Watching Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp play together up front makes me believe England can win this World Cup.
They both looked so clinical, sharp and alert against Australia. Usually players are getting tired by this stage of a major tournament and snatching at chances, but not those two.
I have always looked at Lauren James and thought she does not realise how good she is. People said to me: ‘Ah, Lauren didn’t have a good Euros’. I don’t think that is true.
I just think, in people’s minds, what they wanted from her was to see her attacking, but as a winger she did such an unselfish job for the team.
I started off as a centre-forward and it is only when I moved to Fulham in my early twenties that I played left wing… and believe me the role is so different.
In that winger position, usually coaches concentrate on your weaknesses because they believe your strengths will just happen naturally in a game.
But then you start to only think about the weaknesses, the negatives, and you forget how good you can be.
When I watched Lauren, that is how I felt she was playing. Someone just needed to stop focusing on recovery runs and defending, and let her play off the cuff. Now, Lauren is free. She is playing on instinct and with so much confidence.
Credit must go to Sarina Wiegman for that because she has made Lauren believe she can play a leading role. It is fun to watch because some of her goals are great finishes, but it is sheer determination as well. Lauren has got that grit and the want to score.
She could have given up on some of those long balls forward but the two goals she has scored, against Colombia and Australia, show how she never stops running.
Lauren will be vital if England are going to beat Spain on Sunday, as the two sides have been similar at this World Cup.
They have both shown grit and determination. Both teams are so gifted but they now also have an edge to them. I think that is what makes this final so special.
England will be happy to let Spain have the ball and be outnumbered, which is quite different to their opening game against Haiti when they dominated possession. You would like to be a fly on the wall in camp. Did they always think of this formation and playing this way?
Either way, it plays to people’s strengths and I was so pleased to see Ella Toone get a goal against Australia.
I feel like in this role now, where there are two up front, she is making more runs to create space for others.
I’d start Ella on Sunday and have Lauren James as a great weapon on the bench. Who knows what Sarina will do, but I’d look at it in terms of who can make the bigger impact off the bench.
For Spain, mentally, if they see England bring Lauren James on they will know she can produce a moment of magic
Lauren makes the greater impact and for Spain, mentally, if they see England bring her on they will know she can produce a moment of magic.
The benefit of Ella starting is that her link-up play with Alessia is so good, because of their time at Manchester United. They understand each other so well.
Also, if you put Lauren in to start, the way the Spanish play with the dark arts, they are going to go for her. They are going to focus on Lauren and try to frustrate her. They are going to try to get her to do something like she has done before. So why risk putting Lauren in that position?
