England's rampant attack renders the goalkeeper narrative obsolete

New York Times

2 days ago

This piece was supposed to be about goalkeepers.
Sentences had been drafted, paragraphs were forming, conclusions were ready to be drawn.
Hannah Hampton's performance for England against Portugal was about to be analysed within an inch of its life after Mary Earps' abrupt international retirement made the Lionesses' goalkeeping position the headline story of this international window.
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Earps, 32, was imperious during England's 2022 European Championship triumph and run to the 2023 World Cup final, but unexpectedly called time on her international career on Tuesday, just five weeks before Euro 2025 kicks off, having lost her starting spot to Hampton, 24.
Friday's Nations League fixture against Portugal was England's first match since Earps' out of the blue announcement. This was going to write itself.
A re-draft was potentially on the cards inside just five minutes at Wembley as England raced into a 2-0 lead through Aggie Beever-Jones and Lucy Bronze, but it was still early days.
A re-write was seriously being considered by the half-hour mark as goals from Beth Mead and Beever-Jones further extended England's advantage.
By the time the half-time whistle had been blown, England were leading 5-0, Beever-Jones had completed her hat-trick, Hampton had yet to lay a glove on the ball and the backspace key was taking an absolute hammering.
Chloe Kelly added a sixth in the second half to emphatically ensure that in a week dominated by goalkeeper discourse, England's forward line made themselves the story. In a week where feelings were mixed within the squad over Earps' decision and the way it unfolded, England turned in a performance of cohesion and togetherness.
'As cliche as it sounds, Sarina said it's a new kit, new England today — go out there and put a graft in basically,' Beever-Jones told reporters at full-time. 'I think her words were 'destroy them', in her Dutch accent.
'For us it was just executing the game plan, and in the first half we were really good at that.'
The game plan, as Wiegman described in her post-match press conference, was to 'press really early and high, and win the ball back as soon as possible'.
This came to fruition within three minutes. Bronze led the counter-press, Jess Park's hustle forced the mistake from Portugal midfielder Andreia Norton, and Beever-Jones capitalised. England's coordinated, aggressive press again paid dividends just 90 seconds later as Jess Carter won possession on halfway and fed Lauren Hemp, who scurried past Ana Borges. Her delivery eventually found its way to Bronze to head into an empty net.
It was one of a number of encouraging first-half moments from Hemp, who looked particularly sharp on her return to the England side for the first time since October following five months out after knee surgery. Within the opening 30 minutes, she had caused chaos with a surging run, sent in a teasing delivery that narrowly evaded Beever-Jones, and expertly spun Borges on the touchline.
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The Manchester City winger was withdrawn shortly before the hour mark and is yet to complete a full 90 minutes since returning to action at the end of April. Hemp has been ever-present at major tournaments under Wiegman and Friday was a timely reminder of the unique threat she brings.
'I'm building up, I'm working hard, training hard,' she said at full-time. 'Obviously, it's been a long time so I'm trying to not put too much pressure on myself, but I want to contribute as much as I can.'
Hemp was joined by the returning Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood, who were introduced from the bench in the second half following lengthy injury lay-offs of their own, in a further boost to England ahead of Euro 2025. 'They've worked so hard to get where they are right now,' Wiegman said.
The England head coach emphasised how positive training had been for her side in the week and while the Lionesses' opening two goals were derived from their press, goals three and four capped slick team moves. 'Connections' has been a buzzword of the Wiegman era and Friday's game was the first time she had fielded a front four of Hemp, Park, Beth Mead and Beever-Jones — the quartet combined impressively throughout.
It was Beever-Jones who the night belonged to as she completed her hat-trick on 33 minutes, latching onto a fine Leah Williamson pass and firing low past Ines Pereira. The 21-year-old Chelsea forward was making just her sixth senior international appearance and her first for her country at Wembley. 'She is a goalscorer,' Wiegman said, before praising her quick feet and ability in tight spaces.
Portugal offered little resistance compared to the side that had held England to a 1-1 draw back in February, and tougher tests will come for the Lionesses — starting with a trip to world champions and group leaders Spain on Tuesday.
But Friday was just what England needed as a blend of Wingman's trusted regulars and fresh faces turned in a performance to ensure the conversation was about those present, not those absent.