SYDNEY – Days before England flew to New South Wales to touch down at the World Cup, Lucy Bronze made a prophecy.
There was a sense that the Lionesses’ optimism had just been tempered by a goalless draw against Portugal.
Still, Bronze promised that this would be a tournament defined by unexpected heroes, whether the likes of youngsters Lauren James, Esme Morgan and Katie Robinson, or fringe players called upon in the Lionesses’ hour of need.
After the 6-1 thrashing of China, the vice-captain made her point again. “And it has been more than just LJ [James],” she said.
“You look at someone like Beth England, she probably thought she wouldn’t play much at this tournament but she has come on in two games and done really well… People expected us to do the same as we did at the Euros, but I spoke to Sarina [Wiegman] before the tournament and we were both saying this would be harder. People wanted it to be the same but it was never going to be the same. We’ve had to be adaptable and we have shown we can be.”
Indeed there is something a little strange about looking back at footage of the Euro 2022 final now, with eight of those who played a part that day not in the side against China. The average age of the current squad is 25 and the future feels just as bright when it is remembered who has been left at home – Maya Le Tissier, Maz Pacheco and Lucy Parker could all be England starters one day, while Esme Morgan, Katie Robinson and Lotte Wubben-Moy are all included but are yet to play a part.
Katie Zelem has just made her World Cup debut and Laura Coombs, who had to wait eight years between her first and second caps, will be remembered for the role she played in the second half against Denmark stepping in for Keira Walsh.
What Alessia Russo offers is a different flavour to Ellen White, but she may benefit from the 3-5-2 system deployed following Walsh’s injury.
So successful was the new formation that it has been intimated they may continue with it even in the miraculous circumstances whereby Walsh recovers in time to play again at some point in the knockout stages, especially as it has been such a benefit to the young Lionesses.
James, naturally, is the best of them all.
“Patience”, Emma Hayes has warned throughout her two years at Chelsea, a mantra directed at both the 21-year-old and the growing army of devotees determined to see her start every game. They were furious when she started on the bench against Haiti.
Attempts to limit the expectation on the forward may as well have been cast into the Aussie outback after her thrilling display against China, which featured two goals, three assists, and another cracker ruled out by VAR.
It was no real surprise to see her excel, partly because she had already won her first player of the match award at this tournament four days earlier against Denmark.
And to those who have seen her develop at Kingsmeadow, James’ triumphant breakthrough onto the international scene has been even less of a shock.
“She’s a top player and it’s great to see that other people get to see the Lauren James that I see on a daily basis,” says England and Chelsea teammate Jess Carter.
“Coming here on a world stage like this, it’s tough to perform, especially as it’s her first World Cup and [she’s had] not as much international exposure, so being able to go from what she’s been doing at Chelsea and put it here on this big international stage just shows what kind of player she is and the kind of player she’s going to be.
“It was just a matter of time for her. She’s unbelievable on the ball. She’s just showing what she can do and growing and growing and hopefully she’ll be able to do it consistently throughout the tournament.”
Senior players are actively making an effort to take James under their wing. Bronze, who was catapulted into the limelight with her long-range goal against Norway at the 2015 World Cup, added: “I can help keep her feet on the ground but she is good at that anyway. She’s someone like myself who gets misinterpreted a little bit by other players or the media because she hasn’t always got a smile on her face.
“She is quite shy like I used to be. She reminds me so much of myself when I was younger.”
The cautionary word from Bronze is that England cannot “just rely on LJ”, even if it has got them this far and it is wise to note that her career has not always been plain sailing.
James had to leave Arsenal as a youngster to seek regular game time under Casey Stoney at Manchester United, a move she admits was viewed by many as a “step back” because the newly-reformed club were still in the Championship. She helped them win promotion and in 2021, became the most expensive player to move between WSL clubs when she joined Chelsea.
A series of injuries followed and Hayes insisted there were “thing she has to learn tactically” if she were to play as a No 10 rather than on the right. There were glimpses of magic, her young player of the year award and the stunning solo goal in the 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur among them, but also moments of devastation, when she was subbed off after half an hour as the champions went two goals down against Manchester City.
Like so many of the current group, James watched the Euro 2022 triumph from the Wembley stands. Now she hopes not just to be at this World Cup, but to play a starring role in winning it.
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