

This is also the hallmark of a good coach. Venables has already reacted with some style to the blatant and shameless way some celebrities and commercial interests have jumped on the English bandwagon and his stock rose further yesterday when he joined in the outcry over tabloid jingoism.

"Let's respect the opposition, starting with their national anthem. If you don't hear a pin drop when it's played, that would be ideal. There is a line on anything in life that you mustn't go over and if you do you've got to take the consequences, said Venables about the media coverage.

Tonight's game will greatly depend on how the Germans withstand the Wembley factor. Even in duress, they only cracked once, and at that fleetingly, against Croatia. No one holds their shape or their resolve better under pressure than the Germans. Nor can a fight back ever be discounted.

However, Juergen Klinsmann's absence is a blow. The onus falls heavily on the only strikers available to Vogts, namely Stefan Kuntz and Olivier Bierhoff. The temptation may be to play only one, given Kuntz is 33, and keep something in reserve, though this would go against the German grain and possibly hand a psychological as well as tactical initiative to England.

"We have given some thought to playing both Kuntz and Bierhoff simultaneously which would put more pressure on the English. The prime consideration in that we dictate the tempo and determine how the game goes," said German coach Berti Vogts.

The threat of suspension hangs over seven German players (and 20 of the semi finalists) but that will hardly prove as much of a drawback as it may have done in the quarter finals. In a non vintage championship, this is not a vintage German team and the feeling has strengthened that England will never have a better chance to win a tournament.

Yet they remain the team to beat and worse ones than this have reached the final of a major tournament Mexico 1986 being a case in point. Having predicted a France Germany final before the start, there are still enough reasons to believe that that will come to pass.