Lauren James sparkles in cameo as Wiegman looks to answer questions over starting XI

The Guardian

15 hours ago

You should never read too much into the final warm-up game before a major tournament, should you? Try telling that to any of the 25,088 fans at the King Power Stadium, as they were singing Sweet Caroline at full time, waving proudly their flags of St George and rejoicing in the seven goals that England had put past Jamaica. In such goalscoring form, glory will surely be England's again ...
No, you should still never read too much into the final warm-up game. Just ask the England men's team of 2016 who, on the eve of the European Championship that year, managed a 1-0 victory against Portugal – one of those sides went on to win the tournament, while the other was knocked out by Iceland.
The Lionesses have been good at tricking us all, too; in 2019 they endured a shock defeat against New Zealand in Brighton shortly before travelling to France for a Women's World Cup, where they defied that abject performance to go on a run to the semi‑finals. Similarly, they made us endure a goalless draw with Portugal at Stadium MK before they flew to Australia in 2023 but that did not stop the Lionesses progressing all the way to their first World Cup final.
What this match certainly did offer, though, was a strong indication of Sarina Wiegman's preferred starting side, just six days before her team will meet France in their Group D opener in Zurich. Since England's squad announcement, eight of the starting personnel have felt relatively nailed on, if they could all stay fit, with three key question marks remaining.
The first of those was around the No 10 position, with Ella Toone, Grace Clinton and Jess Park all bringing their own different qualities to the role. Sunday night proved to be Toone's chance and she took it in style, scoring twice inside the first half. She could have added a couple more, but her confidence-boosting double was timed perfectly and she will fly to Switzerland on Monday with an extra spring in her step. She is a player whom Wiegman has routinely trusted for the big occasions and those two words adequately describe the meeting with a hugely talented France side.
The second question was: 'Who will start at left-back?', with Jess Carter and Niamh Charles both in contention. A significant clue was provided on Saturday when Carter was handed the pre‑match media responsibilities.
The Gotham FC defender did indeed get the nod on a warm evening in the East Midlands, and she took her opportunity well. In the first half particularly, she combined nicely down the flank with Lauren Hemp, underlapping to good effect, as well as combining for one‑twos with Georgia Stanway and making strong bursts into the box to aid the attack. Carter's match fitness also looks strong, which is perhaps a byproduct of her being in the middle of her club season in the NWSL.
The third question surrounded the right-sided forward role, a position where England are stacked with world-class options, with Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly and Lauren James all offering pedigree.
James's return from a hamstring injury sustained in April meant she was only on the bench, with Wiegman saying on Saturday that she would manage James's minutes, but when the Chelsea forward was introduced in the second half her skill level immediately stood out. Jamaica defenders tried to stop her but there was little they could do as she toyed with her markers, skipped away from challenges and demonstrated her effortless ability to progress the ball up the pitch. Interestingly, though, she was doing so from a central, No 10 position after being brought on to replace Toone, while Mead played 90 minutes on the right and Kelly – who can also play anywhere across the forward line – was introduced on the left flank, when Hemp was given a rest.
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James flourished in the more central, free role, and dinked a perfect cross to the far post for Russo to score with 19 minutes remaining, in the middle of a Mexican wave that was circling around the stands. It was as if James had felt offended by the insinuation that this dynamic and free-flowing performance was not entertaining enough and so she served up something special.
By the end of the game, as Mead tucked in the seventh, all of the players were oozing confidence, and perhaps the main takeaway there is that – whoever Wiegman picks – England's attacking options from the bench look dangerous enough to worry any of the 15 other defences that will be contesting this European Championship.
Perhaps James's and Kelly's late cameos were enough to prove they should take on France from the start. Or perhaps not. You should never read too much into the final warm-up game.