Sarina Wiegman’s side produced another fine display in beating Switzerland but how will they respond if they fall behind?It has reached the point where possibly the biggest concern about England is that they are still to lose under Sarina Wiegman’s charge.After 12 wins, two draws and 84 goals scored since her installation it is clear the Lionesses are a force to be reckoned with but, as Euro 2022 hurtles towards us, no one is quite sure how they will react in adversity. Continue reading...
Sarina Wiegman continues to show her influence in a fine win against the Netherlands - but have Lionesses peaked too soon?It is almost five years since a bomb scare in the eastern Netherlands left England’s team bus completing seemingly endless circles of the dual carriageways surrounding Enschede.By the time the local police confirmed it was a hoax, Mark Sampson’s Lionesses were behind schedule for their Euro 2017 semi-final against Sarina Wiegman’s Netherlands and arrived at FC Twente’s stadium much later than intended. Continue reading...
Manchester City defender’s inclusion in the provisional squad has caused debate but big match experience could prove vitalWhen the news broke that Steph Houghton had been included in the provisional 28-player England squad for the Euros, social media went into overdrive.Defenders and detractors were out in force, with the latter greater in number. The former England captain has not played since January, when she competed five times before reaggravating the achilles injury that had kept her out since September’s international break. Continue reading...
The tournament in England could be huge as the hosts are contenders and the game is championed as never beforeWe are becoming accustomed to hearing moments in women’s sport – on and off various fields, pitches, courts, pools and tracks – be described as gamechanging. It could be seen as an overused phrase or an exaggeration given how frequently it is rolled out. Except women’s sport is benefiting from a broader movement and advocacy for women in society generally – against sexism and abuses, for reproductive rights and equal pay – and the broad increase in consciousness around these issues.What is no longer acceptable in wider society is also not acceptable in women’s sport and athletes, coaches and the women’s...
England’s 20-0 hammering of Latvia was indicative of a trend in international games and pre-qualifiers can be part of a solutionIn the past three months 29 European Women’s World Cup qualifying games have concluded with a winning margin of seven goals or more. England’s 20-0 hammering of Latvia broke a record set by Belgium’s 19-0 defeat of Armenia last Thursday to become the highest-scoring Women’s World Cup qualifier ever. These results are not the exception that they are in the men’s game; when the haves and have-nots meet they are increasingly the rule.The gap is getting bigger and it is not a result of some countries investing and some not (although that is a factor in a minority of countries)...