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Until Germany came to visit on Friday, England had never conceded four goals in a single game under Sarina Wiegman. After letting in three before the break for the first time in almost 10 years, the fourth marked the worst defensive performance in the Dutchwoman’s tenure – both statistically and on the eye. While the final score was eventually close at 4-3, it certainly flattered England.
In eight months’ time, the Lionesses will start their European Championship title defence in Switzerland and so, in that sense, this defeat could be something of a blessing in disguise, as it could serve as a well-needed wake-up call for a team that has the ability to retain that trophy, but only with some improvements.
“None of us ever want to lose, but if we don’t lose, we’re never going to learn, and if we don’t play top opponents like Germany, we’re never going to be ready for the Euros,” was the take of defender Jess Carter after the game. “I think we’d all take days like this now, rather than in however many months’ time.”
So, what will Wiegman, her staff and her players have taken from Friday’s defeat? And, with three more friendlies in 2024 to come, how can those issues be addressed before Euro 2025 kicks off? GOAL picks out six areas that need attention…
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GettyDepth in midfield
England have a whole host of options in the No.10 position, but what about the two roles behind it? Over the last few years, Keira Walsh has locked down the holding role and Georgia Stanway has done the same in the box-to-box position. They’ve formed a great relationship by playing together so often, and in so many big games, and they will almost always be picked if they are fit, not just for important matches in qualifying or at tournaments but also in friendlies. That’s part of the problem.
Wiegman is well-known for playing her tried and trusted XI very often, with her not making a single change to her starting line-up through the Euro 2022 triumph. While that helps players build relationships, it does also prevent those on the fringes on the squad from having partnerships that are as strong, and it also hinders a national team’s ability to build real depth in certain positions.
That’s the case in midfield for England. For a long time, Walsh’s main competition for the holding role was Katie Zelem, but she hasn’t been called up since December. The former Manchester United captain moved to the U.S. when she joined Angel City in the summer, a move that felt good for her career and progression as a player. However, last week, Wiegman was clear on where Zelem stands right now in her England team. “We keep an eye on her, but at the moment, she’s not in our plans,” she said.
As for Stanway’s competition, that has come from different players over time, albeit not in a particularly strong sense since Jill Scott retired after Euro 2022. Laura Coombs and Jordan Nobbs went to the World Cup last year, yet neither played much in the build-up to the tournament and only Coombs got game time at it, with two substitute appearances totalling 96 minutes.
If something was to happen to Walsh or Stanway in a crucial moment, who would be there to step up? Some of those No.10s could adapt and drop deeper, as could Stanway to Walsh’s role, but there is no natural option to back-up either, and especially not one who has been exposed to the England environment properly.
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GettyLack of a proper left-back
One issue that has been prevalent throughout Wiegman’s tenure is the lack of options at left-back. There’s a reason why Rachel Daly, a No.9, played every game there at Euro 2022. Of course, it’s not entirely the coach’s fault that there isn’t a go-to player in this position. This is international football; you can’t just go out and buy a left-back. However, it’s hard not to feel like a better solution could’ve been found at some point in the past three years.
There have been English players playing at left-back in that time who haven’t really got a look in. Gabby George has had a few call-ups but has never actually played minutes under Wiegman, Hannah Blundell’s last involvement with England came in 2019 and Poppy Pattinson wasn’t selected this month, despite starting the season strongly with Brighton in what is a position of need for England. None of these options are flawless. George’s position has changed a lot for club, Blundell is right-footed and Pattinson has been thriving as more of a wing-back. One way or another, none have suited Wiegman’s plans.
At the moment, Niamh Charles, who is missing from the October camp due to injury, is England’s first-choice left-back. She is a practical option, given she plays the role at Chelsea, even if she started out as a forward. But that she is not left-footed does present a slight issue, especially given the rest of Wiegman’s defence is also usually right-footed.
If Charles isn’t available, as she wasn’t on Friday when England faced Germany, there are a lack of suitable replacements, too. Jess Carter, who can play anywhere across the back line, filled in at Wembley, but she hadn’t played the role since doing so for England in July – and it showed.
Is there something Wiegman can do to prevent this being an obvious weakness? Is there another option she could look at before the Euros next summer? Could a return to the 3-5-2 formation from the World Cup help mask the issue? Only time will tell whether she believes it is a big enough problem to find a solution.
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GettyDependence on Bronze
England also have a slight right-back problem. It’s a position Lucy Bronze has held down for years now, but with her celebrating her 33rd birthday just this week, it’s certainly fair to wonder who her successor will be, even if she is bullish about playing at the highest level for as long as she can.
For a spell, Maya Le Tissier looked like the obvious choice. After coming through as a central defender, Hope Powell moved her to right-back in her third senior season at Brighton, pointing to her fitness and athleticism as reasons why she believed the youngster would thrive there. She was right, and Le Tissier excelled.
However, in the last few seasons, she’s moved central again at Manchester United. Head coach Marc Skinner believes what Le Tissier contributes in possession makes her more influential for his team there, but that has cost her more opportunities with England. Wiegman sees her as a right-back but has been grouping her in with the centre-backs when choosing her squads, because that’s where she has been playing. That approach has certainly been questioned by many, given the coach has often played the likes of Daly and Carter in roles they do not play at club.
That appears to be changing a little bit now. Le Tissier has twice started at right-back in 2024 and she replaced Bronze from the bench on Friday. Unless another player for this position emerges, Le Tissier is the best option Wiegman has to build up as a strong back-up for Bronze and she should continue to give her opportunities there ahead of next summer’s Euros to ensure she is ready to step up if needed.
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GettyGreenwood’s role
It was both surprising and unsurprising to see Alex Greenwood among the substitutes on Friday against Germany. Surprising because she has been the best, most consistent and most in-form English centre-back for several years now, but unsurprising because she has struggled for starts for her country throughout 2024 despite all that.
Only once Leah Williamson suffered her ACL injury last April did Greenwood really get a run in the team in her best position and she took it, easily marking herself out as England’s most impressive performer on the way to the World Cup final. However, since Williamson has returned and Wiegman has ditched the back three, which allowed her to slot more of the top quality centre-backs at her disposal into her XI, Greenwood has lost out.
What made it more surprising on Friday was that Williamson has not been in good form. “That just kind of sums up how she’s been playing this season,” said Ian Wright on punditry for ITV, referring to the sloppy pass from the Arsenal star which led to Germany’s first goal. “I know that’s the England captain but Alex Greenwood is playing better at the moment and the way Alex Greenwood takes care of that ball, we probably don’t give away that goal [if she plays].”
It’s difficult to know what to say anymore. Greenwood is clearly England’s best centre-back right now, and has been for a while. She would only improve this team if given the opportunity on a regular basis.
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Getty ImagesPicking in-form players
But it’s not just about arguing for Greenwood to start. Her lack of game time fuels a growing concern among fans that players are not being rewarded for club form. “I think when someone’s playing that good and can’t get into the team, that, for me, causes problems elsewhere,” noted former England international Karen Carney on ITV. “Even Chloe Kelly hasn’t played and can come on.”
Jess Park and Grace Clinton were two others who Wright picked out as unfortunate not to be picked given their recent performances in the Women’s Super League. Park has been thriving for Manchester City through the early portion of this new season, while no player in the WSL has scored more goals than Clinton. “You have to feel for them,” he said, with Ella Toone, the player picked to play in the No.10 role on Friday instead, failing to really impact the game on this occasion.
There is still a match on Tuesday against South Africa in which these names may see a lot of minutes. But these are players who have earned opportunities to play in the big glamour games and prove that they can do it against the toughest opponents. It’ll be a disappointment that they didn’t get to do that from the start on Friday given how well they have been playing.
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GettyRefreshing the tried and trusted XI
Giving these in-form players the chance to show what they can do only feeds into another issue, which is that Wiegman’s tried and trusted XI feels like it is getting a little bit stale. One big positive that comes from playing a similar line-up on a regular basis is the familiarity and understanding that develops – and yet, that was hardly seen on Friday. At times, these players didn’t look like they were on the same page, especially not when it came to being organised in defence.
Asked why that was the case, Wright said on ITV: “I don’t know. I think there’s maybe a little bit of complacency. I wouldn’t like to say it… But it did seem a little bit lethargic. They need some more energy in the midfield. It was totally bypassed, whether it was a pass or by pace. I think it needs a little bit of a change up, not just the players like Jess Park or Grace Clinton. It needs other players as well, some younger players to freshen the whole place up a little bit.”
Wiegman constantly talks about how much competition for places there is in this England squad, and yet her first-choice XI feels like it has hardly changed over the last few years. Seven of the players that started on Friday were also in the line-up for the Euro 2022 final. Some fresh blood would surely make a difference, but for it to do so, those new players need to be starting among Wiegman’s preferred XI, not in the kind of heavily-rotated one that one would expect to see on Tuesday against South Africa.
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