Sarina Wiegman has now assembled the 23-players that will represent England at the World Cup next month for a training camp at St Georges Park.
Standby list players Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier and Emily Ramsey are also training with the group, with Park and Le Tissier set to fly out to Australia ahead of the first game in Brisbane, in case they are required. But ahead of the campaign, the Lionesses' manager still has one major problem in defence.
With captain Leah Williamson missing out on the tournament after an ACL injury she picked up towards the end of the season, England are without one half of their first choice centre-back partnership. Millie Bright is included in the squad after her own injury problems, having not played since March due to a knee problem. Bright and Williamson started every game during the successful Euros campaign last summer.
Bright is expected to be fit for the Lionesses' opener against Haiti on July 22. But even if the Chelsea stopper and England vice-skipper does make it, who will partner her in defence? Considering the England boss sticks rigidly to her starting XI during a tournament, selection for the first game is crucial.
Here are the options open to Wiegman in the middle of the backline.
Alex Greenwood
If judging the race for the position purely on club form, Alex Greenwood has to be in the driving seat approaching the tournament. Greenwood was Man City's most consistent defender in the WSL throughout 2022-23 and rarely put a foot wrong for her club side.
Her awareness in possession and strong passing range make her a similar option to Williamson. Like the Arsenal star, Greenwood's weaknesses in defence are her ability in the air and vulnerability to pace.
But Wiegman's main issue with selecting Greenwood in the centre of defence is that she is moving her first choice left-back out of position. It could bring further instability to an already altered back four.
Would Rachel Daly then have to reprise the role she performed at the Euros and start at left-back? This would be a much more controversial call this time around, with Daly coming off the back of a 22-goal season as a forward for Aston Villa. It would also mean mean only Alessia Russo and Beth England would remain as the squad's natural central forwards.
Greenwood may be the obvious choice to partner Bright throughout the tournament, but that could bring further disruption to England's defensive plans.
Jess Carter
Chelsea defender Jess Carter offers another option to Wiegman and has the advantage of having regularly played alongside Bright in a back three at various points during the past season. Carter is a versatile player who is equally capable of playing at wing-back or full-back but has shown she is a reliable option in the middle of defence.
The 25-year-old produced an excellent display at left-back against Brazil in the Finalissima and the Lionesses' boss knows she is a consistent performer when selected. But Carter was in-and-out of the Chelsea starting XI towards the end of the season which could count against her.
Her speed and understanding with club teammate Bright mean she is a solid option, should Wiegman wish to keep Greenwood at left-back. Carter is definitely a full-back by trade, but her ability in defending one-v-one situations could see her selected as the ideal foil for Bright.
Lotte Wubben-Moy
Lotte Wubben-Moy is perhaps the most natural centre half of the available options. But the Arsenal centre-back wasn't always first-choice at her own club last season, to thrust her into the firing line for England could be a risk.
She was part of the squad at Euro 2022, but didn't get on the pitch and hasn't featured in every international meet since. Equally, Wubben-Moy did play her fair share of football due to various injuries suffered throughout the season by both Williamson and Rafaelle Souza. She was excellent in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final away to Wolfsburg, but then made a decisive error in the second leg as the tie headed towards a penalty shootout.
In addition, most of her best performances this season came as part of a back three rather, a system that almost certainly won't be employed by the Lionesses this summer. Her and Bright would give aerial power in the middle of defence but they may be exposed for lack of pace in the latter stages.
As a popular member of the squad, Wubben-Moy will take on any role given by Wiegman. But that may be as a substitute rather than starter.
Maya Le Tissier
This is more of a wildcard as Le Tissier's inclusion is totally dependent on a player having to withdraw from the squad. At this stage, so close to the World Cup, you wouldn't wish that on any individual.
But if England are required to dip into their standby players, Le Tissier should be first choice. The in-form Man Utd centre-half was the only real shock omission from the 23, when announced last month.
Plenty of pundits, journalists and fans named Le Tissier in their WSL team of the season and with good reason. She was one of the key players as United pushed Chelsea all the way in a thrilling title race.
At the squad announcement Wiegman said: "[Le Tissier] was really close [to being selected], she will train with the team. That was a hard call, like all the defenders we had to think about and she didn't get there with the 23."
That implies that if she does end up in the final squad, she will be in with a real shout of making the final squad.
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