In front of another packed out crowd at Stadium MK on Saturday afternoon, England took to the pitch for their final match on home soil before they jet off to Australia for this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Lionesses battled to a lacklustre 0-0 draw against Portugal, seemingly still shaking off the cobwebs from their brief break after the conclusion of their club seasons. England dominated possession and controlled the game with 67% possession and they created promising chances, but their clinical touch in the final third was notably absent.
England bombarded the Portugal defence across the 90 minutes with a staggering 23 attempts on goal. The opponents held their ground and weathered the storm as Sarina Wiegman’s side failed to convert their dominance into a tangible advantage. Rachel Daly came close in the first half with two pin-point headers, but they were expertly palmed away by Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira and Alessia Russo failed to make her mark in the second-half with a handful of missed opportunities.
Many had looked towards this fixture as not only an opportunity for fans to catch a glimpse of their heroes one last time before another major tournament, but to provide a little bit of insight into Wiegman’s thinking as she battles selection headaches across the pitch. Yet, it seems England’s strongest line-up is still unknown and there’s plenty for the manager to ponder in these final few weeks before their World Cup campaign gets underway on July 22.
When the line-up dropped an hour before kick-off, there was a sense of intrigue as Wiegman veered from expectations. Alex Greenwood, widely tipped to partner Millie Bright at centre-back if the latter is fit, was instead deployed at left back, with Jess Carter and Esme Morgan taking up the central defensive positions. The uncertainty continued further up the pitch as both Daly and Russo were given 45 minutes each, suggesting Wiegman is no closer to knowing who her starting striker will be this summer.
The experimentation did not end there as Lauren James was tried in different roles across the 90 minutes. From playing out wide to assuming a more central number 10 role in the second half, the Chelsea star was handed the chance to display her versatility and stake her claim for a spot in the starting line-up.
Injuries to key players, including Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Leah Williamson, has no doubt contributed to the uncertainty. But the fact remains England’s best startling line-up is still somewhat shrouded in mystery.
“I’m not closer now," Wiegman admitted post-match. "I’m not sure we get closer than this. At the end, you have to make decisions. I think, in some positions, it’s really right. This is not the time to make a final decision because we still have a couple of weeks to go.”
Only six of the players that started the Euros final against Germany last July were named in the starting line-up against Portugal on Saturday. Wiegman’s team often picked itself only a year ago, but a combination of injuries and retirements since the historic day at Wembley last year has left question marks in multiple positions across the pitch.
England will contend another behind-closed-doors friendly once they fly out to Australia, allowing another opportunity to fine-tune selection and solidify chemistry. The battle for places in the starting line-up rages on, which in itself adds another layer of excitement to the tournament.
The clean sheet against Portugal, while not the most thrilling of games, provides a sturdy foundation to build upon and it’s worth remembering pre-tournament matches rarely dictate future performance. Ahead of the 2019 World Cup, England were beaten by New Zealand before flying out to France, but Phil Neville’s Lionesses went on to have an impressive tournament as they reached the semi-final stage before they were ultimately knocked out by the USA.
Regardless, fans will eagerly await July 22 when England begin their World Cup campaign against Haiti in a bid to add more silverware to their armour. There just has to be trust the puzzle pieces will fall into place.
