If Sarina Wiegman’s unbeaten reign as England head coach has felt a little bit too much like plain sailing, that is unlikely to change in the Arnold Clark Cup – but the invitational competition will at least provide a useful litmus test just months out from the World Cup.
England begin their defence of the trophy against South Korea in Milton Keynes on Thursday, before facing Italy and Belgium in Coventry and Bristol respectively.
The big questions Wiegman has to ponder are not restricted to this particular squad. Beth England was on the scoresheet once again in Spurs’ defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, gaining the unwanted record of becoming the league’s first player to score in three consecutive losses.
England continues to shine despite Rehanne Skinner’s side falling to a seventh WSL defeat in a row, while on the same afternoon Ella Toone was dismissed for a dubious red card that has since been overturned. It was a needless moment of rashness and Toone “held her hands up” for raising her hand. Wiegman need not worry too much about her discipline, with Marc Skinner leading the condemnation of Tottenham midfielder Eveliina Summanen’s “playacting”.
The real positives from the weekend’s WSL action came on the south coast, where Rachel Daly cemented her place as the league’s joint top scorer with a goal in Aston Villa’s rout of Brighton that also featured a hat-trick from Jordan Nobbs. There will have been moments when Nobbs, the victim of such cruel luck with injuries, must have questioned how she would break back into the Lionesses squad to add to her 70 caps. Fran Kirby’s latest setback has given her the opportunity.
Perhaps there is an argument that since the rise of Georgia Stanway in central midfield, England will not require a No. 10 who is as combative as Nobbs, preferring the weaving passes of Kirby if both were fit. Nobbs offers both, however, and a contingency plans should one of Stanway or Keira Walsh be unavailable at the World Cup. Leaving Arsenal, the club where she spent 13 years, might not be the step down anticipated after all. Even at the age of 30, she now has the prospect of a fresh start with England ahead of her.
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Nobbs is not the only remarkable returnee, with Laura Coombs admitting she was “surprised” to be back in the fold but “hadn’t given up” as she prepares to win her first England cap since 2015 – one which is thoroughly deserved following her form for Manchester City. Captain Leah Williamson is also fit again after injury and is expected to start in her hometown.
Wiegman has walked a tightrope between leaning on her European champions and giving chances to the likes of Ebony Salmon and Katie Zelem, both of whom can make a claim to the places vacated by Ellen White and Jill Scott’s retirement. Given Lauren James’ Chelsea form there is little doubt she has already forced her way into the World Cup squad.
England players will be the first to admit they know little about what lies in store against the Asian Cup runners-up, with only Brighton duo Lee Geum-min and Park Ye-eun playing outside of South Korea. Indeed, over a third of the squad is made up of Incheon Hyundai Steel representatives, with only the former Chelsea midfielder Ji So-yun a familiar face. Tottenham’s Cho So-hyun, their regular captain, is injured.
The question will always be asked how much England can really gauge from a competition like this, but a year ago it proved the perfect build-up to the Euros. Wiegman is running out of camps before the World Cup and what happens in Milton Keynes will likely not stay in Milton Keynes, but have a bearing on who is on the plane to Australia.
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