Since arriving in Australia, Sarina Wiegman has stepped up work on a new system, that may not even be unveiled until the knock-out stages. It is an inherent acknowledgement that England are no longer in the strong position they were, but simultaneously something that may yet prove the winning of this World Cup.
This has been reflected in the mood of the camp in Australia, beyond the distraction over bonuses. There is certainly no lack of faith, especially in Wiegman’s ability to come up with something special. This is another benefit of a feat like the Euro 2022 victory. It banishes doubts, and fosters that immensely powerful feeling that everything will go well because the manager knows exactly what they are doing. It is why big games, as in that juncture quarter-final win over Spain, can almost seem like they will go exactly as Wiegman predicts.
