You can't ask for more than a winning start to the tournament.

In the first half we came out strong and attacking. In the second we did seem to sit back, but I never felt like we were in danger.

The journey to the stadium and back, however, was much less straight forward.

We ended up stranded on way to the game due to poor organisation and transport links from the fan zone. Luckily I asked a German couple if they could take us and they kindly drove me and my friend to the game, and wouldn't accept any money for it either.

It would have taken around 90 minutes for us to walk there and might have meant missing the kick-off. Also the rain was pouring.

(Image: Alison Schofield)

We ran into the same transport problems for after the game through poor organisation, and so it took four hours to get back to my apartment.

The one consolation, perhaps, was that everyone was in the same boat.

But apart from that we can't fault the food, the atmosphere. Meeting so many people from different nations has been incredible! I haven't seen any trouble and everyone is having a great time.

Back to the football... compared to previous tournaments, our defence doesn’t seem as solid. Injuries have played a big part - I was gutted when it was announced Harry Maguire wasn’t involved. He's been crucial for us, especially in tournaments, with hardly any mistakes. Players like Luke Shaw are still getting fit, and John Stones has had knocks throughout the season. I know Jordan Pickford will do all he can, and I’m happy he is still our number one.

I don’t think we could be much stronger in midfield, on the wings, and up front. The talent is extraordinary and diverse.

Some big names have obviously been left out of the squad. Unfortunately for Jordan Henderson I don’t think Southgate had much of a choice. I agreed with that decision, but I was quite surprised about Jack Grealish. I know he hasn’t played as much this season as before, but just having him around could have boosted the camp. He can really make a difference and have an impact, as we've seen, even at St. James' Park the other week. So, I do think it was a mistake to leave him behind. Even rival fans out here are happy he isn’t in the squad! That surely speaks volumes.

(Image: Alison Schofield)

Sunday night proved that in some games we won't have to push ourselves too hard. From what I've seen in previous tournaments, especially in the group stages, we tend to cruise in second gear. We want to win every match and finish on top, but we should be able to get the job done without too much struggle with the squad we have.

Don't get me wrong, the three games won't be a walk in the park, but we should win all of them. One down, two to go, and I'm lucky I get to go to all the matches.

My hopes are high that we'll make it all the way. Given the talent in our squad, reaching the final rounds seems like a reasonable expectation. We've seen with the Lionesses during the Euros how important the right substitutions are. It's something we've got to get spot on.

The towns and cities I've seen so far are beautiful. I'm staying just 10 minutes from Düsseldorf central in Ratingen. It's lovely here. The weather's been a bit mixed, but I'm hoping for brighter and warmer days soon. I've got lots of sightseeing trips planned for the month, as well as the football.