Lauren James experiment or Erica Parkinson debut? England & Sarina Wiegman’s No.10 options amid concerns over Ella Toone’s ‘level’
Toone is now heading to Crete with the group after being a late injury call-up, but given Wiegman said just last week that Toone’s level was not where she expected it to be, thus leading to her initial snub, it’s hardly expected that she will be first choice in the No.10 role in these upcoming games.
So, there are a few trains of thought surrounding the position for this upcoming international break, which is made up of a two-legged tie against Greece, who the Lionesses should beat comfortably.
One is centred around James and whether Wiegman can find the right structure in the team to use her in a central role, in a way that maximises the Chelsea star and is also to the benefit of the team.
James is clearly at her best when she is given the freedom to roam and pick up the pockets of space in which she can be most damaging to an opponent. Yet, that doesn’t have to be centrally. At Chelsea, head coach Sonia Bompastor has found a lot of joy in using her off the left, for example.
It’s about what works best for Wiegman and this England side, something that the coach could tinker with in this break.
