Women's World Cup: The big decisions Sarina Wiegman faces naming England squad

Sarina Wiegman volition sanction her 23-player England squad for the Women's World Cup astatine 14:00 BST connected Wednesday, but with cardinal players ruled retired done wounded and fittingness issues surrounding others, she has immoderate important decisions to make.

Question marks stay implicit the fittingness of guardant Beth Mead and defender Millie Bright. So volition Wiegman hazard those stalwarts of the team, oregon volition their lack unfastened the doorway for immoderate caller names?

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Could immoderate injured players beryllium included?

Millie Bright (left) is expected to instrumentality successful clip but Beth Mead (right) is simply a large doubt

When Mead ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) successful November, it was wide assumed the Euro 2022 apical scorer's World Cup imagination was over.

Wiegman said successful March it was improbable the Arsenal guardant would marque the squad, but successful May Mead said she was "ahead of schedule".

The 28-year-old volition not person played successful a competitory lucifer for 8 months earlier the World Cup and it would beryllium a immense hazard to sanction her successful the squad, adjacent if she completes her rehabilitation, with lone 23 places available.

Also a interest is Chelsea defender Bright who has been absent since March, having had country connected her knee, though her nine brag Emma Hayes said she expects her to retrieve successful time.

Bright is England's main centre-back truthful determination is simply a beardown accidental she volition beryllium selected adjacent if determination is simply a tiny hazard she mightiness not beryllium afloat acceptable for their opening crippled connected 22 July.

Elsewhere, Barcelona right-back Lucy Bronze had keyhole country connected her knee astatine the extremity of April but was expected to beryllium acceptable wrong a month.

If her betterment has gone to plan, Bronze volition surely beryllium selected arsenic England inactive person much than a period to hole for the World Cup.

Manchester City guardant Jess Park had to chopped abbreviated her Everton indebtedness spell successful May due to the fact that of a enarthrosis wounded but is expected to beryllium fit, though goalkeeper Sandy MacIver has ruled herself out.

Midfielder Jordan Nobbs went disconnected injured playing for Aston Villa this period but is hopeful of being selected. Yet she has not featured for England astatine a large tourney since 2017 aft struggling with injury, truthful Wiegman mightiness beryllium cautious of her record.

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How apt is simply a callback for Houghton?

Steph Houghton has 121 England caps but has not played for her state since 2021

Injuries successful defence, peculiarly the lack of skipper Williamson due to the fact that of an ACL injury, person raised questions implicit whether Manchester City's Steph Houghton should gain a recall.

The erstwhile England skipper has not played nether Wiegman and was 1 of those to beryllium dropped from past summer's longlist contempt recovering from injury.

Houghton's England vocation appeared to person ended, but she has had a beardown extremity to the season, playing regularly for City and that could assistance her case.

With elder players White and Scott having retired, and the experienced Williamson and Kirby absent, Houghton's enactment could beryllium invaluable for England.

In April, Houghton said she inactive believes she has thing to connection the squad but "sometimes nary substance what you do, you're not going to delight someone".

It is wide she has not been successful Wiegman's plans previously, truthful it would beryllium a large astonishment if she was recalled.

Who has played their mode into contention?

Bethany England (left) and Hannah Hampton (right) were some portion of the Euro 2022 squad

There has been beardown contention for places successful midfield successful the lack of Kirby and Scott this year.

Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem played a pivotal relation for her club, finishing runner-up successful some the Women's Super League (WSL) and Women's FA Cup, and ending the play successful beardown form.

That could assistance her lawsuit for enactment having been connected the fringes for astir of Wiegman's tenure.

Another subordinate successful beardown contention is Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs. After being recalled by England successful February for the archetypal clip since 2015, she has stayed successful the squad and performed well.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was near retired of the squad for 8 months aft the Euros for "personal reasons", but she has been successful terrific signifier this twelvemonth and returned to the England set-up successful March.

With MacIver's injury, Hampton volition beryllium highly assured of enactment alongside Manchester City's Ellie Roebuck and Manchester United's Mary Earps.

Perhaps 1 of the biggest decisions for Wiegman is whether to prime Tottenham striker Bethany England, who has scored 13 goals since her January determination from Chelsea.

She is the second-highest English goalscorer successful the WSL this season, down Aston Villa's Rachel Daly, but has been overlooked by Wiegman since the Euros.

Leaving her retired would beryllium a arguable decision, but determination is contention for attacking places.

Will immoderate outsiders beryllium considered?

Anna Patten captains the England Under-23s and has been a regular starter for Aston Villa

Wiegman likes consistency - picking the aforesaid starting XI passim the Euros - truthful it would beryllium a immense astonishment if she named an uncapped subordinate successful the squad.

Goalkeeper Emily Ramsey has been selected this twelvemonth but has not featured due to the fact that of injury, portion Manchester United guardant Leah Galton, who has been truthful awesome for her club, said she "remains content" not being progressive internationally.

However, 1 subordinate who would invited a call-up is defender Anna Patten, who spent this play connected indebtedness astatine Aston Villa wherever she formed a formidable concern with Danielle Turner astatine centre-back.

She has been progressive successful England's younker teams and could beryllium considered an enactment with Williamson's wounded creating space.

Another subordinate with an extracurricular accidental is Manchester United's Hannah Blundell. She has started each crippled but 1 astatine left-back successful the WSL this season, and England are highly abbreviated of options successful that position.

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