LIONESSES: GAMECHANGERS by Abdullah Abdullah
England’s emphatic victory at the 2022 Women’s Euros has been called a watershed moment both for the team and for women’s football. But can this talented side prove their mettle on the biggest stage of all and achieve World Cup glory in 2023?
Tactical writer Abdullah Abdullah once again lifts the lid on a women’s footballing institution, this time through an international lens – deconstructing match tactics, analysing player performances and assessing the key improvements made in Sarina Wiegman’s time in charge.
Abdullah explores the standout tactical profiles from the current generation, including Fran Kirby and Lucy Bronze as well as the future crop, like Leah Williamson and wunderkind Lauren Hemp.
This book dives into the specifics of how this iteration of the Lionesses can perform at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Will this be the moment they shed their status as perennial challengers and prove they are the best team in the world?
(Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd. April 2023. Paperback: 256 pages)
Buy the book here: Lionesses
Audacious Alessia – There has been talk of poor goalkeeping, but such comments are an absolute disservice to Alessia Russo’s audaciously sublime goal. Had Messi scored this, there would be proclamations of his genius, calls to erect statues and have the goal named in his honour. So why not Russo? After all, forgive me if I’m wrong, but I’m not sure there’s been another back-heel nutmeg goal on the world stage (Google seems not to think so either). We’ve got the Cryuff turn, the Panenka, and back-heel nutmeg goal just doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as the Russo, does it? Whether or not the moniker slips into everyday football parlance or not, however, let’s take absolutely nothing away from it. Mere seconds before, Russo had, in truth, missed a sitter. Lesser-calibre players may still have been ruing their chance, standing still watching on, but not so Alessia Russo, who not only ensured she won the ball back, but then had the quickness of thought, skill and chutzpah to try the unexpected, which may just explain for all those naysayers why the Swedish goalkeeper failed to react. It was frankly the last thing anyone would anticipate, unless you’re Alessia Russo. And it was the sort of goal that the Puskas Award was created for, the sort of goal children all over the country attempt, that five-a-side players the world over dream of scoring, and to do so on the European stage in a semi-final is sheer brilliance. No doubt there’ll be a few mini Lionesses on their school holidays today practising the ‘Russo’.
Fighter Fran – Five months ago, Fran Kirby was sidelined from the game, suffering from a fatigue illness. Her inclusion in Sarina Wiegman’s squad may have raised some eyebrows, with question marks over her fitness, her ability to play back-to-back games, to contribute in a meaningful way, but if we’ve learnt anything these last couple of weeks, it’s not to question seer Sarina’s wisdom. And so it’s proved with Fran. The group-stage games may not have seen the Chelsea forward shine as she has done so often, but each proved valuable in building up her match fitness and her confidence, and Tuesday night we saw Fran growing back to her inimitable best. It was a complete performance, with her trademark probing attacking play, culminating in a deserved goal from a speculative effort, as well as a crucial penalty-box tackle that with most forwards would end in a penalty and yellow card. At 29, Fran has been through more than most in the game, on and off the pitch, but there is no doubting that she remains a crucial cog in the Lionesses’ wheel, and with her purring, whoever England face in the final need to be worried.
Immovable Mary – Let’s be honest, if we’re talking about a goalkeeper after a game, it’s usually not a positive, but Mary Earps’ contribution last night was as vital as any of England’s outfield players, if not more so. A save within the first thirty seconds set the tone, not only for Earps’ confidence but for that of the team. Okay, there was a questionable decision on a corner in the first half, but such is the makeup of all goalkeepers, half skittish, half cool as a cucumber. And that was the only moment of doubt in an otherwise flawless performance, from a goalkeeper, who, backed up by her stalwart defence, has only conceded one goal so far this tournament. It was her fingertip save in the second half, though, that really showed her quality, and perhaps it’s just me, but I was very much getting Jordan Pickford for England vibes in Earps’ confident, constant solidity and marshalling at the back. Like Keira Walsh and Millie Bright who have been exceptional throughout the tournament, Mary Earps may go under the radar, but her performance in Sheffield was, without question, a match-winner.
Ultimate Team Player – Debate over team selection will always be one that rages around any football match and in an international tournament, all the more so. For England, that has boiled down in recent games to the simple dichotomy of Russo or White when it comes to the starting XI. But the answer is far from simple, with pros and cons, backers and critics in each camp. For my part, I think Sarina has got it spot on, starting with Ellen who works tirelessly up top from the off, and bringing on Alessio fresh in the second half to take advantage of a jaded defence. There is nothing to say if the roles were reserved it wouldn’t be just as effective, and that given her impressive strike rate Russo doesn’t deserve the start, but tactically it seems to me that White starting and Russo off the bench seems a more effective play. Whatever option is used in the final, both strikers bring an incredible amount to the team, but at 33 White continues to display her quality as the ultimate team player. Her emotion at reaching Sunday’s final was heart-warming, but wouldn’t it just be fitting if England women’s record goalscorer equalled, or dare we even imagine it, surpassed Wayne Rooney as England’s overall top scorer in the final. And then if Russo comes on and scores another worldie too, I think fans of both players will be happy enough.
If there is one name synonymous with women’s football in England, and perhaps even globally, it is Lucy Bronze. For almost a decade, Lucy Bronze has stepped up to the plate, epitomising the pinnacle of the women’s game not only domestically but internationally. Indeed, she has over twenty individual honours to her name, including being twice recipient of the PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year, England Player of the Year and BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, and being named in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup All-Star Squad, IFFHS UEFA Woman Team of the Decade and IFFHS World’s Woman Team of the Decade. Even scooping the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year Award in 2019 was bettered by her award of FIFA’s Women’s World Player of the Year in 2020, following the likes of such icons of the women’s game as Marta and Megan Rapinoe. As well as featuring in an England shirt, Bronze has gained recognition during her time at Liverpool, Manchester City and notably Olympique Lyonnais, where she was part of a team that won nine trophies, including three consecutive Champions Leagues. And whilst Lucy still lets her football do the talking on the pitch, she has spoken openly about important subjects surrounding women’s football and continues to be for many the role model of the women’s game.
Whilst Ji may be considered the best international player in the history of the WSL, one woman is certainly hot on her heels. Still only 24, Vivianne Miedema has set the WSL alight since arriving at the Gunners in 2017. In 2018/19, she scored a record 22 goals in a season, and is also the league’s top scorer with 60. She holds the record for the most consecutive seasons scoring at least 10 goals and at least 15 goals; the most goals in a calendar month; the most WSL hat-tricks, the most WSL hat-tricks in a season; the most goals in a game; the most goal involvements in a game and most assists in a game, and with an 18-goal haul in 20/21 there are no signs of these records lasting. Her record-breaking doesn’t stop on the domestic stage; she was the U19 UEFA Women’s championship top scorer in 2014 and twice UEFA Champions League top scorer and has the record goals at both U17 and senior level for the Netherlands. Aged just 21, she was part of Euro-winning Netherlands team, scoring two goals in the final to overcome Denmark. With a comic book series to her name, as well as featuring in Amy Raphael’s brilliant A Game of Two Halves, where Vivianne proved herself to be a powerful voice on the women’s game, Vivianne already has the book market conquered, but despite her tender age, hers is a story that will surely require more than one volume!