England struggled to find their feet in their recent international friendlies against Germany and South Africa, sparking concerns ahead of next year’s Euro 2025 tournament.
They fell to a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Germany after a poor defensive showing under the arch of Wembley Stadium last week, and only managed to scrape a 2-1 victory over South Africa in Coventry.
Football might’ve come home in the summer of 2022, but the current Lionesses look like a shell of the powerhouse side that secured European glory two years ago.
Here’s 90min’s breakdown of what England must reconsider moving forward.
The shining light of the October friendlies came in the form of Grace Clinton. After receiving no minutes against Germany, Clinton was awarded her chance in the starting lineup to face South Africa at Coventry Building Society Arena.
The 21-year-old took flight in the areas that Ella Toone struggled to do so against Germany, controlling possession and breaking the lines from her spot in central midfield. Clinton ceased her chance in the 22nd minute, directing a header into the bottom-corner to give England the lead.
As the Lionesses struggle to find inspiration in the final third, Clinton’s powerful presence provides England with the creative outlet that they so desperately need.
Spain currently have the World Cup crown on their head, almost always commencing their games with Salma Paralluelo in the starting eleven. The 20-year-old often takes the spot over established attacking talents such as Alexia Putellas and Mariona Caldentey, recently ranking above both players in the Ballon d’Or Feminin. If the World Champions can entrust a rising talent over established talents, there is no reason why England should not do the same.
Clinton has proved her worth in the WSL, having scored three goals in four starts for Manchester United. Perhaps packing more of a punch in the central midfield than Ella Toone, it could be time for Wiegman to deploy the young midfielder as her main asset.
England struggled against the dynamic German frontline, as a woeful mistake from Leah Williamson meant that Millie Bright’s desperate tackle awarded Germany a penalty in the fourth minute of play.
Uncharacteristic mistakes continued to follow, as England’s muddled structure saw Germany score two more goals before the 30th minute.
The same story followed in Coventry, as a near-exact blunder from Williamson set South Africa up for a goal. The Lionesses were caught for pace on both occasions, as the right-footed quartet of Williamson, Bright, Jess Carter and Lucy Bronze looked completely dishevelled under the arch on Friday night.
Four right-footed players in the defensive line makes breaking down the press a large challenge. England played one-dimensional football out of the back third, too often relying on Georgia Stanway as the only outlet to carry possession into the attacking area.
Alex Greenwood remains the most in-form of the lot, which is why her absence from the starting lineup raised eyebrows ahead of the Germany test. The Manchester City defender came on in the second half, and her first touch on the ball was a line-breaking pass through to Lauren Hemp to open up the left side.
Despite the fact that Greenwood should probably be the first name on the teamsheet anyway, England’s desperation for a left-footed outlet proved to be glaring over the window.
Aggie Beever-Jones was selected in the England senior squad again for the October international break, but didn’t receive any minutes this time around.
It wouldn’t be reasonable to demand Beever-Jones features for England on a regular basis considering her profile is still growing, but the friendly fixtures offered an ideal opportunity to test the young striker on the international stage. Alessia Russo still poses as England’s one true number nine heading into the Euros, and it may be crucial for Wiegman to test her depth options if the Lionesses are to enter the tournament in full-strength.
The decision to bring Beever-Jones into the senior environment for priceless experience makes perfect sense, but with zero minutes across two friendlies, it begs the question of whether she would be better off plying her trade in the Under-23s for game sense development.
The countdown for Euro 2025 is well underway, as the stage in Switzerland awaits for a summer of football action. While other nations prepare for the test, it feels as if England are still living in the past.
Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, Ella Toone. All exceptional talents in their own right and crucial pieces in the 2022 fairytale success. However, the recent friendlies have shown that Wiegman is overcooking what once was a secret hand, deploying the same faces in the same spots no matter what form they are in.
While these players will still play an important role in next summer’s tournament, Wiegman must adapt to the times and reward those in form if England are going to have any chance at retaining their European trophy in Switzerland.
