Keira Walsh injury: How can England replace key midfielder in next World Cup game?

Keira Walsh was taken disconnected connected a stretcher aft 38 minutes against Denmark and returned to the dugout connected crutches

When Keira Walsh went down clutching her genu during England's Women's World Cup triumph implicit Denmark past Friday, you could person heard a pin driblet wrong the stadium successful Sydney.

The 26-year-old, who played each but 4 minutes of England's palmy Euro 2022 campaign, is wide regarded arsenic 1 of the champion midfielders successful the satellite - but she volition not beryllium disposable for the Lionesses' last radical crippled against China successful Adelaide connected Tuesday.

"How bash you capable the shoes of idiosyncratic similar Keira Walsh?" erstwhile England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"She is fundamentally the link. She brings others into play and [chances that] typically extremity successful a extremity oregon a changeable connected people travel done Keira Walsh."

Having mislaid Walsh for astatine slightest 1 game, what are Sarina Wiegman's options to regenerate her successful midfield?

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'People underestimate Laura Coombs'

Laura Coombs had not played for England for 8 years until a instrumentality successful 2023

Manchester City's Laura Coombs came connected for Walsh against Denmark to gain her sixth planetary cap, and could beryllium an option.

Walsh is simply a holding midfield specializer who dictates play from a heavy relation but erstwhile Coombs came on, she played successful a much precocious role. That meant regular starter Georgia Stanway dropped further backmost from her accustomed much attacking position.

A twelvemonth ago, Coombs was hardly connected England's radar, having not played for her state since 2015. Yet present the 32-year-old, the oldest subordinate of the Lionesses squad astatine the tournament, could capable 1 of the astir important positions connected the pitch.

She surely has the enactment of her team-mates, with Rachel Daly describing her substitute show against Denmark arsenic "phenomenal".

Striker Bethany England added: "Coombs is an experienced player. Maybe radical underestimate her astatine this level but I thought she did fantastic coming successful for Keira.

"She held the shot up well, linked well, settled consecutive into the crippled and it didn't look similar we were missing anything."

Coombs helped resistance England to a 2nd triumph successful 2 matches successful Australia by doing the elemental worldly well.

In the past 2 seasons astatine Manchester City she has played a important role, helping to clasp possession and bring their originative stars into play. She is reliable and composed successful possession, which could beryllium invaluable for England.

Will Wiegman opt for experience?

Only Alex Greenwood and Lucy Bronze person much caps for England successful the existent squad than Jordan Nobbs

Wiegman's squad is comparatively inexperienced - lone 7 players present went to the 2019 World Cup, including goalkeeper Mary Earps who was an unused substitute, portion conscionable 7 of the 23 players person picked up much than 50 caps.

With Walsh missing, Wiegman has mislaid a leader. She could opt for planetary experience.

Aston Villa midfielder Jordan Nobbs is simply a creative, attack-minded player, truthful is not a nonstop replacement for Walsh but she is simply a erstwhile England vice-captain, with 71 caps, and is astatine her 4th large tournament.

She could travel successful arsenic a fig 8 but that would mean dropping Stanway, arguably England's champion performer successful their opening match, backmost to a holding relation wherever she whitethorn not beryllium arsenic a effective.

Could Zelem beryllium England's pivot player?

Katie Zelem had a bully play with Manchester United arsenic they finished runners-up successful the Women's Super League

Another enactment is Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem.

She fought disconnected contention from Aston Villa's Lucy Staniforth to marque the squad, having been edged retired of the last 23-player enactment for Euro 2022.

Zelem has made conscionable 8 appearances for England and has mostly been retired of favour with Wiegman but she is utilized to being a pivot subordinate for her nine successful the Women's Super League.

Like Walsh, Zelem is idiosyncratic who connects the defence to the onslaught and switches play effectively. She has a bully passing scope and is simply a set-piece specialist, which could beryllium an further weapon.

But fixed Walsh's unsocial prime connected the shot and her quality to find spaces, England whitethorn find it hard to regenerate her with a consecutive swap.

They whitethorn beryllium forced to alteration enactment from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-1-3 with 2 holding midfielders doing Walsh's job, leaving either Ella Toone oregon Lauren James to beryllium originative arsenic a fig 10.

Either way, England's squad extent volition beryllium tested.

"It's astir the 23 players we person present and utilising each azygous 1 of america connected and disconnected the pitch," said winger Chloe Kelly.

"It's important we are each acceptable to play. It volition beryllium an accidental for idiosyncratic else."