England call the Toone and now look serious contenders at Euro 2025

The Guardian

4 days ago

The Greek inscription above the door to the stunning Abbey Library of Saint Gall in St Gallen translates as 'healing place of the soul'. To the west, heart and soul was the talk of the city overrun with red and white shirts, Wales desperate for their heart, their Welsh spirit, to help them overcome a huge gap in quality and professional development over neighbours England.
There would be no healing of the soul for Wales, though there is plenty of heart to take from their first major tournament appearance drawn in the toughest of groups and two goals, including one in St Gallen, set up by the mercurial Jess Fishlock and scored by Hannah Cain against England, was reward for their labour against Europe's elite.
On the rammed buses and then walk to Arena St Gallen the mood was high, and chants echoed back and forth between rival fans. There was banter aplenty and a loud 'IT'S WHATSHERFACE' was shouted by a fan who rushed to get a photo with comedian Maisie Adam; her and fellow stand-up Suzi Ruffell were stopped by fans desperate for selfies every few paces.
For the Lionesses, the 6-1 win over Wales was an example of how to manage emotions rather than be consumed by them. A businesslike focus had settled over the side in the buildup to the fixture, the hard yards run in Zurich against the Netherlands, in St Gallen they 'just' needed to win and the goal celebrations were minimal. This was a game ruled by emotion for Wales, not for the European champions who had already shifted into knockout mode.
Critically, Sarina Wiegman has found the formation and personnel to fit it that makes England a formidable force and serious contender. The set-up in the first game against France had been experimental, Lauren James placed in the No 10 role despite just having returned from a hamstring injury.
It didn't work. After a thrilling start England struggled with a lack of stability in the middle, James was, rightly, allowed to roam, leaving a below-par Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway overrun. Against the Netherlands the shifting of James to the right, in place of Beth Mead, and the return of Ella Toone in the middle proved fruitful. Against Wales, the fruit was ripened, Lucy Bronze and James's partnership on the right restored and reminiscent, at times, of the blistering axis established by Bronze and Nikita Parris at the 2019 World Cup.
Against the Dutch Walsh was the supporting act to the Bronze and James show whereas here, under candy-floss-coloured clouds as the sun set against Wales, it was Toone who connected with the right-hand side and the movement, passing and runs between the gut-busting trio was electric.
It was England's right flank that delivered both the third and fourth goals. First James paused on the ball, time almost standing still as Toone overlapped. The ball was finally played to Toone, who sent in a cross that was met by Lauren Hemp at the far post and nodded in. For England's fourth Bronze, James and Toone combined again, fast-paced passing in their constantly shifting tight triangle bamboozling the Welsh defence, in particular Lily Woodham who was hooked at half-time, before Toone broke to the byline and pulled back to Alessia Russo who poked in.
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As in 2019, the potency on the right is enabled by the work being done on the left, Alex Greenwood's shift back into her old left-back berth for Jess Carter to fit more comfortably in alongside centre-back Leah Williamson, proved desperately needed. With Hemp ahead of her, the left is as threatening as the right, making it harder for opponents to pinpoint and stifle England's attack.
The magical flow of England's flanks was disrupted a little at the break, with Toone and Hemp off in place of Jess Park and Mead, but England's greatest asset is the strength in the depth of the squad. James was replaced by Chloe Kelly later, as was Russo by Aggie Beever-Jones and Bronze made way with 11 minutes remaining too. Freed of the threat of an exit by the first-half feast, England's entire front line and right-hand side was changed but still the goals kept coming.
Eight days ago, England's group stage obituaries were being contemplated in not-so-hushed circles after a bruising and frustrating 2-1 loss to France. Now, after the French's defeat of the Netherlands, England's second-place finish leaves an enticing route to the final. They have avoided Spain on their side of the draw, with a quarter-final against Sweden next. Critically, England's diversity in attack, threat from both flanks and extreme depth in those areas has them looking very difficult to play against.