One instance. One rush of overenthusiasm. One split second of miscommunication. That was enough to leave England’s World Cup dreams in tatters. It was a moment that caused the holes to appear in the Lionesses’ new-found tactical formation, a system that had been a huge key to their success in Australia but also, on this occasion, led to their downfall.
It all happened in a flash with little under half an hour on the clock. Lucy Bronze, a forward-thinking wing-back, surged ahead on an inverted run. Whether she needed to go at that particular moment is a separate debate, with the game firmly in the balance. Miscommunication followed, allowing Spain to win the ball back. A deft crossfield pass set Mariona Caldentey away into the space vacated by Bronze and gave her the room to set up Olga Carmona for the finish.
One-nil Spain, and England never recovered. Questions will be asked about Bronze’s positioning and decision-making, but it was an instance that illustrated exactly how the 3-4-1-2 system can come undone, particularly when faced with the energy and technical abilities of this Spain team.
It was the first real question of a tactic that had served England so well in this tournament. The success at its introduction for their group-stage encounter with China had caused much excitement, but it is a formation that does not necessarily suit an opponent that presses so high and aggressively.
All too often in the first half, England found their wing-backs too high up the pitch and the midfield cut out of the picture. Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway had little space to operate in, meaning they resorted to the option of the long ball more than they would have liked.
“I just think Spain are a great team,” Millie Bright said when questioned about the first half. “They create overloads all over the pitch. They drag you into different spaces.” It was a conundrum that forced a rethink at the break, compelling Sarina Wiegman and her technical staff into a tactical switch.
“We started the game well and we hit the crossbar,” Wiegman noted. “But after that Spain got the momentum. We wanted to press high, but they came out of their press all the time. They also came up with the full-backs and we could not get a press on that. When we had the ball, we couldn’t push up quick enough.
“We thought we needed to go back to a 4-3-3. We wanted to keep Lauren Hemp in the centre with her speed and she was very tight on the ball, and then have Lauren James on and Chloe Kelly. I think in the second half we played better, and we needed the wingers in defence but also in possession too to get them on the ball.”
Wiegman is known as one of the most tactically astute coaches in football. Despite being courageous, however, it is not ideal to have to make drastic changes mid-game. It was a roll of the dice to try to change fortunes. England have proven they are adaptable, but the connections were visibly off despite an improved second half display with the injection of energy from the substitutes.
It perhaps also illustrated the fact that the relatively new system, despite its success, was deployed two games into the tournament rather than being a plan from the start. England’s injuries were integral to this with key personnel missing that made alterations necessary.
The absence of Leah Williamson and the late return to fitness of Bright meant a three‑player defence offered the best protection. For the most part it worked. Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter, in particular, excelled with standout performances and saved the day for their team once again on this occasion. The speed of Carter was a safety net for the Lionesses when faced with a pacy counter while Greenwood’s composure and defensive nous came to the fore too.
Equally impressive was the performance of Mary Earps in goal, bailing her teammates out on several occasions when overstretched by the Spanish counterattack. The shot-stopper made a handful of eye-catching saves, including denying Jenni Hermoso from the penalty spot.
“I think Mary’s performance was really good,” Wiegman said. “She has had crucial saves in lots of games in this World Cup and before that too. I think, of course, it was a crucial moment that she stopped that penalty and I actually [then] thought we had the momentum.”
England’s No 1 dropped to her haunches at the final whistle and the tears flowed. She had done everything she could to try to drive her side to success. Surrounded by her teammates consoling her, she gathered herself to lift a bittersweet Golden Glove award, a well-deserved accolade for her performances in the tournament.
The question now for Wiegman, once the pain of defeat subsides, will be whether to stick or twist with their new system when the Lionesses regroup for the Nations League in a month’s time. A new cycle will begin, the injured Beth Mead and Fran Kirby should return, and new challenges lie in wait.
It may be that the 3-4-1-2 is seen more scarcely, despite the positives on show over the last four weeks – more as an alternative option, rather than the foundation on which Wiegman’s side is built. Many lessons will have been learned and the room for growth is evident in a youthful squad which has clear potential to succeed.
