Sarina Wiegman made it clear that not a single minute will be wasted w hen the Lionesses meet up next week ahead of a double-header in Spain to conclude their fixtures for a history-making year.
The 2023 World Cup sits just nine months away, and the England boss has brought in new and old faces to ensure that the squad she selects for the tournament in New Zealand and Australia is the most competitive yet. Wiegman has cut herself as a creature of habit in squad selection, but the strength in depth she possesses in her squad, coupled with a need to foster competition, could prove a perfect opportunity for those players eyeing a starting berth.
With a final weekend of domestic fixtures left before England’s clashes with Japan and Norway in Murcia, Mirror Football looks at the six players who need to deliver a convincing performance this weekend to play themselves into Wiegman’s starting XI.
Lauren James
Fans could have been forgiven for thinking Lauren James misjudged her return to champions Chelsea from Manchester United last year given the limited game-time the 21-year-old found herself privy to. How typifying, then, is James’ patience and dedication this season as she continues to cut herself as a player unleashed.
James started in England’s goalless draw to Czech Republic but was a substitute in the friendly against rivals USA. Yet, her remarkable start to the Women’s Super League season has refused to relent as she netted two goals and notched an assist in the Blues’ 3-1 victory over Aston Villa last weekend.
Chelsea take on table toppers Man Utd this weekend, and if James demonstrates the kind of tenacity and dominance she has displayed all season against United's gruelling defensive partnership in Millie Turner and Maya Le Tissier, one can’t help but consider what that level of dynamism might reap in England’s front line.
Ella Toone
Fran Kirby has been forced to withdraw from Wiegman’s 25-player squad due to a viral infection and the absence could prove fortuitous for Toone. The 23-year-old has played an integral role in firing Man Utd to the top of the WSL table with creativity and composure consistently underpinning her performances.
It is that lethal combination of attributes that make Toone an obvious candidate for a starting berth in Wiegman’s lineup next week, particularly if she performs to the level the league has become so accustomed to when she meets title rivals Chelsea this weekend. How difficult that challenge proves could send an important message to Wiegman in the days leading up to the first of the Lionesses’ double-header against Japan.
Maya Le Tissier
A first-call up for Le Tissier feels more than fitting for a player that has helped Man Utd to five clean sheets this season and a place at the top of the table. The 20-year-old has had a dream start to her debut season in Marc Skinner’s side, scoring a brace in the season opener against Reading and forging a formidable partnership with Millie Turner at the heart of the Reds' defence.
A clash with league rivals Chelsea presents the perfect opportunity for Le Tissier to prove her quality to Wiegman. If Le Tissier shows the level of composure and maturity that has punctuated her recent performances and manages to keep James and co. quiet, it is difficult to imagine Wiegman overlooking the Guernsey -born defender for a starting role.
Ebony Salmon
It’s difficult to argue with nine goals in 13 appearances in the Women's Super League, so the calls for Ebony Salmon to be included in the starting XI risks sounding like an open-and-shut case.
The Houston Dash forward was an unused substitute in England’s victory over the USA but she earned herself half an hour in the goalless draw against Czech Republic when she replaced Lauren James, marking her first minutes under Wiegman. The 22-year-old's goal-scoring exploits are well known and while Salmon’s season has come to its end, her form is striking and there lingers the sense that Wiegman could reward the resilience Salmon showed in moving to Houston this season and hitting the ground running.
Jess Park
The effervescent attacker was left out of Wiegman’s original 25-player squad but Kirby’s forced omission through a viral infection has seen Park return to the fray.
While an unused substitute for the Lionesses’ most recent clashes against the USA and Czech Republic, the absence of Kirby could mean Park gets a starting nod if she delivers a standout showing this weekend against Tottenham.
Park, on loan at Everton from Manchester City, has consistently stolen the show for Brian Sorensen’s side and featured in all six of their WSL matches. Her consistent impact earned her a first senior international call-up in September. The Toffees have struggled to match the ruthlessness of their rivals, but Park shows glimpses of an ability to fill that void.
Wiegman is keen on handing more responsibility to youth players. If Park channels her ability more consistently, she cuts herself a convincing candidate.
Katie Zelem
The Man Utd midfielder has relished a strong start to the season and her efforts have been duly rewarded with a call-up to Wiegman's 25-player squad. Zelem's consistent performances are typified by her featuring in every WSL match so far this season has United staking an unexpected claim to the league title.
Zelem's maturity and command has proved particularly integral, and with five other United players comprising Wiegman's ranks, there lurks the sense that Zelem could just play her way into the starting XI if she demonstrates the kind of inimitable dynamism in midfield that she has this season in their showpiece clash with Chelsea on Sunday.
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