If Sarina Wiegman is entering into a second phase of her England reign, it stands to be equally as gruelling as the first. The road to Euro 2025 begins now.
Failure to qualify for this summer’s Olympics via the medium of Team GB presents the Lionesses with that rarest of commodities – a whole summer off, with only a casual eye on events unfolding in Paris.
Wiegman constructs the rebuild tentatively. On Friday, her side play the first of the qualifiers for next year’s European Championship, when England will seek to defend the title won to such acclaim at Wembley in 2022. Chloe Kelly, shirt aloft, would go on to steer the nation to victory over Brazil on penalties in the Finalissima nine months later.
It is perhaps no bad thing that England have learned the anguish of the setback since, beaten by Spain in a World Cup final in Sydney that to this day leaves unanswered questions – and ones which must be given riposte if they are to defend their Euros crown in Switzerland next year.
Williamson’s fitness
Much hinges on the fitness of Leah Williamson, who returned from the ruptured ACL that ruled her out of the World Cup in January. She subsequently withdrew from the England squad that travelled to the friendlies in Marbella with a hamstring injury and came off at half time as Arsenal won a second consecutive Conti Cup on Easter Sunday.
Keeping the captain fit – she has not played for the national side since last April – will be pivotal to England’s chances. Williamson’s leadership is needed more than ever, not least because Millie Bright is also battling recurring knee problems.
England’s veterans
Wiegman cannot help but traverse the line between England’s past and present. During last autumn’s Nations League, and even at the World Cup, there was some contention over the long-term future of veteran Lucy Bronze, the most capped current Lioness. Whenever Bronze looks even close to bowing out, she issues a reminder of why she is still first choice right-back. The same goes for Fran Kirby, whose late career has been plagued by health and fitness issues but remains Wiegman’s best option at No 10 when available.
The fringe players
In many ways, England are already on the path to something new. Wiegman looks keen to experiment with Grace Clinton alongside Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway – she is that good it is worth accommodating her – and there are shades of Stanway about the combative Spurs midfielder.
Jess Park is vying to compete with Ella Toone as Kirby’s understudy, excelling in her Everton loan last season. Indeed after a sensational role in the Manchester derby, Park may be wondering what else she has to do should she not start against Sweden. That she has stayed in Wiegman’s thinking is no small feat, though, when others have fallen out of consideration altogether.
Toone, who recently became the first Manchester United Women’s player to hit 50 goals, must seize her chance to show she is more than an option off the bench. Wiegman may want to look again at Hannah Hampton, now Mary Earps’ back-up, while the likes of Katie Robinson, Maya Le Tissier and Agnes Beever-Jones, not in the current squad, can still play their way into contention. There was once a sense that Nikita Parris’ international career was all but over but her upturn in form for United may yet change that.
Lauren James’ form
There is far less headroom now that Beth Mead is back in attack, particularly as Lauren James’ place in the starting XI is no longer debatable.
No English player has scored more than her in the WSL this season and she is outgunned only by Man City’s Jamaican striker Khadija Shaw.
The high line
The Lionesses ultimately came unstuck in the Nations League amid a recurring theme – conceding the same types of goals again and again, with their high line exploited by the Netherlands and Belgium in punishing defeats.
Wiegman may have little choice but to exercise more caution this time around. England learned that the hard way in a competitive Nations League – and they have not been dealt a kind hand in their Euro qualifiers either.
Fixtures
- 5 April – England vs Sweden (Wembley Stadium)
- 9 April – Republic of Ireland vs England (Aviva Stadium)
- 31 May – England vs France (St James’ Park)
- 4 June – France vs England (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard)
- 12 July – England vs Republic of Ireland (Carrow Road)
- 16 July – Sweden vs England (Venue TBC)
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/mtsSOVN
Post a Comment