Sarina Wiegman stated that England must find a middle ground in dealing with different factors, such as weather and audience size, as they gear up for their match against Italy on Tuesday in Algeciras. Approximately 950 supporters purchased tickets for England’s 7-2 victory over Austria at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador on Friday, which is significantly lower than the large crowds they typically draw in England.
Finding a healthy equilibrium was the main goal, according to Wiegman. Our intention was to have high-quality friendly matches under ideal conditions. The pitches are top-notch and the weather has been favorable. However, we were aware that the number of fans in attendance would likely be lower than we anticipated.
“We will return to England to play games in the months of April, June, and July. The majority of our season will be spent playing in England, which I hope will help us to strengthen our bond with our fans.”
When going up against Italy, England will be presented with a unique obstacle. Wiegman acknowledged, “Their Nations League performance has been impressive. Their style of play is slightly different. They have a new coach and have utilized various formations. They aim to aggressively press us, which we must be cautious of. It’s a challenge we welcome.”
Fran Kirby, who plays in midfield, has returned to Chelsea, meaning she will not be playing for England. Wiegman stated that Kirby is doing well, but has some discomfort in her knee. While it is a small injury, the team did not want to take any chances, so she is currently being evaluated by her club. Fortunately, it is not expected to be a serious injury.
Chloe Kelly will be returning to the team, according to Wiegman. The Manchester City defender has been performing well in training and is expected to join the team this morning and be prepared for tomorrow’s game.
During the recent series of consecutive friendly matches and with the Under-23 team in a training camp, Wiegman has utilized this opportunity to test different combinations in her starting lineup and offer practice opportunities. Four players, Naomi Layzell, Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Naz, and Laura Blindkilde Brown, were invited to join the senior team for training on Sunday.
When asked about the young players competing for their positions, midfielder Keira Walsh said, “It’s our hope that they do come in and replace us. It’s great for them to be around us. Four of them trained with us yesterday and we had a fantastic session. We’re collaborating with them so we can have the same understanding of football.”
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Wiegman stated that the previous day provided the chance to include some of the younger players and expose them to the experience of playing and practicing with the senior team. It was also a valuable opportunity for the team to assess their progress and identify areas of strength. The players themselves also had a positive experience.
We currently have no intentions of adding additional players, but we will monitor the situation as we have another training session and a game to consider.
Source: theguardian.com
