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Ben Hart
Watch the best of the action from St. James' Park in this EURO 2025 qualifier
Sarina Wiegman and Leah Williamson addressed the press on the eve of the France game at St James’ Park.
Here is what the pair had to say.
Wiegman on Lauren James’ fitness…
Lauren James hasn’t made it, so she is not available for selection for tomorrow. She already had some foot issues from the club season and we hoped we could build it up for tomorrow but it’s just too early. She will miss the game in France as well and she’s going to get prepared for July. Jessica Naz will take her place in the full squad.
Wiegman on Jessica Naz’ promotion…
Jess deserves it. All of the standby players are like sponges, they really want to learn quick. I told them that they are equals now and they should go for it. It helps they are from the Under-23s and they are used to being around. I see good things from them and it helps that they have very good players around them.
Wiegman on taking the team to St James’ Park…
It’s very nice to be in this area again. We’ve played at Sunderland and now at Newcastle. I have never been in the stadium before and I hear it’s a great stadium. In every place in the world we want to grow the game and we want people to enjoy it. I want to get to know more areas of England but I think my family know a lot more because they have time to go around whereas we’ve always got games. I hope to do more and get to know it better.
Wiegman on the challenge posed by France…
I think they’ve always been really good. We haven’t analysed them really well at the EUROs and World Cup because we were not playing them but we’ve been following them all the time. They are very athletic, they have players who always want the ball. They’ve had some small tweaks in their style of play but we know they want the ball and they want to go forward. And they’re not scared to go a little bit direct either.
Williamson on whether Lionesses are favourites to win…
I suppose on paper we are defending champions of this competition but it’s easy to forget we are still in qualifying. France are a top team and I see it as fairly even. If that’s the tag we have to take then it’s not a bad place to be.
Williamson on the potential return of defensive partner Millie Bright…
We’ve had a lot of rotation but because of the way we play and the quality we have we’re afforded the luxury of keeping our style whoever plays. It’s easier for other players to step in to a role because there’s a good understanding between us. So I’d hope that anybody stepping in would go well, including Millie.
Williamson on the impact of Aggie Beever-Jones in training…
She’s confident but she’s very respectful which I like about her. I hope she knows she deserves her place here and I was joking with her today that she’s not afraid to leave one on us in training. She’s got quality and she looks at home. I think she’s further ahead in terms of how she’s fitting compared to when I came in as a youngster.
See the best of the action from England's last game against France in Caen in April 2021
Sarina Wiegman has named her England team to face France in the UEFA Women’s Nations League game at St. James’ Park.
There’s a 50th cap for Mary Earps who starts in goal, while Leah Williamson captains the Lionesses and is reunited with Millie Bright in central defence following the Chelsea player’s return from injury.
England: 1 Earps, 2 Bronze, 3 Carter, 4 Walsh, 5 Bright, 6 Williamson (c), 7 Mead, 8 Stanway, 9 Russo, 10 Toone, 11 Hemp.
Substitutes: 12 Greenwood, 13 Hampton, 14 Kirby, 15 Naz, 16 Kelly, 17 Beever-Jones, 18 Clinton, 19 Le Tissier, 20 Park, 21 Keating, 22 Morgan, 23 Turner.
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