England grasped the headlines in style as they stamped their authority on the Women’s Euro 2022 and struck fear into any budding tournament hopefuls this summer, demolishing Norway in Brighton.
Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses’ scoring exploits broke the record for most goals scored in a men’s or women’s European Championship, netting eight past Norweigan goalkeeper Guro Pettersen.
Wiegman’s selection nightmare has become a dream
After committing to playing captain Leah Williamson at centre-back alongside Millie Bright, Wiegman has been able to adorn her teamsheet with a wealth of offensive talent, that makes for a venomous attack.
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Playing both Georgia Stanway and Fran Kirby, with Kiera Walsh acting as a reliable, agile pivot has seen England score nine goals in two games and unlocked Kirby’s creative potential, as she has assisted in both games so far.
The pressure may have lifted
After a shaky start in front of a packed-out Old Trafford, the nerves seem to have dissipated. Norway were barely able to hear the starting whistle before the ruthless aggression began. The freedom with which the England side played suggests ownership of the hosting pressure that can only yield great results.
England may now look back on their 1-0 victory against Austria as a powerful catalyst that saw them blast into the next game with three points and a wealth of confidence.
Beth Mead is Wiegman’s number one asset
Mead has been involved in 29 goals for her country since the Dutch coach took over in September 2021. A hat-trick against Norway and the only goal against Austria has sparked, what could be, a dream summer for the 27-year-old Arsenal attacker.
Mentioning the golden boot this early into a major tournament may seem like a fool's game but Mead's consistency under new management has been a remarkable improvement that cannot be understated.
The quality off the bench could take England all the way
With Alessia Russo’s cameo resulting in a 66th-minute goal, and Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly looking equally as bright as the players they replaced, England have an asset that many would dream of during a gruelling tournament – squad depth.
After getting the job done in the first half, the substitutes proved equally capable of maintaining the immense threat that those that came before had applied to the Nordic opposition. This can only bode well as fatigue kicks in if England continues to progress.
Defensive assurance
After 75 minutes, Norway – who had been touted as dark horses with the monumental talents of Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen and Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg leading the line – failed to breach the defensive assurance of Millie Bright and Williamson’s solid partnership.
Two clean sheets and two wins is the outlook for the Lionesses. With just one group game remaining and the quarter-finals to come, a concrete platform has been created that should allow the creative juices to flow with ease moving forward this summer.
