Manchester City have seven players named in Sarina Wiegman’s 26-player England squad at the Arnold Clark Cup: Alex Greenwood, Ellie Roebuck, Laura Coombs, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly, Sandy McIver and Jess Park, who is on loan to Everton in the Women’s Super League.
Park and McIver are yet to make an appearance this international break, however, Coombs etched her mark by confidently stepping back out onto the pitch over seven years after her previous call-up for England action. While ‘shocked’ to get the nod from Wiegman, the 32-year-old put in a shift throughout the latter stages of the host nations’ opening game against Korea Republic.
Fellow City and now England teammate Greenwood was thrilled: “Oh yeah brilliant. Laura’s a great person and has been in really good form for the club and I’m really happy for her to get this recognition that she’s been getting.”
In a Sky Blue shirt, Greenwood has laid claim to the centre-back role this season however showed versatility in the ACC tournament opener pushing over to play left-back, a position familiar to the natural left-footed player. She enjoyed pushing higher up the pitch and offered a double-team attacking threat alongside Kelly down the left flank, something England could exploit should they need.
She said: “It’s a position I’ve played most of my career in any way so it becomes natural. It is different to playing centre-back and there’s areas of the game I have to change but it’s fine. I have to practise it in training but I’ve got good team-mates around me to support me to do that.”
It's understood Greenwood use the stats to negotiate a new contract with the club earlier in the season and for progressive pass distance and touches on the ball Greenwood is the top player in the WSL, according to the numbers. Whilst she is also listed in the top 10 for progressive carrying distance and amount of progressive passes completed in the 12 WSL games featured in so far, proving to be an invaluable and versatile player for both club and country.
She continued: “I’m just really enjoying my football. I’m enjoying playing for England and I think it’s important that when you’re happy off the pitch, it replicates on the pitch. Stats are great and stuff but I want to win football matches. If those stats were the other way around and we were still winning then I’d be happy.”
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