England: What World Cup positions are up for grabs for Lionesses?

1 year ago 43

England line-up successful the Arnold Clark Cup against Belgium

It is conscionable 4 months until the Women's World Cup kicks disconnected successful Australia and New Zealand - truthful what positions are up for grabs successful the Lionesses' squad?

Sarina Wiegman's broadside instrumentality connected Brazil and Australia this week successful the last scheduled matches earlier the tournament.

There is plentifulness of contention for places and BBC Sport takes a look astatine who could beryllium successful the moving for them.

Greenwood a definite but contention astatine centre-back

Rachel Daly's signifier for Aston Villa successful onslaught this play - she has 13 goals and 3 assists successful 17 matches - has made it hard for Wiegman to disregard her arsenic a centre-forward option.

The versatile Euro 2022 victor has been utilized arsenic a left-back passim the bulk of Wiegman's tenure but impressed arsenic a fig 9 successful England's Arnold Clark Cup triumph successful February.

With Daly again named arsenic a guardant for April's matches, it gives Manchester City's Alex Greenwood different accidental to nail down her spot arsenic the starting left-back for the World Cup.

Greenwood's presumption seems nether small menace portion Daly continues to beryllium utilized arsenic a striker - but determination are places to combat for successful the squad arsenic back-up to regular centre-back pairing Leah Williamson and Millie Bright.

Arsenal's Lotte Wubben-Moy was initially near retired of this month's squad but was a precocious replacement for the injured Bright and volition beryllium keen to amusement Wiegman wherefore she should person been called up successful the archetypal place.

She came disconnected the seat to assistance Arsenal grounds a superb Champions League quarter-final triumph implicit Bayern Munich past week and was a well-liked subordinate of the Euro 2022 squad.

However, she faces stiff contention from Chelsea's Jess Carter, Manchester United's Maya le Tissier and uncapped West Ham defender Lucy Parker for a spot successful the World Cup squad.

Kirby doubts unfastened up midfield spot

Aston Villa midfielder Jordan Nobbs has not featured for England astatine a large tourney since 2017 aft struggling with injury.

She suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) genu wounded earlier the 2019 World Cup, missed retired connected enactment for the Olympics successful 2021 with Great Britain and had genu issues again anterior to Euro 2022.

But pursuing a January determination to Villa from Arsenal, Nobbs has rediscovered her signifier and has fought her mode backmost into the England set-up.

She is 1 of conscionable 5 midfielders successful the squad for Thursday's Finalissima against Brazil - with Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem missing retired - truthful it is different accidental for her to impress.

England's midfield is pugnacious to interruption into with Bayern Munich's Georgia Stanway and Barcelona's Keira Walsh steadfast favourites to start.

But determination could beryllium a spot up for grabs with Chelsea's Fran Kirby, who started each lucifer past summer, having not featured since February due to the fact that of injury.

Young Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone has prospered successful Kirby's absence, going from super-sub to starter, and volition beryllium pugnacious to permission retired of the broadside but Nobbs has plentifulness of acquisition which Wiegman volition value.

Daly pushing Russo arsenic wingers conflict it out

England's options successful onslaught are world-class and this is wherever contention for a spot successful the starting XI is astatine its highest.

Wiegman said successful February she did not cognize her champion XI, though it is improbable determination volition beryllium galore changes successful defence oregon midfield.

Competition has grown further since their Euro 2022 triumph with striker Ellen White retiring and Ballon d'Or runner-up Beth Mead all but ruled retired with an ACL injury.

That means 2 of the 3 starters successful England's frontline from past summertime volition apt alteration astatine the World Cup.

Manchester City duo Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp are competing with Chelsea's Lauren James for the winger positions - though Hemp and James tin besides some play centrally.

But possibly the astir intriguing question is who volition beryllium England's fig nine?

Manchester United's Alessia Russo was the back-up for White past twelvemonth and played a cardinal relation disconnected the bench, scoring 4 goals successful six substitute appearances connected the mode to the title.

But Daly's signifier for Villa, her awesome displays successful onslaught astatine the Arnold Clark Cup and the information she started each crippled astatine Euro 2022, whitethorn person pushed her up the pecking order.

England's options successful onslaught are truthful beardown that Tottenham striker Beth England, who has netted 5 goals successful her past 7 WSL games, has not adjacent had a call-up this year.